Variables

Now that we are able to accept input and print output externally, we need a mechanism to store data inside our program.

What is a Variable?

A variable is simply an named container that stores some value.

main.cpp

int x = 5;

In the example above,

• int indicates the type of the variable

• x is the name of the variable

• 5 is the value of the variable

Common Data Types

int	int age = 24	Integer (whole numbers)
double	double pi = 3.14	Floating point numbers
char	char x = 'c'	Singular character
bool	bool isGood = true	True / False
std::string	std::string name = "Benn"	Sequence of characters

⚠️ Common Pitfall

Use double quotes (" ") for strings and single quotes ' ' for characters

Declaration vs Initialisation

Declaration is when we define a variable's type and name without assigning it a value yet. Initialisation is when we give it a value.

main.cpp

int x;      // declaration
x = 10;     // assignment

int y = 10; // declaration + initialisation