Variables

Define variables using following syntax:

[var] identifier[ = expression] [, identifier[ = expression]]*;

where

• var keyword used to specify whether the variable is required to declare in current call-scope.
• identifier is name of variable, composed by digits, letters, $ and _.
• expression used to initialize variable. The value of expression will be evaluated immediately, or a null will be set to variable if expression is ignored.

For example:

var a = 10;         // declare 'a' in current call-scope, and set 'a' to 10
var b;              // declare 'b' in current call-scope, 'b' is null

Declaration List

Variables are declared in same scope when var keyword is specified.

var c = 20, d;      // declare 'c' and 'd' in current call-scope, and set 'c' to 20 and 'd' to null

Call-scope

A call-scope is a session of function calling, which be created from function calling and destroyed at calling is finished.

For example, assume that 'hello' function exists in script:

function hello() {
    var a = 10;
    return a;
}

When we to call this function using hello():

// root call-scpoe
hello();

// a new inner call-scope will be created and pushed into call-stack
// then body of function will be executed
{
var a = 10;        // 'a' is declared in inner call-scope 
return a;          // value of 'a' will be returned 
}                  // calling is finished, inner call-scope will be destroyed and popped
                   // 'a' belongs to inner call-scope will also be destroyed

// root call-scope is resumed
var c = hello();   // return value copied to 'c'
var d = a;         // 'd' will be null since no 'a' here

Scope Access

All variables declared in outer scope could be available to inner scope.

var a = 10, b = 5;

function hello() {
    return a + b;           // access 'a' and 'b' from outer scope
}

var c = hello();            // 'c' is 15

Override

A variable declared with var keyword in inner scope will always overrides a variable that declared in outer scope. For example:

var a = 10;

function hello() {
    var a = 20;
    console.log('a = ' + a);
}

hello();

The result is:

a = 20

Global Object

Variables declared in most outer scope will be stored as property to global object, that could be used as global variable.

var a = 10;

function hello() {
    var b = a + 5;         // 'a' is global variable
    return b;
}

var c = hello();           // 'c' is 15

See GlobalObject.

See Also

• Language Specification
• Functions