Lesson 4

Local, Global, Static

Variables
Before moving to Functions, we
have to understand LOCAL,
GLOBAL and STATIC variables.
LOCAL VARIABLES
WHAT IS A LOCAL VARIABLE?

Local variable that is declared within

a subprogram (function) and can only
be used in that function where it was
declared.

The program uses a declared

function sqr().

The program will not run because of

error: 'num' was not declared in this
scope
LOCAL VARIABLES – correct code
LOCAL VARIABLES
The variable num is local to the
msg function since it was declared
in that function. Being a local
variable, each time the msg
function is called, the variable
num is created, and each time the
msg function ends, the variable
num is destroyed. The variable
num is not continued but rather,
the variable num starts all over
again each time the msg function
is called.
GLOBAL VARIABLES
WHAT IS A GLOBAL
VARIABLE?

Global Variable has scope

throughout the program.
Since the variable has
scope throughout the
program, its lifetime does
not end until the program
ends. To make variable
global, it must be decaled
above all function
definition, generally with
function prototypes.
GLOBAL VARIABLES
GLOBAL VARIABLES
While the good news is that global
variables can be accessed
throughout your program, this is
also the bad news. The fact that
global variable can be accessed and
changed anywhere in your program
makes it difficult to determine its
present value if the code is complex.
Since all functions can accessed that
global variable any code within any
function might affect its value.
STATIC VARIABLES
WHAT IS A STATIC VARIABLE?

Normally local variable’s scope is limited to

the function in which it was declared, and
its lifetime ends when the function ends.
While a global variable had scope
throughout the entire program; thus, its
lifetime will not end until the entire
program ends.

A static local variable different. A static

local variable has the scope of a local
variable but the lifetime of a global
variable. The following code will
demonstrate the effect of static local
variable:
-=* END *=-
Credits to: Maria Ivy M. Guese
Used by: John Mark S. Policarpio
REFERENCES:
http://www.w3schools.in
https://www.programiz.com/cpp-programming