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When you provide a block to a function in Ruby, do you know when and where that block will be executed? What is safe to do inside a block, and what is dangerous? What is a block, after all? Blocks in Ruby are everywhere, and we’re so used to them that we may even be ignorant of all their power and complexity. Let’s take a look at various code examples and understand what dragons are hidden in Ruby dungeons. Ruby programmers usually don't need to think much about blocks… until they have to. As a contributor to Ruby gems that have callback-based API for developers, I've found that internal implementation details of these gems affects how these callbacks are executed and resulting behavior can be quite surprising sometimes, and I think that good Ruby developer should know inner workings of blocks to better understand execution flow of complex Ruby programs.
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In his talk "Threads, Callbacks, and Execution Context in Ruby" at RubyConf AU 2024, Andrey Novikov delves into the intricacies of Ruby's blocks and their execution contexts. He emphasizes the importance of understanding blocks for Ruby developers, especially when dealing with callback-based APIs in various Ruby gems. Here are the key points discussed in the presentation: - **Introduction to the Speaker**: Andrey Novikov, a veteran Ruby developer with nearly 15 years of experience, shares his background and the significance of the Ruby community. - **Understanding Callbacks vs. Blocks**: Novikov differentiates between callbacks and blocks in Ruby. He warns against misusing Active Record callbacks, advocating for their use only to maintain data consistency. - **Blocks as First-Class Citizens**: Blocks in Ruby serve as a unique feature different from functions in languages like JavaScript. They are more akin to closures, with an internal environment that remembers local variables and the context in which they were defined. - **Execution Context and Binding**: The complexity of blocks lies in their ability to access the environment in which they were declared. Changes to this environment, particularly the 'self' object reference, can lead to unexpected errors. - **Real-World Implications of Blocks and Threads**: Novikov highlights the potential pitfalls when using blocks within threaded environments. For instance, reliance on `Thread.current` can lead to erratic behavior when blocks are executed across threads, particularly when using thread pools. - **Performance Considerations**: He notes the performance benefits of using thread pools over individual threads when managing Ruby applications, citing specific examples related to the NATS Ruby gem and how they optimized message handling. - **Conclusion and Best Practices**: He wraps up with advice on avoiding common pitfalls related to blocks and threading, emphasizing the need for Ruby developers to read and understand the source code of libraries to avoid subtle bugs. Overall, Novikov's talk serves as an insightful exploration of Ruby's blocks, equipped with practical experiences and recommendations for developers to enhance their understanding and efficiency in writing Ruby code.
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