Why do I need self?

Question

Is there a specific reason I need the self in this model's method? I'm accessing it from another controller.

  def self.search(query)
    if query
      find(:all, conditions: ['lower(first_name) LIKE ? OR lower(last_name) LIKE ?', "%#{query.downcase}%", "%#{query.downcase}%"])
    else
      find(:all)
    end
  end

did you try it without the `self`? – Tobas Jul 05 '12 at 06:56 — Tobas, Jul 05 '12 at 06:56

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 05 '12 at 06:59

4

In ruby, self is used for class methods (as opposed to instance methods), which are equivalent to static methods in other languages.

Example:

class Wtf
    def omg
    end
    def self.lol
    end
end

Wtf.new.omg
Wtf.lol

edited Jul 05 '12 at 06:59

Gareth

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answered Jul 05 '12 at 06:56

nurettin

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Also see previously asked exact duplicate: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/386115/to-use-self-or-not-in-rails?rq=1 – nurettin Jul 05 '12 at 07:00

Why do I need self?

1 Answers1