bugl
bugl
HomeLearnPatternsSearch
HomeLearnPatternsSearch

Loading lesson path

Learn/JavaScript/JavaScript Foundations
JavaScript•JavaScript Foundations

JavaScript Scope

Formula

Scope = Visibility

Scope determines the accessibility

(visibility) of variables. JavaScript variables have 3 types of scope:

Global scope

Function scope

Block scope

Global Scope

Variables declared

Globally

(outside any block or function) have Global Scope. Global variables can be accessed from anywhere in a JavaScript program.

Variables declared with var, let and const are quite similar when declared outside a block.

They all have

Global Scope

var x = 1;    // Global scope let y = 2;    // Global scope const z = 3;  // Global scope

Example

A variable declared outside a function, becomes GLOBAL.

let carName = "Volvo";
// code here can use carName function myFunction() {

// code here can also use carName

}

Global variables has

Global Scope

All scripts and functions in the same web page can access a variable with global scope.

Function Scope

Each JavaScript function have their own scope. Variables defined inside a function are not accessible (visible) from outside the function.

Variables declared with var, let and const are quite similar when declared inside a function.

They all have

Function Scope

function myFunction1() {
var carName = "Volvo";  // Function Scope
}
function myFunction2() {
let carName = "Volvo";  // Function Scope
}
function myFunction3() {
const carName = "Volvo";  // Function Scope
}

Example

Variables declared within a JavaScript function, are

Local

to the function:

// code here can NOT use carName function myFunction() {
let carName = "Volvo";

// code here CAN use carName

}

// code here can NOT use carName

Local Variables has Function Scope

They can only be accessed from within the function No scripts or functions outside the function can access them Variables with the same name can be used outside the function Variables with the same name can be used in different functions Local variables are created when a function starts Local variables are deleted when the function is completed Arguments (parameters) work as local variables inside functions

Block Scope

Before

ES6, JavaScript variables could only have

Global Scope or

Function Scope. ES6 introduced two important new JavaScript keywords:

let and const.

These two keywords provide

Block Scope in JavaScript.

Variables declared with let and const inside a code block are "block-scoped," meaning they are only accessible within that block.

This helps prevent unintended variable overwrites and promotes better code organization:

Example

{
let x = 2;
}

// x can NOT be used here

Variables declared with the var keyword can NOT have block scope.
Variables declared with the var keyword, inside a { } block; can be accessed from outside the block.

Example (Not Recommended)

{
var x = 2;
}

// x CAN be used here

Previous

JavaScript Functions

Next

JavaScript Data Types