# Question about context variables

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [30 December 2023 14:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131 "2023-12-30T14:21:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grahambaxter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@grahambaxter](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/grahambaxter)\
**Post date:** [30 December 2023 14:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131/1 "2023-12-30T14:21:26Z")

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Please can someone explain to me the difference between these two approaches to node scoped context?

```auto
if ( !context.count ) context.count=0;
context.count++;
node.warn( context.count );

```

or

```auto
var Count = node.get( "count" ) || 0;
Count++;
node.warn( Count );
node.set( "count" , Count );

```

The first seems much simpler but I have been unable to find it documented anywhere.

Thank you  
Graham

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [30 December 2023 14:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131/2 "2023-12-30T14:35:50Z")

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Use context.get to ensure future compatibility if you ever decide to switch to file/db backed context.

In other words, context.count would never be written to file (or database)

Reference: [Writing Functions : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/writing-functions#context)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![grahambaxter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@grahambaxter](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/grahambaxter)\
**Post date:** [30 December 2023 15:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131/3 "2023-12-30T15:57:52Z")

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Thank you.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [28 February 2024 15:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-context-variables/84131/4 "2024-02-28T15:58:29Z")

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