Rails: Model instance method or helper method?

Question

By convention, should the following be defined as an instance method of my model or a helper method?

# app/models/user.rb
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  def full_name
    "#{first_name} #{last_name}"
  end
end

or

# app/helpers/users_helper.rb
module UsersHelper
  def full_name
    "#{@user.first_name} #{@user.last_name}"
  end
end

Many thanks.

More general / without code sample version of this question: stackoverflow.com/questions/5019794/… — Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com
– Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com, Commented Jul 22, 2014 at 14:30

kain · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-15 23:47:12Z

9

Go with the first (keep in model), also because you might want to do other stuff, like combined indexes :)

answered Jul 15, 2011 at 23:47

kain

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Comments

apneadiving · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-15 23:44:28Z

5

Everything directly related to your model should stay in your model.

This way, you keep coherent logic and tests.

answered Jul 15, 2011 at 23:44

apneadiving

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