[ACCEPTED]-Why can't a variable name end with `?` while a method name can?-ruby
You'd have to ask Matz to get an authoritative 1 answer. However,
- Ruby is an untyped programming language and a variable like
finished?would imply a specific type (boolean) which appears somewhat contradictory to me. - A question somewhat requires a receiver (who can answer the question). A method must have a receiver (the object the method is called on), so a question mark makes sense. A variable on the other hand has no receiver, it's a mere container.
Now this is just a thought, but I think 16 methods with names like empty? suggest that a 15 some sort of check has to be made inside 14 and object or a class (depending on the 13 context). This check or evaluation means 12 an action must be done. Overall, since we 11 are asking (thus, ?) object for some state, means 10 there is a possibility that object's state 9 could change throughout the application's 8 lifecycle. A variable could be outdated, but 7 ?-method (check) will be done in the specific 6 moment, thus providing an up-to-date information 5 on some state that could be presented in 4 a boolean form.
So I'd like to think that 3 this is a design constraint provided by 2 the architect (Matz) to enforce a more logical, close-to-real-life 1 coding approach.
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