Merge pull request #21076 from r11runner/guide-join-tables

migration and association guides: added some remarks about join tables

guides/source/active_record_migrations.md

@@ -357,8 +357,8 @@ will append `ENGINE=BLACKHOLE` to the SQL statement used to create the table
 
 ### Creating a Join Table
 
-Migration method `create_join_table` creates an HABTM join table. A typical use
-would be:
+The migration method `create_join_table` creates an HABTM (has and belongs to
+many) join table. A typical use would be:
 
 ```ruby
 create_join_table :products, :categories
@@ -367,23 +367,21 @@ create_join_table :products, :categories
 which creates a `categories_products` table with two columns called
 `category_id` and `product_id`. These columns have the option `:null` set to
 `false` by default. This can be overridden by specifying the `:column_options`
-option.
+option:
 
 ```ruby
-create_join_table :products, :categories, column_options: {null: true}
+create_join_table :products, :categories, column_options: { null: true }
 ```
 
-will create the `product_id` and `category_id` with the `:null` option as
-`true`.
-
-You can pass the option `:table_name` when you want to customize the table
-name. For example:
+By default, the name of the join table comes from the union of the first two
+arguments provided to create_join_table, in alphabetical order.
+To customize the name of the table, provide a `:table_name` option:
 
 ```ruby
 create_join_table :products, :categories, table_name: :categorization
 ```
 
-will create a `categorization` table.
+creates a `categorization` table.
 
 `create_join_table` also accepts a block, which you can use to add indices
 (which are not created by default) or additional columns:

guides/source/association_basics.md

@@ -622,6 +622,19 @@ end
 
 We pass `id: false` to `create_table` because that table does not represent a model. That's required for the association to work properly. If you observe any strange behavior in a `has_and_belongs_to_many` association like mangled model IDs, or exceptions about conflicting IDs, chances are you forgot that bit.
 
+You can also use the method `create_join_table`
+
+```ruby
+class CreateAssembliesPartsJoinTable < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    create_join_table :assemblies, :parts do |t|
+      t.index :assembly_id
+      t.index :part_id
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
+
 ### Controlling Association Scope
 
 By default, associations look for objects only within the current module's scope. This can be important when you declare Active Record models within a module. For example: