argument and parameter

Argument and Parameter

As a programmer, I understand that argument and parameter are two crucial terms that help in making the code more efficient and reusable. Both of these terms are used to pass values to the function or method in a program.

Argument

An argument is a value that is passed to a function or method when it is called. In simple words, an argument is a piece of data that a function receives and processes to give back the desired output. Arguments can be of any data type such as integer, float, string, boolean, etc.

Let me give you an example of how arguments work. Suppose we have a function named addNumbers that takes two arguments, x and y, and returns the sum of these two numbers. Here's how we can define this function:

function addNumbers(x, y) {
    return x + y;
}

In this example, x and y are the arguments that are passed to the addNumbers function. When we call this function with two numbers, say 5 and 10, it will return the sum of these two numbers, which is 15.

var sum = addNumbers(5, 10);
console.log(sum); // Output: 15

Parameter

A parameter is a variable that is used in the function definition to represent an argument that will be passed to the function. In other words, a parameter is a placeholder for an argument that will be passed to the function when it is called.

Let's take the same example of the addNumbers function to understand how parameters work. In this function, x and y are parameters that are defined in the function signature. When we call this function with two numbers, these numbers are passed as arguments to the function and assigned to the parameters.

function addNumbers(x, y) {
    return x + y;
}

When we call this function with two numbers, say 5 and 10, these numbers are passed as arguments to the function and assigned to the parameters x and y.

var sum = addNumbers(5, 10);
console.log(sum); // Output: 15

In this example, x and y are parameters, and 5 and 10 are arguments that are passed to the function.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both argument and parameter are essential in programming as they help in making the code more reusable and efficient. Arguments are the actual data that is passed to a function when it is called, while parameters are the placeholders for these arguments in the function definition. Understanding the difference between these two terms is crucial for anyone who wants to become a proficient programmer.