JavaScript Variables
Variables are used to store data in JavaScript. Variables are
used to store reusable values. The values of the variables are
allocated using the assignment operator(“=”). Variables are
Containers for Storing Data.
JavaScript Variables can be declared in 4 ways:
Automatically
Using var
Using let
Using const
In this first example, x, y, and z are undeclared variables.
They are automatically declared when first used:
Example
x = 5;
y = 6;
z = x + y;
From the examples you can guess:
x stores the value 5
y stores the value 6
z stores the value 11
Example using var
var x = 5;
var y = 6;
var z = x + y;
Note
The var keyword was used in all JavaScript code from 1995 to
2015.
The let and const keywords were added to JavaScript in 2015.
The var keyword should only be used in code written for older
browsers.
Example using let
let x = 5;
let y = 6;
let z = x + y;
Mixed Example
const price1 = 5;
const price2 = 6;
let total = price1 + price2;
The two variables price1 and price2 are declared with
the const keyword.
These are constant values and cannot be changed.
The variable total is declared with the let keyword.
The value total can be changed.
When to Use var, let, or const?
1. Always declare variables
2. Always use const if the value should not be changed
3. Always use const if the type should not be changed (Arrays
and Objects)
4. Only use let if you can't use const
5. Only use var if you MUST support old browsers.
Just Like Algebra
Just like in algebra, variables hold values:
let x = 5;
let y = 6;
Just like in algebra, variables are used in expressions:
let z = x + y;
From the example above, you can guess that the total is
calculated to be 11.
Note
Variables are containers for storing values.
JavaScript Identifiers
All JavaScript variables must be identified with unique
names.
These unique names are called identifiers.
Identifiers can be short names (like x and y) or more
descriptive names (age, sum, totalVolume).
The general rules for constructing names for variables (unique
identifiers) are:
Names can contain letters, digits, underscores, and dollar
signs.
Names must begin with a letter.
Names can also begin with $ and _.
Names are case sensitive (y and Y are different variables).
Reserved words (like JavaScript keywords) cannot be used
as names.
Note
JavaScript identifiers are case-sensitive.
The Assignment Operator
In JavaScript, the equal sign (=) is an "assignment" operator,
not an "equal to" operator.
This is different from algebra. The following does not make
sense in algebra:
x=x+5
In JavaScript, however, it makes perfect sense: it assigns the
value of x + 5 to x.
(It calculates the value of x + 5 and puts the result into x. The
value of x is incremented by 5.)
Note
The "equal to" operator is written like == in JavaScript.
JavaScript Data Types
JavaScript variables can hold numbers like 100 and text values
like "John Doe".
In programming, text values are called text strings.
JavaScript can handle many types of data, but for now, just
think of numbers and strings.
Strings are written inside double or single quotes. Numbers are
written without quotes.
If you put a number in quotes, it will be treated as a text string.
Example
const pi = 3.14;
let person = "John Doe";
let answer = 'Yes I am!';
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>Strings are written with quotes.</p>
<p>Numbers are written without quotes.</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
const pi = 3.14;
let person = "John Doe";
let answer = 'Yes I am!';
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML =
pi + "<br>" + person + "<br>" + answer;
</script>
</body>
</html>
Declaring a JavaScript Variable
Creating a variable in JavaScript is called "declaring" a variable.
You declare a JavaScript variable with the var or
the let keyword:
var carName;
or:
let carName;
After the declaration, the variable has no value (technically it
is undefined).
To assign a value to the variable, use the equal sign:
carName = "Volvo";
You can also assign a value to the variable when you declare it:
let carName = "Volvo";
In the example below, we create a variable called carName and
assign the value "Volvo" to it.
Then we "output" the value inside an HTML paragraph with
id="demo":
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>Create a variable, assign a value to it, and display it:</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let carName = "Volvo";
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = carName;
</script>
</body>
</html>
It's a good programming practice to declare all variables at the
beginning of a script.
One Statement, Many Variables
You can declare many variables in one statement.
Start the statement with let and separate the variables
by comma:
Example
let person = "John Doe", carName = "Volvo", price = 200;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>You can declare many variables in one statement.</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let person = "John Doe",
carName = "Volvo",
price = 200;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = carName;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = price;
</script>
</body>
</html>
A declaration can span multiple lines:
Example
let person = "John Doe",
carName = "Volvo",
price = 200;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>You can declare many variables in one statement.</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let person = "John Doe",
carName = "Volvo",
price = 200;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = carName;
</script>
</body>
</html>
Value = undefined
In computer programs, variables are often declared without a
value. The value can be something that has to be calculated, or
something that will be provided later, like user input.
A variable declared without a value will have the
value undefined.
The variable carName will have the value undefined after the
execution of this statement:
Example
let carName;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>A variable without a value has the value of:</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let carName;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = carName;
</script>
</body>
</html>
Re-Declaring JavaScript Variables
If you re-declare a JavaScript variable declared with var, it will
not lose its value.
The variable carName will still have the value "Volvo" after the
execution of these statements:
Example
var carName = "Volvo";
var carName;
Note
You cannot re-declare a variable declared with let or const.
This will not work:
let carName = "Volvo";
let carName;
JavaScript Arithmetic
As with algebra, you can do arithmetic with JavaScript
variables, using operators like = and +:
Example
let x = 5 + 2 + 3;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>The result of adding 5 + 2 + 3 is:</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let x = 5 + 2 + 3;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = x;
</script>
</body>
</html>
We can also add strings, but strings will be concatenated:
Example
let x = "John" + " " + "Doe";
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>The result of adding "John" + " " + "Doe" is:</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let x = "John" + " " + "Doe";
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = x;
</script>
</body>
</html>
Also try this:
Example
let x = "5" + 2 + 3;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>JavaScript Variables</h1>
<p>The result of adding "5" + 2 + 3 is:</p>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
let x = "5" + 2 + 3;
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = x;
</script>
</body>
</html>
Note
If you put a number in quotes, the rest of the numbers will be
treated as strings, and concatenated.
Now try this:
Example
let x = 2 + 3 + "5";
