Variables Point to Values

Learn to Program, Third Edition — by Chris Pine (21 / 116)

👈 Chapter 3 Variables and Assignment | TOC | Progress Checkpoint 👉

As you’ve seen, a variable can point to any kind of object. What happens if you try to point a variable to another variable? Let’s see:

​<= 8
​ 8
​ 
​ luck
​ 8

Notice that on line 2, var2 points to var1, which is pointing to 8. Then on line 8, we reassign var1 so that it points to “luck”. So why is puts printing 8 for var2 instead of “luck”? Good question.

The issue here is that var2 was never really pointing to var1. Variables can’t point to other variables, so var2 was actually pointing to 8 the whole time.

var2 was actually pointing to 8 the whole time

👈 Chapter 3 Variables and Assignment | TOC | Progress Checkpoint 👉

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