2.5. Variables and data types

At the most fundamental level we have variables and data types. They are the building blocks of JavaScript that allow us to do some pretty cool stuff.

2.5.1. Variables

If you ever want to remember something when programming, you'll probably use a variable. The sole purpose of a variable is to hold a value (a piece of data) for retrieval at a later date. In this way they are very much like what you may have encountered while learning algebra at school. Remember those crazy formulas you had to work out that had numbers assigned to letters (e.g., x=3)? Those letters are variables, they store a value.