Declaring variables
Learn to declare variables with the $ sign and assign values.
What is a variable?
A variable is a box that stores a value under a name. In PHP every variable name starts with the $ sign.
To assign a value you use the = sign; it places the right-hand value into the left-hand name.
Example: $city = "Berlin"; — the variable $city now holds Berlin.
Later, echo $city; prints Berlin to the screen. Once declared, you can use the variable as many times as you like.
Print a variable with echo
After you declare a variable, you can print its value with echo.
Example: you declared $product = "Pen";. Then echo $product; prints Pen on the screen.
To print several variables on separate lines, add echo "\n"; after each one; \n means a new line.
This way you write the variable name once but reuse its value as many times as you need.
Exercise Print name and age
Assign "Alex" to $firstName and 25 to $age. Then print each on its own line with echo; end each line with \n.
Show example solution
Start with echo $firstName;, then echo "\n";, then echo $age; and echo "\n";.
Example solution:
<?php
$firstName = "Alex";
$age = 25;
echo $firstName;
echo "\n";
echo $age;
echo "\n";Test yourself
-
Which is a valid variable declaration?
- $name = "Alex";
- name = "Alex";
- $name = Alex;
- $$name = "Alex";
Show answer
$name = "Alex"; — Correct! A declaration starting with $ and assigning a quoted value is valid.
-
Add the $ sign
____city = "Berlin";Show answer
$city = "Berlin"; -
Match each concept to its meaning
- $
- starts a variable name
- =
- assigns a value
- echo
- prints a value to the screen
- $city
- example variable name