ligo/gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/variables-and-constants.md
2019-12-10 13:47:31 +00:00

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---
id: constants-and-variables
title: Constants & Variables
---
The next building block after types are constants and variables.
## Constants
Constants are immutable by design, which means their values can't be reassigned.
When defining a constant you need to provide a `name`, `type` and a `value`:
<!--DOCUSAURUS_CODE_TABS-->
<!--Pascaligo-->
```pascaligo
const age : int = 25;
```
You can evaluate the constant definition above using the following CLI command:
```shell
ligo evaluate-value -s pascaligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/const.ligo age
# Outputs: 25
```
<!--Cameligo-->
```cameligo
let age: int = 25
```
You can evaluate the constant definition above using the following CLI command:
```shell
ligo evaluate-value -s cameligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/const.mligo age
# Outputs: 25
```
<!--Reasonligo-->
```reasonligo
let age: int = 25;
```
You can evaluate the constant definition above using the following CLI command:
```shell
ligo evaluate-value -s reasonligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/const.religo age
# Outputs: 25
```
<!--END_DOCUSAURUS_CODE_TABS-->
## Variables
<!--DOCUSAURUS_CODE_TABS-->
<!--Pascaligo-->
Variables, unlike constants, are mutable. They can't be used in a *global scope*, but they can be used within functions, or function arguments.
> 💡 Don't worry if you don't understand the function syntax yet. We'll get to it in upcoming sections of the docs.
> ⚠️ Please be wary that mutation only works within the function scope itself, values outside of the function scope will not be affected.
```pascaligo
// won't work, use const for global values instead
// var four: int = 4;
function add(const a: int; const b: int) : int is
block {
var c : int := a + b;
} with c
```
> ⚠️ Notice the different assignment operator `:=`
You can run the `add` function defined above using the LIGO compiler like this:
```shell
ligo run-function -s pascaligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/add.ligo add '(1,1)'
# Outputs: 2
```
<!--Cameligo-->
As expected from a functional language, CameLIGO uses value-binding
for variables rather than assignment. Variables are changed by replacement,
with a new value being bound in place of the old one.
> 💡 Don't worry if you don't understand the function syntax yet. We'll get to it in upcoming sections of the docs.
```cameligo
let add (a: int) (b: int) : int =
let c : int = a + b in c
```
You can run the `add` function defined above using the LIGO compiler like this:
```shell
ligo run-function -s cameligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/add.mligo add '(1,1)'
# Outputs: 2
```
<!--Reasonligo-->
As expected from a functional language, Reasonligo uses value-binding
for variables rather than assignment. Variables are changed by replacement,
with a new value being bound in place of the old one.
> 💡 Don't worry if you don't understand the function syntax yet. We'll get to it in upcoming sections of the docs.
```reasonligo
let add = (a: int, b: int): int => {
let c: int = a + b;
c;
};
```
You can run the `add` function defined above using the LIGO compiler like this:
```shell
ligo run-function -s reasonligo gitlab-pages/docs/language-basics/src/variables-and-constants/add.religo add '(1,1)'
# Outputs: 2
```
<!--END_DOCUSAURUS_CODE_TABS-->