Ruby Class Methods vs. Methods in Eigenclasses

Question

Are class methods and methods in the eigenclass (or metaclass) of that class just two ways to define one thing?

Otherwise, what are the differences?

cla         


        

Answer 1

Yet another necromancer here to unearth this old question... One thing you might not be aware of is that marking a class method as private (using the private keyword instead of :private_class_method) is different than marking an eigenclass method as such. :

class Foo
  class << self
    def baz
      puts "Eigenclass public method."
    end

    private
    def qux
      puts "Private method on eigenclass."
    end
  end
  private
  def self.bar
    puts "Private class method."
  end
end

Foo.bar
#=> Private class method.
Foo.baz
#=> Eigenclass public method.
Foo.qux
#=> NoMethodError: private method `qux' called for Foo:Class
#   from (irb)

The following example will work how the previous one intends:

class Foo
  class << self
    def baz
      puts "Eigen class public method."
    end

    private
    def qux
      puts "Private method on eigenclass."
    end
  end
  def bar
    puts "Private class method."
  end
  private_class_method :bar
end
Foo.bar
#=> NoMethodError: private method `bar' called for Foo:Class
#     from (irb)
Foo.baz
#=> Eigen class public method.
Foo.qux
#=> NoMethodError: private method `qux' called for Foo:Class
#     from (irb)