Ruby: Function with Optional Parameter, Named Parameter, Infinite Parameters

The following is a example of defining a function.

Function name should start with lowercase.

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# ruby

# function with no parameter
def ff
  4
  # return 4    # return is optional. If no return, returns last expression
end

p ff                # ⇒ 4

If a function definition does not return, it returns last expression. In Ruby, everything has a return value.

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# ruby

# function with 2 parameters
def gg (aa, bb)
  aa + bb
end

p gg 3, 4                # ⇒ 7

Unspecified Number of Positional Parameters

To define unspecified number of parameters, use *‹name› as last item. Your function will receive it as a array named ‹name›.

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# ruby

# function with unspecified number of arguments.
# Use *‹name›
# Your function will receive a array of name ‹name›
def ff(*xx)
  xx[0]                         # first arg
  xx[1]                         # second arg
  xx                            # return the array
end

p ff(3)                         # [3]
p ff(3, 4, 5)                   # [3, 4, 5]

Optional Parameters

A function can have optional Parameters. When a function call doesn't supply enough arguments, default values are used.

Ruby doesn't have named parameters.

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# ruby

# Defining optional parameters.
def ff(x, y = 7, z = 8)
  [x, y, z]                     # returns a array of the arguments received
end

p ff(3)                         # [3, 7, 8]

p ff(3, 2)                      # [3, 2, 8]

p ff(3, 5, 6)                   # [3, 5, 6]