Variables in Programming

Naming a Variable

Rules for Naming Variables

• Variables must start with a letter (a-z or A-Z) or an underscore (_)
• Variables cannot start with a number (0-9)
• Variables can only contain letters (a-z or A-Z), numbers (0-9), or underscores (_)
• Variables are case-sensitive (e.g., myVariable and MyVariable are different)

Best Practices for Naming Variables

• Use descriptive names to indicate the variable's purpose or content
• Use camelCase or underscore notation to separate words in a variable name
• Avoid using single-letter variable names unless it's a commonly accepted convention (e.g., i for an index)
• Avoid using abbreviations unless they are widely recognized

Examples of Good Variable Names

• averageScore
• customerName
• totalCost
• isAuthorized

Examples of Bad Variable Names

• a (too vague)
• x1 (too cryptic)
• myvariable (should be myVariable for readability)