Ruby access instance variables from another method

Question

I have a class and I try to access an instance variable and I noticed I can do it in both ways by addressing it with @ and without it. Why si there no error when I call it without a @ puts "name : #{name}"?

class Blabla attr_accessor :name def initialize(blabla) @name = blabla end def populate() puts "name : #{name}" puts "name : #{@name}" end end

1. Those are not "class instance variables", just regular instance variables. Terminology is important. 2. because of attr_accessor :name — Sergio Tulentsev
– Sergio Tulentsev, Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 15:51
with attr_reader :name I have the same, so is there any way I can avoid this behavior but still be able to read the instance variable? — Alina
– Alina, Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 16:17
yeah, why do you put attr_accessor / attr_reader there, again? — Sergio Tulentsev
– Sergio Tulentsev, Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 16:24

Graham · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-27 17:16:46Z

As hinted in the comments:

attr_accessor :name

is shorthand for:

def name @name end def name=(name) @name = name end

So expanding your code we have:

class Blabla def name @name end def name=(name) @name = name end def initialize(blabla) @name = blabla end def populate() puts "name : #{name}" puts "name : #{@name}" end end

#{name} references the method name which returns @name.

#{@name} references @name directly.

Also be sure to understand attr_reader, attr_writer methods.

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