What are the best practices for variable scope in Ruby?

What are the best practices for variable scope in Ruby?

In Ruby, it's important to understand the different scopes: local, instance, class, and global. Best practices include minimizing the use of global variables, using instance variables for object state, and keeping local variables within methods.

Can you explain why minimizing global variables is important?

Minimizing global variables is crucial because they can lead to code that is hard to debug and maintain. They can be modified from anywhere in the code, which increases the risk of unintended side effects.

What about instance variables? When should I use them?

Instance variables are used to store object-specific data. You should use them when you need to maintain state across different methods within the same object.

Are there any tools to help manage variable scope in Ruby?

Yes, tools like RuboCop can help enforce style guidelines, including best practices for variable scope. It can catch issues related to variable visibility and usage.