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

Next lesson: Variable naming rules

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