> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://zaidlang.gitbook.io/z/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://zaidlang.gitbook.io/z/language/variables.md).

# Variables

Variables are named slots for storing values. You define a new variable in Zaidlang using the `=` operator, like so:

```dart
a = 1 + 2
```

This creates a new variable `a` in the current scope and initializes it with the result of the expression following `=`. Once a variable has been defined, it can be accessed by name as you would expect.

```dart
technology = "Micromachines"

printftw(technology) // >> Micromachines
```

### Scope <a href="#scope" id="scope"></a>

Zaidlang has true block scope: a variable exists from the point where it is defined until the end of the block where that definition appears.

```dart
function foobar() {
  printftw(a) // Error: "a" doesn't exist yet.

  a = 123

  printftw(a) // >> 123
}

printftw(a) // Error: "a" doesn't exist anymore.
```

Variables defined at the top level of a script are *top-level*, or *global*. All other variables are *local*. Declaring a variable in an inner scope with the same name as an outer one is called *shadowing* and is not an error.

```dart
a = "outer"

function foobar() {
  a = "inner"

  printftw(a) // inner
}

printftw(a) // outer
```


---

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