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 basic operation has come to be x = expr (originally Superplan 1949–51, popularized by Fortran 1957 and C) followed by x := expr (originally ALGOL 1958, popularised by Pascal), although there are many other notations in use.

Misconceptions about Assignment

12 documented Misconceptions

AssignCompares

= compares two values

AssignmentCopiesObject

Assignment copies the object

AssignmentNotExpression

An assignment a=b is not an expression

ExpressionAssigns

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

LocalVariablesAutoInitialized

Local variables are automatically initialized

MustInitializeFieldInConstructor

Constructors must assign values to all fields

ThisAssignable

One can assign to this

VariablesHoldExpressions

= stores an expression in a variable