# Missing documentation for \`this\` (actually not)

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Tags:** keywords\
**Created:** [May 19, 2026, 9:12am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185 "2026-05-19T09:12:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lilachint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee7513/32.png) [@lilachint](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lilachint)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 9:12am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/1 "2026-05-19T09:12:10Z")

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I came across [Base.jl `include`](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/cad4314e3be8e9e3aa6aa74551941854f4c4c2c3/base/Base.jl#L328), and saw `this`. Since Julia is not OOP, I had never seen `this` before. The keyword is not even documented, searching gives 0 results. I tested it myself in REPL and `this` seems to be a reference to the current module (?).

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**Author:** ![sablonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sablonl/32/217805_2.png) [@sablonl](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sablonl)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 9:20am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/2 "2026-05-19T09:20:59Z")

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Isn’t it just a callable/functor ? See [Methods · The Julia Language](https://docs.julialang.org/en/v1/manual/methods/#Function-like-objects)

For instance, I guess that writing

```julia-auto
(dog::IncludeInto)(fname::AbstractString) = include(identity, dog.m, fname)

```

would also work.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lilachint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee7513/32.png) [@lilachint](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lilachint)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 9:23am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/3 "2026-05-19T09:23:41Z")

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I see, I know callables but using `this` specifically is really quite confusing at first. I also tested it the wrong way. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![kellertuer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kellertuer/32/220707_2.png) [@kellertuer](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kellertuer)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 11:10am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/4 "2026-05-19T11:10:06Z")

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To be very precise, it is the variable name of the concrete instance of the functor you define. And yes you can name that whatever you like.

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**Author:** ![adienes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/adienes/32/37459_2.png) [@adienes](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/adienes)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 12:08pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/5 "2026-05-19T12:08:12Z")

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tangential, but there are one or two people who will get [very bothered](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/59414) if we keep using the term “functor” 😉

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**Author:** ![kellertuer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kellertuer/32/220707_2.png) [@kellertuer](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kellertuer)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/missing-documentation-for-this-actually-not/137185/6 "2026-05-19T12:19:53Z")

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Sured, the docs still say “(sometimes called ‘functor’)” and I think formerly that was even more prominently called so, so somehow that’s what got stuck in my head. Will adapt head.