Assignment

To assign means to store a value in a variable.

Related concepts:  ValueVariable

Closest Wikipedia entry:  Assignment (computer science) — In computer programming, an assignment statement sets and/or re-sets the value stored in the storage location(s) denoted by a variable name; in other words, it copies a value into the variable. In most imperative programming languages, the assignment statement (or expression) is a fundamental construct. Today, the most commonly used notation for this operation is x = expr (originally Superplan 1949–51, popularized by Fortran 1957 and C).

Misconceptions about Assignment

16 documented Misconceptions

AssignCompares — Java

= compares two values

AssignCompares — Python

= compares two values

AssignmentCopiesObject — Java

Assignment copies the object

AssignmentCopiesObject — JavaScript

Assignment copies the object

AssignmentCopiesObject — Python

Assignment copies the object

AssignmentNotExpression — Java

An assignment a=b is not an expression

ConstDeclarationCanBeLeftUninitialized — JavaScript

Declarations of constants do not need to be immediately initialized

ExpressionAssigns — Java

An expression that reads a variable also updates its value after the evaluation

ExpressionAssigns — Scratch

An expression that reads a variable also updates its value after the evaluation

LocalVariablesAutoInitialized — Java

Local variables are automatically initialized

MandatoryAssignment — JavaScript

An expression must be assigned to have a valid statement

MustInitializeFieldInConstructor — Java

Constructors must assign values to all fields

ThisAssignable — Java

One can assign to this

ThisAssignable — JavaScript

One can assign to this

VariablesHoldExpressions — Java

= stores an expression in a variable

VariablesHoldExpressions — Python

= stores an expression: it stores a reference to the expression in a variable