Methods

#beginner #intermediate #unfinished

A method is some code that can be called/invoked from any point in a class by using the name of the method. A method is associated with a class and is what defines the behaviour of the class and what actions an object created from the class can perform.

Although the terms method and function are used interchangably they are slightly different in meaning. A method is a set of instructions that are associated with an object/class, and a function is a set of instructions that perform a task.

This means it is possible to write a function outside of a class. So although all methods are functions, not all functions are methods.

//GenerateProfileFunction is a function but not a method, it has no associated class
void GenerateProfileFunction(string firstNames, string lastName, int age)
{
	Console.Writeline("Full name: {firstNames} {lastName}")
	Console.Writeline("Age: {age}")
}

class Person 
{
	public string firstNames;
	public string lastName;
	public int age;
	
	//GenerateProfileMethod is a function as well as a method
	public void GenerateProfileMethod()
	{
		Console.Writeline("Full name: {firstNames} {lastName}")
		Console.Writeline("Age: {age}")
	}
}

Person person = new Person();

person.firstName = "Jeff";
person.lastName = "Bezos";
person.age = 59;

//Because it is a method we need to reference its associated object
person.GenerateProfileMethod();

Console.Writeline();

//Because it isn't a method we don't reference the associated object
GenerateProfileFunction(person.firstName, person.lastName, person.age);

Full name: Jeff Bezos
Age: 59

Full name: Jeff Bezos
Age: 59