Rails - Oct 2009 - routes: _path vs. _url

Routes offers you the ability to use _path or _url as a way to make
links/redirect/etc throughout your site. However, I''m just wondering
when you should use _path and when you should use _url. Is there a
preference to which one to use? They seem to be fairly interchangeable
(in my very simple app there''s no difference which one I use), but
there have to be nuances of when to use which one, otherwise there
wouldn''t be both options.

This isn''t a very important question, so answer at your own leisure.

Thanks,
Zak

> Routes offers you the ability to use _path or _url as a way to make
> links/redirect/etc throughout your site. However, I''m just
wondering
> when you should use _path and when you should use _url. Is there a
> preference to which one to use? They seem to be fairly interchangeable
> (in my very simple app there''s no difference which one I use), but
> there have to be nuances of when to use which one, otherwise there
> wouldn''t be both options.
>
> This isn''t a very important question, so answer at your own
leisure.
_path doesn''t include the "http://yourdomain.com" part.  _url
does.

So if you need the protocol/domain use _url.

For example if you''re switching b/n http and https, or between  
servers, or if you want to include a full URL in an email or for the  
user to copy...

-philip