What are the best practices for using sets in Ruby?

What are the best practices for using sets in Ruby?

Using sets in Ruby is great for handling unique collections. Here are some best practices: 1. Use Set from the set library for uniqueness. 2. Prefer Set#add and Set#delete for modifying sets. 3. Use Set#intersection and Set#union for set operations.

Can you explain how to initialize a set?

Sure! You can initialize a set by requiring the set library and then creating a new set like this: require 'set'; my_set = Set.new.

What are some common methods I should know?

Some common methods include add, delete, include?, size, and empty?. These methods help you manage your set effectively.

How do sets compare to arrays in Ruby?

Sets automatically handle uniqueness, while arrays can contain duplicates. Sets also provide faster membership checks.

Are there any performance considerations?

Yes, sets are generally more efficient for membership tests and uniqueness checks compared to arrays, especially with large datasets.