Lexical scope

Lexical scope refers to the visibility and accessibility of variables, functions, and objects based on their physical location in the source code. It's a fundamental concept in programming languages, especially JavaScript, where variables declared outside any function are considered globally scoped, while those declared inside a function are local to that function's scope.

How to use it in a sentence

  • "I'm not sure why the variable isn't updating - it must be a lexical scope issue since we declared it with let inside the function," the junior developer said, scratching his head in confusion.

  • The tech lead rolled her eyes and explained, "No, the bug isn't related to lexical scope. You're just trying to access the DOM before it's fully loaded. Maybe spend less time on Twitter and more time reading the docs."

If you actually want to learn more...

  • Scope in JavaScript: This article provides a comprehensive explanation of lexical scope in JavaScript, including global and local scopes, hoisting, and the differences between var, let, and const.

  • Lexical Scope in Ruby: While Ruby's scoping rules differ from JavaScript's, understanding lexical scope is still crucial. This post covers the basics of lexical scope in Ruby, including inner and outer scopes, variable shadowing, and the scope keyword.

  • Lexical Scoping in Lisp: For a deeper dive into lexical scope, check out this chapter from the book "Practical Common Lisp." It explores how lexical scope works in Lisp, a language known for its powerful macro system and emphasis on functional programming.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.

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