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Depending on the type system of a programming language, variables may only be able to store a specified data type (e.g. integer or string). Alternatively, a datatype may be associated only with the current value, allowing a single variable to store anything supported by the programming language. Variables are the containers for storing the values.
In object-oriented programming, classes can contain attributes and methods. An attribute in a relational database can be represented as a column or field. In computing, an attribute is a specification that defines a property of an object, element, or file. It may also refer to or set the specific value for a given instance of such.
Attributes are closely related to variables. A variable is a logical set of attributes. [1] Variables can "vary" – for example, be high or low. [1] How high, or how low, is determined by the value of the attribute (and in fact, an attribute could be just the word "low" or "high"). [1] (For example see: Binary option)
A class contains data field descriptions (or properties, fields, data members, or attributes). These are usually field types and names that will be associated with state variables at program run time; these state variables either belong to the class or specific instances of the class.
The choice of a variable name should be mnemonic — that is, designed to indicate to the casual observer the intent of its use. One-character variable names should be avoided except for temporary "throwaway" variables. Common names for temporary variables are i, j, k, m, and n for integers; c, d, and e for characters. int i;
Instance variables or attributes – data that belongs to individual objects; every object has its own copy of each one. All 4 variables mentioned above (first_name, position etc) are instance variables. Member variables – refers to both the class and instance variables that are defined by a particular class.
Programming languages often use different syntax for attribute access and invoking a method, (e.g., object.something versus object.something()). The syntax change would require, in popular programming languages of the day, changing the source code in all the places where the attribute was used.
In computer programming, a declaration is a language construct specifying identifier properties: it declares a word's (identifier's) meaning. [1] Declarations are most commonly used for functions, variables, constants, and classes, but can also be used for other entities such as enumerations and type definitions. [1]