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---
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title: Meta Methodology
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date: 2015-05-25
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tags: core, meta
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---
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Ruby **clutters** its objects a lot with methods for metaprogramming other methods:
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ARTICLE
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Class.instance_methods.grep /method/
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=> [:instance_methods, :public_instance_methods,
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:protected_instance_methods, :private_instance_methods,
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:method_defined?, :public_method_defined?,
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:private_method_defined?, :protected_method_defined?,
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:public_class_method, :private_class_method, :instance_method,
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:public_instance_method, :methods, :singleton_methods,
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:protected_methods, :private_methods, :public_methods,
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:method, :public_method, :singleton_method,
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:define_singleton_method]
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Class.private_instance_methods.grep /method/
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=> [:method_added, :method_removed, :method_undefined,
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:remove_method, :undef_method, :alias_method, :define_method,
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:instance_methods_for, :__method__, :singleton_method_added,
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:singleton_method_removed, :singleton_method_undefined,
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:method_missing]
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It's so many methods, because working with methods is a multi-dimensional problem:
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- Where are the modules, in the current instance or if a class/module, in its instances?
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- Or in its [singleton class](http://www.devalot.com/articles/2008/09/ruby-singleton)?
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- What about the method visibility?
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- Should the inheritance chain be considered?
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Let's put everything in some order:
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## Method Lists
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Methods returning method lists always take a boolean argument, which will prevent inheritance if set to `false`
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Method | From | Target | Visibility
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|----------------------|-------------------
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[Object#singleton_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-singleton_methods) | instance | singleton | public + protected
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[Object#methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-methods) | instance | instance + singleton | public + protected
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[Object#public_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-public_methods) | instance | instance + singleton | public
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[Object#protected_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-protected_methods) | instance | instance + singleton | protected
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[Object#private_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-private_methods) | instance | instance + singleton | private
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[Module#instance_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-instance_methods) | class | instance | public + protected
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[Module#public_instance_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-public_instance_methods) | class | instance | public
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[Module#proected_instance_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-proected_instance_methods) | class | instance | proected
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[Module#private_instance_methods](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-private_instance_methods) | class | instance | private
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{:.table-38-15-20-X}
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- There is no API for getting a list of private singleton methods
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## Method Defined? Checks
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Instead of listing all methods and checking if the resulting array contains a specific method, you can also directly check if a method is defined:
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Method | From | Target | Visibilitiy
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|----------|------------
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[Module#method_defined?](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-method_defined-3F) | class | instance | all
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[Module#public_method_defined?](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-public_method_defined-3F) | class | instance | public
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[Module#protected_method_defined?](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-protected_method_defined-3F) | class | instance | protected
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[Module#private_method_defined?](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-private_method_defined-3F) | class | instance | private
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{:.table-38-15-20-X}
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- This is also the best way to get the visibility of a method
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- There is no direct way to check for singleton methods
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## Method Getters
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These methods will return method objects for further metaprogramming action:
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Method | From | Target | Visibility | Returns
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|----------------------|------------|--------
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[Object#singleton_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-singleton_method) | instance | singleton | all | [Method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Method.html)
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[Object#method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-method) | instance | instance + singleton | all | [Method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Method.html)
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[Object#public_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-public_method) | instance | instance + singleton | public | [Method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Method.html)
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[Module#instance_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-instance_method) | class | instance | all | [UnboundMethod](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/UnboundMethod.html)
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[Module#public_instance_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-public_instance_method) | class | instance | public | [UnboundMethod](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/UnboundMethod.html)
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{:.table-34-15-20-14-X}
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- There are no methods to explicitely get private methods
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## Method Manipulation
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These methods will actually modify your objects:
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Method | From | Target | Visibility
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------
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[Object#define_singleton_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Object.html#method-i-define_singleton_method) | instance | singleton | public
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[Module#define_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-define_method) (private) | class | instance | public (see notes)
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[Module#remove_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-remove_method) (private) | class | instance | -
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[Module#undef_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-undef_method) (private) | class | instance | -
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[Module#alias_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-alias_method) (private) | class | instance | same
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{:.table-38-15-20-X}
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- No direct way to define a non-public method, but `define_method` respects visibility modifiers
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- No direct way to define a non-public singleton method
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- `remove_method` only deletes the method from the current module, while `undef_method` also deletes it from all ancestors
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## Method Hooks
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Hook methods can be defined and will be called by the Ruby interpreter when the respective event happens:
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Method | From | Target
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|-------
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[BasicObject#singleton_method_added](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/BasicObject.html#method-i-singleton_method_added) | instance | singleton
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[BasicObject#singleton_method_undefined](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/BasicObject.html#method-i-singleton_method_undefined) | instance | singleton
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[BasicObject#singleton_method_removed](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/BasicObject.html#method-i-singleton_method_removed) | instance | singleton
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[Module#method_added](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-method_added) | class | instance
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[Module#method_undefined](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-method_undefined) | class | instance
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[Module#method_removed](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-method_removed) | class | instance
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[BasicObject#method_missing](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/BasicObject.html#method-i-method_missing) | class | instance
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{:.table-38-15-20-X}
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- As long as you haven't defined a hook, Ruby considers it as an empty private method
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## Method Visibility Modifiers
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Besides `public`, `protected`, and `private`, there are two additional methods with the sole purpose of changing a method's visibility:
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Method | From | Target | Description
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|-----------|------------
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[Module#public_class_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-public_class_method) | class | singleton | Makes a class's singleton method public
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[Module#private_class_method](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Module.html#method-i-private_class_method) | class | singleton | Makes a class's singleton method private
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{:.table-34-12-12-X}
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## Current Method Name
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There are two underscore-wrapped methods that return the current method's name:
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Method | From | Returns
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|--------
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[Kernel#\_\_method\_\_](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Kernel.html#method-i-__method__) (private) | anywhere | Original method name
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[Kernel#\_\_callee\_\_](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Kernel.html#method-i-__callee__) (private) | anywhere | Aliased method name
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{:.table-35-20-X}
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- Also see [Kernel#caller](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Kernel.html#method-i-caller) and [Kernel#caller_locations](http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.2/Kernel.html#method-i-caller_locations)
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## A Better API for Metaprogramming Methods?
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Metaprogramming in Ruby has evolved over time, but it might be a good idea to clean it up a little - A good example of how to clean up one of Ruby's other metaprogramming APIs is the [instance gem](https://github.com/rubyworks/instance/). It gives you a neat API for working with an object's state, like setting instance variables. Someone feels like building a similar gem for Ruby's Method APIs?

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