Methods are essential building blocks in Ruby programming. They allow you to encapsulate reusable code, making your programs more organized and efficient. This guide will walk you through the process of defining Ruby methods, their syntax, and best practices.
In Ruby, methods are defined using the def
keyword, followed by the method name and an optional list of parameters. The method body is enclosed between the definition line and the end
keyword.
def greet(name)
puts "Hello, #{name}!"
end
This simple method takes a name
parameter and prints a greeting. To call this method, you would write:
greet("Ruby") # Output: Hello, Ruby!
Ruby method names follow specific conventions:
Ruby methods implicitly return the value of the last evaluated expression. However, you can use the return
keyword to explicitly return a value from any point in the method.
def add(a, b)
a + b # Implicit return
end
def multiply(a, b)
return a * b # Explicit return
end
Methods can accept parameters, which are placeholders for the actual values (arguments) passed when the method is called. Ruby offers various ways to define method parameters:
You can assign default values to parameters, making them optional when calling the method.
def greet(name = "World")
puts "Hello, #{name}!"
end
greet # Output: Hello, World!
greet("Ruby") # Output: Hello, Ruby!
Keyword arguments allow you to pass arguments by name, improving readability and flexibility. Learn more about Ruby Keyword Arguments.
def create_user(name:, age:, email:)
puts "Created user: #{name}, #{age} years old, email: #{email}"
end
create_user(name: "Alice", age: 30, email: "alice@example.com")
Methods in Ruby can be defined at different levels:
Understanding Ruby Classes and Ruby Objects is crucial for mastering method scopes.
By mastering the art of defining Ruby methods, you'll be able to write cleaner, more maintainable code. Practice creating methods with various parameters and return values to solidify your understanding of this fundamental concept in Ruby programming.