Links: PROGRAMMING - TECHNOLOGY - PYTHON
Rel: macos; linux; windows
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Tags: #public

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a namespace is an abstract container that holds logically grouped unique identifiers (and the value of the things that they reference) by a name.

When you open up a new window of Terminal.app and type ls (or cmd.exe and type dir)

% ls
Desktop
Documents
Downloads
Library
Movies
Music
Pictures
Public

note the various namespaces being used:
- (1) ls is a command that owns the namespace "ls".
- (2) each listed directory (on the current path) owns it's own name ("Desktop", "Documents", ...) too.

The set command will show you a nice long list of some of the other namespaces being used within your current environment:

% set

-> create your own local variable...

% x="This is my important string."
% echo $x
This is my important string.

and see that your definition of "x" can now be found if you call set again!

% set
...
x='This is my important string.'
...

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Note that when you close and re-open (or open a new window) of your CLI that the definition for "x" is gone...

% echo $x

see: sh profile for an introduction to adding variables to your shell's default scope.