# Variables

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/writerside/llms.txt).

Variables are named entities with a defined value that you can use across your documentation. Use them for things that must be consistent, such as the product or company name, version number, contact information.

## Global variables

Declare global variables in the  [v.list file](help-modules.html#v.list) , for example:

```XML
<vars>
    <var name="latest_version" value="1.8"/>
</vars>
```

This variable will be available in all topics of the [module](help-modules.html) with the  [v.list file](help-modules.html#v.list) .

Semantic markup:

```XML
<note>
    <p>We recommend switching to the version %latest_version%.</p>
</note>
```

Markdown:

```PLAINTEXT
> We recommend switching to the version %latest_version%.
>
{style="note"}
```

## Local variables

Declare a local variable in a topic or any specific element. It will exist only within this element. You can also override the value of a global variable if it should be different in some specific scope.

Semantic markup:

```XML
<var name="latest_version" value="2.0"/>

<note>
    <p>Upgrade to the beta version %latest_version%.</p>
</note>
```

Markdown:

```PLAINTEXT
<var name="latest_version" value="2.0"/>

> Upgrade to the beta version %latest_version%.
>
{style="note"}
```

## Built-in variables

Writerside includes several built-in variables:

* `%instance%` is the name of the current [instance](instances.html), for example "Writerside"

* `%instance-lowercase%` is the name of the current [instance](instances.html) in lowercase, for example "writerside"

* `%currentId%` is the ID of the current [instance](instances.html), for example "wrs"

* `%thisTopic%` is the ID of the current topic, for example "Variables"

## Variable interpolation

To escape a `%var%` variable and insert it literally, add a backslash after the first percent character: `&percnt;\var&percnt;`. Alternatively, you can use the HTML entity code instead of the percent character: `&percnt;var&percnt;`.

Some code blocks and URLs may have percent characters that should be used literally. However, by default Writerside tries to interpolate them as variables. To avoid this, add `ignore-vars="true"` to code blocks, external links, and image references:

```XML
<code-block lang="console" ignore-vars="true">
    set PATH=c:\;%PATH%
</code-block>
```

```XML
<a href="https://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_urlencode.ASP#:~:text=URL%20Encoding%20(Percent%20Encoding)"
   ignore-vars="true"/>
```

You can also change the default behavior using the  [&lt;smart-ignore-vars&gt;](writerside-cfg.html#smart-ignore-vars)  element in  `[writerside.cfg](writerside-cfg.html)` .

## Variables in snippets

If you use a variable in a  [&lt;snippet&gt;](semantic-markup-reference.html#snippet) , set its value as a child of the  [&lt;include&gt;](semantic-markup-reference.html#include)  element.

```XML
<snippet id="save-options">
    <var name="button" value="OK"/>

    Select the necessary options and click <control>%button%</control>.
</snippet>
```

Here is how to include this snippet with the default value of `OK`:

```XML
<include from="lib.topic" element_id="save-options"/>
```

Here is how you can include it with a different variable value:

```XML
<include from="lib.topic" element_id="save-options">
    <var name="button" value="Save"
</include>
```

## Conditional variables

You can add filters to set different values for the same variable based on instance.

```XML
<var name="product" value="MyWebApp" instance="web"/>
<var name="product" value="MyMobApp" instance="mob"/>
```

When you add this `&percnt;product&percnt;` variable in reusable content throughout your documentation, it will resolve to `MyWebApp` for the `web` instance and to `MyMobApp` for the `mob`.