How To Write C++ Variables

Variables are an important part of any software application.

However, every programming language has different variable characteristics. Some languages have special syntax. There is also the question of typing - some languages are statically typed (which means you must specify a variable’s data type before value assignment) while others are dynamically typed (which means a variable can assume any value, with no specification required).

There is much to understand about a language’s variables before starting to write code. With that in mind, this article will teach you how to write C++ variables properly, which will save you time and grief later on in your programming journey.

Table of Contents

You can skip to a specific section of this C++ tutorial using the table of contents below:

• What Are C++ Variables?

• Type of C++ Variables (By Data Type)

• Naming C++ Variables

• Declaring and Defining C++ Variables

• Variable Initialization in C++

• Static Initialization

• Dynamic Initialization

• Scope of C++ Variables

• What If Local and Global C++ Variables Have The Same Name?

• Final Thoughts

What Are C++ Variables?

Variables are the fundamental blocks on which a programming language is built. They can be understood as named memory locations that store data temporarily. Variables can change while the program is running.

In most languages (C++ included), each variable has a type, which determines its size and layout, the range of values that it can store in memory, and the set of operations that can be applied to it.

A variable is just the name given to a memory location. Therefore, when the program runs and a variable undergoes different operations, the change reflects in that memory location too. Before using any C++ variable, it has to be declared and sometimes, defined too.

Throughout the rest of this article, I will discuss the characteristics of variables in C++, their types, and how to declare and define them.

Type of C++ Variables (By Data Type)

There are various categories into which the variables in C++ can be divided on the basis of their data types. These are:

• **int: **Variables of this type hold integer value (whole numbers).
• **char: **These variables hold character values like ‘a’, ‘H’, ‘M’, ‘l’, ‘x’, etc.
• string: Stores text like “Hello World”.
• bool: Stores either true or false.
• double: This variable stores double-precision floating-point value.
• **float: **This stores single-precision floating-point value.
• **void: **This variable represents the absence of type.
• **wchar_t: **A wide-character type.

#c++