Ruby variables and pointers

Question

I am practicing with different design patterns in Ruby and am trying to figure out the innards of Ruby. Right now I am practicing with Proxy patterns. If I have my main object:

class BankAccount
  attr_reader :balance

  def initialize(starting_balance = 0)
    @balance = starting_balance
  end

  def deposit(amount)
    @balance += amount
  end

  # other code
end

And my Proxy object:

class BankAccountProxy

  def initialize(real_object)
    @real_object = real_object
  end

  def balance
    @real_object.balance
  end

  def deposit(amount)
    @real_object.deposit(amount)
  end

  # other code
end

And I initialize the main and proxy object:

main = BankAccount.new(100)
proxy = BankAccountProxy.new(main)

Does Ruby make a copy of the main object within the proxy object, and therefore take up memory OR does Ruby simply point to main object from the proxy, and therefore not take up additional space?

Answer 1

Yes, it's called "references". Ruby will not make a copy of main here. Or anywhere else. It's always references. If you need a copy, you do it yourself.

Answer 2

Reference to that object. "Immediate values" are just integer and symbols in Ruby.