ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Identifier

An identifier is like a name that we give to things, like people or objects or even ideas. It helps us tell them apart and recognize them. For example, your name is an identifier that helps people know who you are. In the same way, a car has a license plate number as an identifier.

In computer programming, an identifier is a word or symbol that we use to name things in our code. Just like in real life, it helps us keep track of what we are talking about. For example, if we want to make a program that calculates the sum of two numbers, we might use the identifiers "num1" and "num2" to refer to those numbers.

Identifiers can be made up of letters, numbers, and certain symbols, but they have to follow some rules. They can't start with a number, for example, and they can't be the same as certain reserved words like "if" or "while" that have special meanings in code.

So, in summary, an identifier is like a name that helps us identify and keep track of things or concepts, and in computer programming, it's a word or symbol we use to name things in our code, following certain rules.