For example, consider a path with the following folders, containing the files indicated:
fldr1/foo.m % defines class foo
fldr2/foo.m % defines function foo
fldr3/@foo/foo.m % defines class foo
fldr4/@foo/bar.m % defines method bar
fldr5/foo.m % defines class foo
The MATLAB language applies the logic in the following list to determine which version of foo to call:

Class fldr1/foo.m takes precedence over the class fldr3/@foo because it is before fldr3/@foo on the path.


Class fldr3/@foo takes precedence over function fldr2/foo.m because it is a class in an @-folder and fldr2/foo.m is not a class (@-folder classes take precedence over functions).


Function fldr2/foo.m takes precedence over class fldr5/foo.m because it comes before class fldr5/foo.m on the path and because class fldr5/foo.m is not in an @-folder. Classes not defined in @-folder abide by path order with respect to functions.


Class fldr3/@foo takes precedence over class fldr4/@foo; therefore, the method bar is not recognized as part of the foo class (which is defined only by fldr3/@foo).


If fldr3/@foo/foo.m does not contain a classdef keyword (i.e., it is a MATLAB class prior to Version 7.6), then fldr4/@foo/bar.m becomes a method of the foo class defined in fldr3/@foo.