Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Local scope is an area within a specific block or function where variables are defined and accessible. Variables declared inside this local scope cannot be accessed outside of it.
Related terms
Scope Chain: The concept of the "scope chain" describes how JavaScript searches for variable references by traversing through nested scopes until it finds the desired variable.
Block Scope: Block scope is similar to local scope but specifically refers to variables declared within curly braces ({}) in languages like JavaScript or C++. These variables are only accessible within that specific block.
Function Scope: Function scope is a type of local scope that applies specifically to variables declared inside functions. These variables exist only within the function and cannot be accessed outside of it.