Ruby Symbols/Keywords/Data Types Flashcards
alias
Creates an alias for an existing method, operator, or global variable.
Examples:
alias new old
alias :new :old
alias :new, :old
and
Logical operator; same as &&, except “and” has lower precedence.
BEGIN
Code, enclosed in { and }, that will run before the program runs.
begin
Begins a code block or group of statements; closes with “end” (not to be confused with BEGIN and END).
break
Terminates a “while” or “until” loop, or a method inside a block.
case
Compares an expression with one or more matching “when” clauses; closes with end. Can be used with or without a value to match against.
Example: print "Enter a string: " some_string = gets.chomp case when some_string.match(/\d/) puts 'String has numbers' when some_string.match(/[a-zA-Z]/) puts 'String has letters' else puts 'String has no numbers or letters' end
class
Defines a class; closes with end.
def
Defines a method; closes with end.
defined?
Determines if a variable, method, super method, or block exists.
do
Begins a block and executes code in that block; closes with end.
else
Executes if previous conditional from “if”, “elsif”, “unless”, or “when”, is not true.
elsif
Executes if previous conditional from “if” or “elsif” is not true.
END
Code, enclosed in { and }, to run when the program ends.
end
Ends a code block (group of statements) starting with “begin”, “def”, “do”, “if”, etc.
ensure
Always executes at block termination; use after last rescue.
Example:
begin
# something which might raise an exception
rescue SomeExceptionClass => some_variable
# code that deals with some exception
else
# code that runs only if no exception was raised
ensure
# ensure that this code always runs, no matter what
end
false
Logical or Boolean false, instance of FalseClass.
for
Begins a for loop; used with in.
if
Executes code block if true. Closes with end.
module
Defines a module; closes with end.
next
Jumps before a loop’s conditional.
nil
Empty, uninitialized variable, or invalid, but not the same as zero; object of NilClass.
not
Logical operator; same as “!”
or
Logical operator; same as “||”, except “or” has lower precedence.
redo
Jumps after a loop’s conditional.
rescue
Evaluates an expression after an exception is raised; used before ensure.
retry
Repeats a method call outside of rescue; jumps to top of block (begin) if inside rescue.
return
Returns a value from a method or block. May be omitted.
self
Current object (invoked by a method).