C++ Primer, Fifth Edition

6.1.1. Local Objects

In C++, names have scope (§ 2.2.4, p. 48), and objects have lifetimes. It is important to understand both of these concepts.

• The scope of a name is the part of the program’s text in which that name is visible.

• The lifetime of an object is the time during the program’s execution that the object exists.

As we’ve seen, the body of a function is a statement block. As usual, the block forms a new scope in which we can define variables. Parameters and variables defined inside a function body are referred to as local variables. They are “local” to that function and hide declarations of the same name made in an outer scope.