Instruction: Describe what hoisting is and how it works in JavaScript.
Context: This question tests the candidate's understanding of a fundamental JavaScript behavior that affects the way variables and functions are scoped.
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At its core, hoisting allows variables and function declarations to be lifted or "hoisted" to the top of their containing scope, before code execution begins. However, it's important to clarify that only the declarations are hoisted, not the initializations. If a variable is declared and initialized in the same line, the declaration is hoisted, but the initialization remains in place. This behavior is pivotal in avoiding reference errors and understanding the execution flow within a JavaScript application.
To illustrate, consider the following example:...
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