What is a temporal dead zone in programming?

What is a temporal dead zone in programming?

A temporal dead zone (TDZ) refers to the period in JavaScript where a variable is in scope but not yet initialized. Accessing it during this time results in a ReferenceError.

Can you give me an example of a temporal dead zone?

Sure! If you declare a variable using let or const and try to access it before its declaration, you'll encounter a TDZ. For example:

console.log(x); // ReferenceError: Cannot access 'x' before initialization
let x = 5;

Why does this happen in JavaScript?

This behavior is due to how JavaScript handles variable hoisting. Unlike var, let and const do not hoist the variable initialization, leading to the TDZ.

How can I avoid temporal dead zones?

To avoid TDZ, always declare and initialize your variables before using them. This ensures they are in scope and initialized when accessed.