.net - C# variable initializations vs assignment

Question

In a book I found following (translation):

Initialization means assigning the value of the variable at the declaration time. int X=5 is called an initialization command.

EDIT: It just says that term initialization is used only when you assign value at the declaration time. If you do it later, its just assignement (according to it - I do not think so and that is why I am asking). Is it true or not?

Well, I have always thought (and according to others on the net, too) about initialization in the terms of first assignment of a value to a variable. I think that int X=5 is just assignment as a part of declaration.

I tried to search on MSDN with no luck. Thanks for any information.

Answer 1

If all you are asking about is terminology (*which isn't really clear from your question), "Initialization" of a variable is, literally, the first time a value is assigned to it. This term comes from the fact that you are giving the variable it's "initial" value.

This should (obviously) happen before it is used the first time.

int x=5;

is a declaration and an initialization, and is really just convenient shorthand for

int x;
x=5;