# Keyword argument name same as variable name: Short hand notation

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/keyword-argument-name-same-as-variable-name-short-hand-notation/24838>\
**Category:** Internals & Design\
**Created:** [June 1, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/keyword-argument-name-same-as-variable-name-short-hand-notation/24838 "2019-06-01T17:46:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wikunia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/wikunia/32/2180_2.png) [@Wikunia](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Wikunia)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/keyword-argument-name-same-as-variable-name-short-hand-notation/24838/1 "2019-06-01T17:46:53Z")

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I think it was a change from v0.6 to 1.0 that we use `;` for extra named keyword arguments. Now I’m thinking this can be used to achieve some short hand notation similar to this: [ECMAScript 6 and Object Literal Property Value Shorthand · ariya.io](https://ariya.io/2013/02/es6-and-object-literal-property-value-shorthand) in Javascript.

What I mean in particular:

```julia
julia> function test(a,b; extra=1)
       return a+b+extra
       end
test (generic function with 1 method)

julia> extra = 2
2

julia> test(2,3;extra)
ERROR: syntax: invalid keyword argument syntax "extra"

julia> test(2,3;extra=extra)
7

```

I think the shorthand notation would be a nice touch to shorten some function calls and when using the `;` as a separator there is no other meaning possible in my opinion.  
What do you guys think? 😉

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**Author:** ![jeff.bezanson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/jeff.bezanson/32/48_2.png) [@jeff.bezanson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jeff.bezanson)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/keyword-argument-name-same-as-variable-name-short-hand-notation/24838/2 "2019-06-01T19:31:47Z")

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Yep, a popular request. Issue [https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/29333](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/29333)

The `;` thing is not new in 1.0 though.