Editing Member variable (section)

{{Short description|Variable associated with a specific object, and accessible for all its methods}}
In [[object-oriented programming]], a '''member variable''' (sometimes called a '''member [[Field (computer science)|field]]''') is a [[variable (programming)|variable]] that is associated with a specific [[Object (computer science)|object]], and accessible for all its [[method (computer science)|methods]] (''member functions'').

In [[class-based programming]] languages, these are distinguished into two types: ''[[class variable]]s'' (also called ''static member variables''), where only one copy of the variable is shared with all [[instance (computer science)|instance]]s of the [[Class (computer programming)|class]]; and ''[[instance variable]]s'', where each instance of the class has its own independent copy of the variable.<ref>{{cite web | accessdate = 2011-08-12 | author = Richard G. Baldwin | date = 1999-03-10 | publisher = Richard G Baldwin Programming Tutorials | title = Q - What is a member variable? | quote = A member variable is a member of a class (class variable) or a member of an object instantiated from that class (instance variable). It must be declared within a class, but not within the body of a method of the class. | url = http://www.dickbaldwin.com/java/Java020.htm}}</ref>