Functions and Methods in Ruby: A Beginner's Tutorial

Introduction to Functions and Methods

Functions and methods are essential building blocks in Ruby and many other programming languages. They allow you to encapsulate code into reusable and organized blocks. In this guide, we'll explore functions and methods in Ruby and learn how to create and use them effectively.

Creating a Function

In Ruby, you can create a function using the def keyword followed by a method name and parameters. Here's an example:

def say_hello(name)
  puts "Hello, #{name}!"
end
# Call the function
say_hello("Alice")
say_hello("Bob")
    

In this example, the say_hello function takes a name parameter and prints a greeting using the provided name.

Method Invocation

To call a method, you simply use the method name followed by parentheses and any required arguments:

def add_numbers(a, b)
  return a + b
end
result = add_numbers(5, 3)
puts "Result: #{result}"
    

The add_numbers method adds two numbers and returns the result, which is then assigned to the result variable.

Default Values

You can provide default values for method parameters:

def greet(name = "Guest")
  puts "Hello, #{name}!"
end
greet("Alice")
greet
    

In this example, the name parameter has a default value of "Guest," so if no argument is provided, it defaults to "Guest."

Conclusion

Functions and methods are essential for organizing and reusing code in Ruby. By creating functions and methods, you can make your code more modular and easier to maintain.

Practice creating and using functions and methods in your Ruby programs to become a proficient Ruby developer. For more information, refer to the official Ruby documentation.

Happy coding!