Scope

Introduction#

Scope on Scala defines where a value (def, val, var or class) can be accessed from.

Syntax#

declaration
private declaration
private[this] declaration
private[fromWhere] declaration
protected declaration
protected[fromWhere] declaration

Public (default) scope

By default, the scope is public, the value can be accessed from anywhere.

package com.example {
  class FooClass {
    val x = "foo"
  }
}

package an.other.package {
  class BarClass {
    val foo = new com.example.FooClass
    foo.x // <- Accessing a public value from another package
  }
}

A private scope

When the scope is private, it can only be accessed from the current class or other instances of the current class.

package com.example {
  class FooClass {
    private val x = "foo"
    def aFoo(otherFoo: FooClass) {
      otherFoo.x // <- Accessing from another instance of the same class
    }
  }
  class BarClass {
    val f = new FooClass
    f.x // <- This will not compile
  }
}

A private package-specific scope

You can specify a package where the private value can be accessed.

package com.example {
  class FooClass {
    private val x = "foo"
    private[example] val y = "bar"
  }
  class BarClass {
    val f = new FooClass
    f.x // <- Will not compile
    f.y // <- Will compile
  }
}

Object private scope

The most restrictive scope is “object-private” scope, which only allows that value to be accessed from the same instance of the object.

class FooClass {
  private[this] val x = "foo"
  def aFoo(otherFoo: FooClass) = {
    otherFoo.x // <- This will not compile, accessing x outside the object instance
  }
}

Protected scope

The protected scope allows the value to be accessed from any subclasses of the current class.

class FooClass {
  protected val x = "foo"
}
class BarClass extends FooClass {
  val y = x // It is a subclass instance, will compile
}
class ClassB {
  val f = new FooClass
  f.x // <- This will not compile
}

Package protected scope

The package protected scope allows the value to be accessed only from any subclass in a specific package.

package com.example {
  class FooClass {
    protected[example] val x = "foo"
  }
  class ClassB extends FooClass {
    val y = x // It's in the protected scope, will compile
  }
}
package com {
  class BarClass extends com.example.FooClass {
    val y = x // <- Outside the protected scope, will not compile
  }
}