Is using 'var' to declare variables option

Question

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• What is the purpose of the var keyword and when should I use it (or omit it)? 18 answers

Is "var" optional?

myObj = 1;

same as ?

var myObj = 1;

I found they both work from my test, I assume var is optional. Is that right?

Answer 1

There's a bit more to it than just local vs global. Global variables created with var are different than those created without. Consider this:

var foo = 1; // declared properly
bar = 2; // implied global
window.baz = 3; // global via window object

Based on the answers so far, these global variables, foo, bar, and baz are all equivalent. This is not the case. Global variables made with var are (correctly) assigned the internal [[DontDelete]] property, such that they cannot be deleted.

delete foo; // false
delete bar; // true
delete baz; // true

foo; // 1
bar; // ReferenceError
baz; // ReferenceError

This is why you should always use var, even for global variables.

Answer 2

var is optional. var puts a variable in local scope. If a variable is defined without var, it is in global scope and not deletable.

edit

I thought that the non-deletable part was true at some point in time with a certain environment. I must have dreamed it.

Answer 3

They mean different things. If you use var the variable is declared within the scope you are in (e.g. of the function). If you don't use var, the variable bubbles up through the layers of scope until it encounters a variable by the given name or the global object (window, if you are doing it in the browser), where it then attaches. It is then very similar to a global variable. However, it can still be deleted with delete (most likely by someone else's code who also failed to use var). If you use var in the global scope, the variable is truly global and cannot be deleted.

This is, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous issues with javascript, and should be deprecated, or at least raise warnings over warnings. The reason is, it's easy to forget var and have by accident a common variable name bound to the global object. This produces weird and difficult to debug behavior.

Answer 4

Consider this question asked at StackOverflow today:

Simple Javascript question

A good test and a practical example is what happens in the above scenario...
The developer used the name of the JavaScript function in one of his variables.

What's the problem with the code?
The code only works the first time the user clicks the button.

What's the solution?
Add the var keyword before the variable name.

Answer 5

They are not the same.

Undeclared variable (without var) are treated as properties of the global object. (Usually the window object, unless you're in a with block)

Variables declared with var are normal local variables, and are not visible outside the function they're declared in. (Note that Javascript does not have block scope)

Answer 6

I just found the answer from a forum referred by one of my colleague. If you declare a variable outside a function, it's always global. No matter if you use var keyword or not. But, if you declare the variable inside a function, it has a big difference. Inside a function, if you declare the variable using var keyword, it will be local, but if you declare the variable without var keyword, it will be global. It can overwrite your previously declared variables. - See more at: http://forum.webdeveloperszone.com/question/what-is-the-difference-between-using-var-keyword-or-not-using-var-during-variable-declaration/#sthash.xNnLrwc3.dpuf