R Variables
Variables in R are named containers that store data values so you can reuse, update, and reference them throughout your code.
Creating Variables
A variable is created the moment you assign a value to a name using <-. R does not require you to declare a variable's type in advance — the type is determined automatically from the value you assign.
Example
name <- "Ava"
age <- 29
is_member <- TRUE
print(name)
print(age)
print(is_member)Variables Can Change
Reassigning a variable simply replaces its previous value with a new one. R does not keep any history of the old value once it has been overwritten.
Example
score <- 70
print(score)
score <- 95
print(score)Checking a Variable's Type
Every variable has an underlying data type, such as numeric, character (text), or logical (TRUE/FALSE). The class() function reports a variable's type, which is useful when debugging unexpected behavior.
Variables Are Case-Sensitive
Score and score would be treated as two entirely different variables in R, so consistent capitalization matters whenever you refer back to a variable you created earlier.
Exercise: R Variables
Which assignment operator is the traditionally preferred style in R?
