# Variable Assignment Techniques

# Coalescing Operator

Coalescing operator works the same for both PHP and JavaScript. It is used to assign a value to a variable if the variable is null or undefined. The coalescing operator is represented by ??.

# JavaScript

let x = null;
let y = 10;
let z = x ?? y;

# PHP

$x = null;
$y = 10;
$z = $x ?? $y;

# Null Coalescing Assignment Operator

The null coalescing assignment operator (??=) assigns a value to a variable only if that variable is currently null (in PHP) or null/undefined (in JavaScript). This operator simplifies the process of assigning default values.

In both languages, the operator checks if the variable on the left-hand side is null/undefined and assigns the value on the right-hand side only in that case. Otherwise, the original value of the variable is preserved.

# JavaScript

let validatedData = { has_profile: null };
validatedData.has_profile ??= true;

# PHP

$validatedData['has_profile'] ??= true;