Style-RedundantInitialize.md

Pattern: Redundant initialize

Issue: -

Description

Checks for initialize methods that are redundant.

An initializer is redundant if it does not do anything, or if it only calls super with the same arguments given to it. If the initializer takes an argument that accepts multiple values (restarg, kwrestarg, etc.) it will not register an offense, because it allows the initializer to take a different number of arguments as its superclass potentially does.

NOTE: If an initializer argument has a default value, RuboCop assumes it to not be redundant.

NOTE: Empty initializers are registered as offenses, but it is possible to purposely create an empty initialize method to override a superclass's initializer.

Examples

# bad
def initialize
end

# bad
def initialize
  super
end

# bad
def initialize(a, b)
  super
end

# bad
def initialize(a, b)
  super(a, b)
end

# good
def initialize
  do_something
end

# good
def initialize
  do_something
  super
end

# good (different number of parameters)
def initialize(a, b)
  super(a)
end

# good (default value)
def initialize(a, b = 5)
  super
end

# good (default value)
def initialize(a, b: 5)
  super
end

# good (changes the parameter requirements)
def initialize(*)
end

# good (changes the parameter requirements)
def initialize(**)
end

# good (changes the parameter requirements)
def initialize(...)
end

Further Reading

• RuboCop - Style/RedundantInitialize