rubyrefinements

Do refinements apply only to instance methods?


I'm trying to understand Ruby's refinements feature, and I've encountered a scenario I don't understand.

Take this example code:

class Traveller
  def what_are_you
    puts "I'm a Backpacker"
  end

  def self.preferred_accommodation
    puts "Hostels"
  end
end


module Refinements
  module Money
    def what_are_you
      puts "I'm a cashed-up hedonist!"
    end

    module ClassMethods
      def preferred_accommodation
        puts "Expensive Hotels"
      end
    end

    def self.included(base)
      base.extend ClassMethods
    end
  end

  refine Traveller do
    include Money
  end
end

Now, when I do this in the REPL:

Traveller.new.what_are_you         # => I'm a Backpacker
Traveller.preferred_accommodation  # => Hostels

using Refinements

Traveller.new.what_are_you         # => I'm a cashed-up hedonist!
Traveller.preferred_accommodation  # => Hostels (???)

Why is #what_are_you refined, but .preferred_accommodation is not?


Solution

  • As @MasashiMiyazaki explained, you have to refine two classes: Traveller and Traveller's singleton class. That actually allows you to simplify your code quite a bit:

    module Money
      refine Traveller do
        def what_are_you
          puts "I'm a cashed-up hedonist!"
        end
      end
    
      refine Traveller.singleton_class do
        def preferred_accommodation
          puts "Expensive Hotels"
        end
      end
    end
    
    Traveller.new.what_are_you         #=> I'm a Backpacker
    Traveller.preferred_accommodation  #=> Hostels
    
    using Money
    Traveller.new.what_are_you         #=> I'm a cashed-up hedonist!
    Traveller.preferred_accommodation  #=> Expensive Hotels
    

    Moreover, by putting the above three statements in a module, the refined versions of the two methods are confined to that module:

    module M
      using Money
      Traveller.new.what_are_you         #=> I'm a cashed-up hedonist!
      Traveller.preferred_accommodation  #=> Expensive Hotels
    end
    
    Traveller.new.what_are_you           #=> I'm a Backpacker
    Traveller.preferred_accommodation    #=> Hostels