Keyword Vs. Identifier: Explore the difference between Keyword and Identifier
In the world of programming languages, keywords and identifiers are important terminologies. Some programming languages contain keywords and identifiers that are recognized by its compiler. In general, keywords are the predefined and specific reserved words, which hold special meaning. On the other hand, an identifier is a different term or name given to a variable, label of class in the program or function. Let’s find out the difference between keywords and identifiers.
What is a Keyword?
Keywords are the predefined and specific reserved words, which hold special meaning. Keywords help in defining any statement in the program. When it comes to C language it consists of 32 keywords. Some of the examples of keywords are: double, int, auto, char, break, and more.
What is an Identifier?
A particular name generated by the programmer to define a variable, structure, class, or function is called an identifier. It is important to suggest some understandable names to the identifiers to get the code quickly readable.
Difference between Keyword and Identifier
| S.No. | Keyword | Identifier |
| 1 | Keywords are predefined and specific reserved words, which hold special meaning. Keywords help in defining any statement in the program. | A particular name generated by the programmer to define a variable, structure, class, or function is called an identifier. |
| 2 | A keyword begins with lowercase. | In the identifier, the first character may begin with uppercase, lowercase or underscores. |
| 3 | It defines the type of entity. | It classifies the name of the entity. |
| 4 | It can only have alphabetical characters. | It can have numbers, alphabetical characters, and underscores. |
| 5 | It should be lowercase. | It can be both upper and lowercase. |
| 6 | It helps in defining a particular property that subsists in a computer language. | It helps in locating the name of the entity. |
| 7 | double, int, auto, char, break, and more are examples of keywords. | Test, count1, high_speed, etc are examples of identifiers. |
Keep learning and stay tuned to get the latest updates onGATE Examalong withGATE Eligibility Criteria,GATE 2023,GATE Admit Card,GATE Application Form,GATE Syllabus,GATE Cut off,GATE Previous Year Question Paper, and more.
FAQs
The keyword is a search term used in a search engine to find relevant documents. It is not just the keyword but also includes modifiers such as synonyms, misspellings, etc. Identifiers are words assigned to each document or webpage so they can be easily identified.
Can an identifier be a keyword? ›
"Identifiers" or "symbols" are the names you supply for variables, types, functions, and labels in your program. Identifier names must differ in spelling and case from any keywords. You can't use keywords (either C or Microsoft) as identifiers; they're reserved for special use.
What is an example of an identifier? ›
In C programming, identifiers are the names assigned to different entities such as variables, functions, arrays, etc. Here's a simple code example: int score = 90; In this case, 'score' is an identifier that we've used to name our integer variable.
Can the keywords be used as identifier? ›
Keywords are part of the syntax and they cannot be used as an identifier.
What are keywords with example? ›
Keywords are the words and phrases that people type into search engines to find what they're looking for. For example, if you were looking to buy a new jacket, you might type something like “mens leather jacket” into Google. Even though that phrase consists of more than one word, it's still a keyword.
What is the difference between identifier and keyword? ›
In general, keywords are the predefined and specific reserved words, which hold special meaning. On the other hand, an identifier is a different term or name given to a variable, label of class in the program or function.
Is ID a keyword? ›
Keywords are words or phrases in the content of your web pages that match the words and phrases users are entering into search engines as closely as possible. Keywords allow you to build an SEO strategy around specific target phrases in a way that's meaningful and measurable.
What are the 3 identifiers? ›
When asking for patient identifiers, practice team members must ask the patient to state at least three identifiers (eg their full name, date of birth, and address), while remaining mindful of privacy and confidentiality issues.
What are the 3 valid identifiers? ›
Alphanumeric Characters: Identifiers can include letters (A-Z and a-z), digits (0-9), underscore (_), and dollar sign ($). However, they must start with a letter, an underscore or a dollar sign. They cannot begin with a digit.
What is the most common identifier? ›
Common Identifiers
- Names.
- Addresses.
- Telephone numbers.
- Fax numbers.
- Email sddresses.
- Social media usernames or handles.
- URLs/IP addresses.
- Social Security numbers.
In a computer language, a reserved word (also known as a reserved identifier) is a word that cannot be used as an identifier, such as the name of a variable, function, or label – it is "reserved from use".
Is a keyword an identifier True or false? ›
A keyword can specify the type of entity. An identifier can identify a single entity (a variable, a class, or a function). All the keywords except 'True', 'False', and 'None' start in lowercase letters.
What are identifier words? ›
An identifier is a name that identifies (that is, labels the identity of) either a unique object or a unique class of objects, where the "object" or class may be an idea, person, physical countable object (or class thereof), or physical noncountable substance (or class thereof).
What is considered a keyword? ›
A keyword is a term used in digital marketing to describe a word or a group of words an Internet user uses to perform a search in a search engine or search bar. In an SEO strategy, keywords are very important and should be the core of any copy written for the web (present in the content, titles and SEO elements).
What are the four main types of keywords? ›
What Are the Different Types of Keywords?
- Informational: Searchers want to acquire knowledge on the topic.
- Navigational: Searchers want to find a specific site or page.
- Commercial: Searchers want to investigate brands, products, or services.
- Transactional: Searchers want to complete an action (e.g., make a purchase)
A good SEO keyword strikes the ideal balance between keyword volume, competition, relevance, and intent based on your website's authority. Therefore, adding keywords that encompass these factors, will allow you to rank and drive traffic long-term.
Can an identifier be a keyword in Python? ›
Keywords in Python
Keywords are used to define the syntax of the coding. The keyword cannot be used as an identifier, function, or variable name. All the keywords in Python are written in lowercase except True and False. There are 35 keywords in Python 3.11.
Can a Java keyword be used as an identifier? ›
Ans: Java keywords are reserved words in Java that have predefined meanings in the language. They serve specific purposes and cannot be used as identifiers for naming variables, methods, classes, etc.
What is keyword identification? ›
Keyword extraction, also known as keyword detection or keyword analysis, is a text analysis technique that automatically extracts the most used and most important words and expressions from a text. It helps summarize the content of texts and recognize the main topics discussed.
