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is an option for notebooks, cells, Dynamic, DynamicModule, Manipulate and related constructs that specifies an expression to be evaluated when the construct is first displayed.


Initialization
is an option for notebooks, cells, Dynamic, DynamicModule, Manipulate and related constructs that specifies an expression to be evaluated when the construct is first displayed.
Details

- The typical usage is Initialization:>expr.
- Initialization expressions defined in particular cells in a notebook are evaluated when those cells are first made visible, and not necessarily when the notebook is first opened.
- Initialization expressions are guaranteed to be evaluated exactly once before the contents of the main construct are resolved.
- An object that is already initialized can be initialized again if it is deleted, then restored as a result of using Undo. If an object is copied and pasted, each pasted copy will initialize again.
- Initialization expressions may be applied directly to notebooks and cells. Unlike most other option values, the Initialization option of a cell will not inherit any settings applied at the notebook level.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (4)
Specify an expression to be evaluated before displaying Dynamic:
Properties & Relations (3)
Initialization is guaranteed to only happen once:
Initialization for outer constructs occurs before initialization for inner constructs:
Each time a Dynamic destroys and recreates an initializing construct, the initialization will run again:
Possible Issues (3)
Loading a package in the initialization does not allow you to use unqualified symbols from that package:
Doing this properly requires loading the package in the Input cell and loading it in an outer initialization:
This function produces a cell indicating the current Initialization setting upon that cell:
Unlike most options, cells do not inherit Initialization from the notebook setting:
Cells still inherit Initialization from named cell styles:
Related Guides
Related Workflows
- Build a Manipulate ▪
- Put Autoupdating Dynamic Content in a Notebook ▪
- Create a Palette
Text
Wolfram Research (2007), Initialization, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Initialization.html (updated 2020).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2007. "Initialization." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2020. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Initialization.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2007). Initialization. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Initialization.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_initialization, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Initialization}", year="2020", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Initialization.html}", note=[Accessed: 03-August-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_initialization, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Initialization}, year={2020}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Initialization.html}, note=[Accessed: 03-August-2025]}