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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Storing and Tracking Information with Variables Combining Strings

melissa brown
melissa brown
4,670 Points

message value

if message = hello + visitor + welcome to treehouse. Why is it not repeating the message value over again everytime he adds an extra sentence to the message value?

1 Answer

Hey melissa brown,

The reason why the variable doesn't repeat itself is because the += sign just takes whatever is after that sign and adds it to whatever came before. For example:

var string1 = "Hey, Melissa! ";
var string2 = "Welcome to Treehouse!";
message = string1; //message is now "Hey, Melissa! "
message += string2; //message is now string1 plus string2 so it is 
alert(message);
//"Hey, Melissa! Welcome to Treehouse!"

Does that make more sense?