var x = 3;
(function (){
  console.log('before', x);
  var x = 7;
  console.log('after', x);
  return ;
})();

In the above code var X is initialized globally. So inside the function the first console.log should print "before 3" but i don't get it. The reason is that i am trying to re-declare the global variable.

Can somebody explain why this is happening?

var x = 3;
(function (){
  console.log('before', x);
  var x = 7;
  console.log('after', x);
  return ;
})();

In the above code var X is initialized globally. So inside the function the first console.log should print "before 3" but i don't get it. The reason is that i am trying to re-declare the global variable.

Can somebody explain why this is happening?

• javascript

• 1 Link answering your question: adequatelygood./2010/2/JavaScript-Scoping-and-Hoisting FWIW, you're looking at "hoisting". – Florian Margaine Commented Nov 2, 2012 at 10:16

3 Answers 3

In the above code var X is initialized globally. so inside the function the first console.log should print "before 3".

No, it should print before undefined, because var takes effect from the beginning of the function regardless of where you write it.

Your code is exactly the same as this:

var x = 3;
(function (){
 var x;

 console.log('before', x);
 x = 7;
 console.log('after', x);
 return ;
})();

And of course, variables start with the value undefined.

Details: Poor misunderstood var

The JavaScript parser does Variable Hoisting when parsing your code. This means that any variable declaration will be moved to the top of the current scope, thus in your case, this code will get executed:

var x = 3;
(function (){
  var x;
  console.log('before', x);
  x = 7;
  console.log('after', x);
  return ;
})();

So your local variable x gets declared at first with an initial value of undefined.

This should explain, why you get an "beforeundefined" for the first console.log().

The scope of a variable is much simpler than in other languages. It doesn't start at declaration but is either :

• the function in which you have the declaration
• the global scope if the declaration isn't in a function

MDN :

The scope of a variable declared with var is the enclosing function or, for variables declared outside a function, the global scope (which is bound to the global object).

You can imagine that all variable declarations are moved to the start of the scope (the function). So this is exactly like

var x = 3;
(function (){
  var x;
  console.log('before', x); // now undefined
  x = 7;
  console.log('after', x); // now 7
  return ;
})();

Be careful to understand what is the exact scope (the function, not the block) :

var x = 3;
(function (){
  console.log('before', x); // this is undefined !
  if (true) {
      var x = 7;
  }
  return ;
})();