Named routes _path vs _url

Question

Rails provides named routes.

Routes helper can be called using path or url

eg from docs:

# and provide these named routes
root_url   # =>          


        

Answer 1

As the other answers explain, you should use _url in email links, etc. But I would like to add that you should also use _url in redirects, as explained here:

https://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/101346#221052

and, here:

http://viget.com/extend/rails-named-routes-path-vs-url

You can also take a look at the relevant section of the HTTP specification here:

http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14.30