> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.airdev.co/applications-platform-template-reference/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.airdev.co/applications-platform-template-reference/general-information/functionality/hidden-variables-popup.md).

# Hidden variables popup

Setting variables within pages

Each page has a popup called “Hidden variables” that holds data in the background that can be referenced by different elements on the page. This can be a useful technique for avoiding redundancy and maintaining clear organization.

![](https://1504701494-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LdukpFHinhBRguGr-7T%2F-Ldv0OTHjRLFUYw5rVQX%2F-Ldv0RliXNQERW4Qf8jG%2Fscreen-shot-2019-03-12-at-3.28.26-pm.png?generation=1556842149374199\&alt=media)

Variables are stored in two kinds of objects: **Groups** and **Repeating Groups**. These are more useful than custom states because they can have default data sources, conditional data sources, or have their data set by a workflow. We recommend naming each Group or RG `var - [Name of variable]` as opposed to the normal “Group …” convention. This way you can quickly search for the page variables to reference them from other elements.

The popup will always come with a `var - Website object` Group, so that you can quickly refer to any of the fields stored in the website object (e.g., the app name) Common uses for hidden variables include:

1. the result of a URL parameter
2. search results that have to be referenced in multiple places, or
3. calculation results based on an input on the page