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rubyoopclassprivate

Private class (not class method) in a Ruby module?

I'm new to Ruby (experienced with Python, C++ and C). I need to create a class that is only to be used by other classes and methods in a module. In Python, I'd just call it __classname. I'd use an empty typedef in C++. How do I do this in Ruby (or am I barking up the wrong tree and not doing this the "Ruby way"?)

Solution

  • I haven't seen such concept so far in Ruby, but I guess you could simulate that by creating private method which would return a class created as a local variable (remember that in Ruby, a class is an object just like any other, and can be instantiated in a method and returned by it).

    BTW, even private methods in Ruby aren't as private as in other languages - you can always access them using send method. But doing that implies you know what you are doing.