CODEWITHSUNDEEP
rubyinstance-variablesaccessor
sawa
sawa

Reputation: 168199

instance_variable_set/get vs attr_writer/reader

Are there any situations where I should chose between instance_varaible_set/instance_variable_get or attr_writer/attr_reader to access an instance variable of the object from outside of it? How are they different in terms of speed, or etc?

I had the impression that if you want to let accessing the instance variable an opened method to the end user, attr_writer/attr_reader should be used to make it easy, but if you want to use it privately, you would rather use instance_varaible_set/instance_variable_get. Is this understanding correct?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 640

Answers (1)

Sergio Tulentsev
Sergio Tulentsev

Reputation: 230471

This is correct. You define attr_accessor/attr_reader/attr_writer inside class definition to make them access (implicitly or explicitly created) instance variable.

If class wasn't written by you and no such accessors exist, you still can read/write private instance variables using instance_variable_get/instance_variable_set.

Upvotes: 1

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