Variables Ruby on Rails

Explore the power of Ruby on Rails variables, including a sample implementation.

Ruby on Rails Variables

Variables in Ruby on Rails are written using the syntax of the Ruby programming language. Variables are used to store data or information that can be used in other parts of the application. Variables can be declared with a dollar sign ($) followed by the name of the variable.

$name = "John"
$age = 25
$salary = 30000

In the example above, three variables have been declared which store the name, age and salary of a person respectively. Variables can also be declared using the keyword “var”.

var name = "John"
var age = 25
var salary = 30000

In Ruby on Rails, variables can also be declared using the keyword “@” followed by the name of the variable. This type of variable is referred to as an instance variable and is used to store data that is specific to an instance of a model or controller.

@name = "John"
@age = 25
@salary = 30000

Instance variables can be used to store data that is specific to a particular instance of a model or controller. For example, if a model class has an instance method that is used to calculate the salary of a person, the salary can be stored in an instance variable inside the method.

def calculate_salary
  @salary = @hours_worked * @hourly_rate
end

In addition to instance variables, Ruby on Rails also supports global variables. Global variables are declared using the keyword “$” followed by the name of the variable.

$global_variable = "Hello World"

Global variables are used to store data that can be accessed from anywhere in the application. For example, a global variable can be used to store a user’s current session token which can then be used to authenticate the user in other parts of the application.

$current_session_token = "123456abcdef"

Variables are an important part of Ruby on Rails and can be used to store and manipulate data. Variables can be declared using different syntax depending on the type of variable being declared. Instance and global variables are two of the most commonly used types of variables in Ruby on Rails.