Private and Protected indentation

[garrypolley]

This is more of a question right now rather than a suggested change.

I've noticed a few examples online with Ruby/Rails code that indent an extra level for the sections that are private and protected for code. I think this makes it a lot easier to read the code and figure out where private and protected areas of the class are at within the code. What are reasons for and against this method of extra indenting?

Here is an example of what I mean:

class MyAwesomeClass

  def public_method_1
    # do stuff
  end

  def public_method_2
    # do stuff
  end

  protected
    def potected_method_1
       # do stuff
    end

    def protected_method_2
      # do stuff
    end

  private
    def private_method_1
      # do stuff
    end

    def private_method_2
      # do stuff
    end
end

[garrypolley]

I saw this issue, but it didn't really land on a solid reason on why. And the docs don't give a reason on why that I can tell.

#31

I would also suggest this for modules too if they have protected or private members.

[klippx]

https://gist.github.com/joefiorini/1049083

twinslash/cookbook#10

Pick your poison and stick to it! :-)

[jdickey]

From the Gist, the second example (private at the same single-level indentation as def) is what we use now; I could live with the unindented private as in the third example, but the first (which is the same style as @garrypolley's initial example here) makes me want to <insert colourfully violent metaphor here>.

Seriously, though, isn't the Style Guide supposed to codify existing conventions where they make any sense at all? Does anybody actually use (nd get away with) that overly-indented style?

[klippx]

I don't feel strongly and at my project we are using #2. I have been thinking about using #1 since then my editor can fold the private body and some teams like the rails core team uses that. But I think it is wasting too much whitespace, and there is no end (as if this were a block) so it doesn't make too much sense. #3 is the best imo because it has all the benefits of #1 but not the cons. However I think I'll just stick to #2 for now...

[garrypolley]

Based on what I see here:

https://github.com/bbatsov/ruby-style-guide#indent-public-private-protected

It seems that the decision was made over here:

https://github.com/everydayhero/styleguide/pull/13

I'll close this assuming a change isn't going to happen. I've since seen outdenting which seems okay. However, I do think the argument about confusing scope and methods is valid and enough of a reason to not have this be part of a style guide.

[jdickey]

👍 for @garrypolley's explanation and closure. Nice catch for the Everyday Hero style guide!