Ruby on Rails Global variables

Explore how to use Ruby on Rails global variables to store & access data with an example.

Ruby on Rails Global Variables

Ruby on Rails offers a lot of flexibility for developers when it comes to global variables. Global variables are variables that are accessible from any part of the application, and they are useful for storing and sharing data between different parts of the application.

To define a global variable in Ruby on Rails, you can use the global keyword followed by the variable name. For example, to define a global variable called “current_user”, you could use the following code:

global current_user

This would create a global variable called current_user, which can be accessed from any part of the application. You can then assign a value to this variable, such as an object representing the current user.

current_user = User.find_by(id: 1)

Once you have defined the global variable, you can access it from any part of the application. For example, you can use it in your controllers to determine the current user:

def index
  @user = current_user
end

Global variables are a powerful tool for sharing data between different parts of your application. They make it easier to read and write data, and can be used to pass data between different parts of your code. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential pitfalls of using global variables, as they can be difficult to debug and maintain.