What does the sharp (#) sign mean in a vim script function definition?

Question

So I was looking for ways to get some object oriented stuff in vimcript when I found this page

So for instance:

   function gnat#Make () dict
      ...
      return
   endfunction gnat#Make

• What does the '#' mean?
• Does it have to do with ending the function explicitly like that? (usually one just endfu[nction] without the function name)

Thanks!

Answer 1

The # is for autoload scripts. Try :h autoload for more info.

I don't think that "explicit" function ending is allowed, as written in the vim help:

:endf[unction]   The end of a function definition.  Must be on a line
                 by its own, without other commands.

But it appears that when you try to put something after :endf , even if it's not the name of the function, no error occurs.