javascript has var keyword for variable declaration.

ES6 introduced let and const keywords for variables declaration.

This post explains about usage of the const keyword and compares let and const with examples

es6 const keyword

const is used to declare a constant variable that is assigned with a value. Once assigned, Value never is changed, also called immutable variables.

const word = "words";
word="words1"; // error

const variables are block scope similar to let keyword.

if the const variable is not assigned value, It throws an error Uncaught SyntaxError: Missing initializer in const declaration

const word; // error

if you try to reassign the const variable with a new value, It throws Uncaught TypeError: Assignment to constant variable

const word = "words";
word="words1"; // error

The variables declared in block scope {} are not accessible outside a block.

For example,

Below the program, the const number is declared inside an if block, and accessible inside a block only. It throws an error ReferenceError: number is not defined if constant is accessed outside a block scope

if (true) {
  const number = 42;
}
console.log(number)

Difference between let and const in javascript?

Let’s see the difference between let and const

-reassign the value For example, let variable can be reassigned with value

const value is not reassigned and throws an error Uncaught TypeError: Assignment to constant variable.

// let example
let test="hello";
test="welcome";
console.log(test);
// const example throws an error
const message="hello";
message="welcome";
console.log(message);
  • let and const both are block-scoped only

these variables have a scope of immediate {}

let number = 3;
{
    number = 9; //allowed
}
const word = "threee";
{
    const word = "nine"; //allowed
}
  • Order is important for let and const keyword

For variables with and const and let keyword, if the variable is used without declaring it, It throws an error.

Uncaught ReferenceError: Cannot access ’number’ before initialization".

console.log(word); // error
console.log(number); // error

const word = 11;
let number = 22;
  • let and const variables are hoisting

One more difference in hoisting. Variables declared with const and 1 keyword assigned with undefined before it executes or uses. These are also called variables hoisted. It throws an error Uncaught ReferenceError: Cannot access ‘variable’ before initialization

In this program, the let and const variable is not initialized and accessed, it is in a temporal dead zone


function myfunction() {
  console.log(variable); //  error Uncaught ReferenceError: Cannot access 'variable' before initialization
  const variable = "hello";
  console.log(variable);
}

myfunction();

using let variable

function myfunction() {
  console.log(variable); // error Uncaught ReferenceError: Cannot access 'variable' before initialization
  let variable = "hello";
  console.log(variable); //
}
myfunction();
  • let and const variable is not added to the window global scope

In this example, accessing let and const variables with window scope returns undefined.

const word = "words";
let number = "number";
console.log(number);  // number
console.log(word);  // words

console.log(window.number);  // undefined
console.log(window.word);  // undefined