What is the difference between closures and procs in Ruby?

What is the difference between closures and procs in Ruby?

In Ruby, a proc is an object that encapsulates a block of code, while a closure is a function that captures the lexical scope in which it was defined. Closures can access variables from their surrounding context even after that context has finished executing.

Can you give me an example of a proc?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a proc in Ruby:

my_proc = Proc.new { |x| x * 2 }
puts my_proc.call(5)  # Output: 10

How about an example of a closure?

Certainly! In Ruby, closures are often created using lambdas. Here's an example:

def make_multiplier(factor)
  lambda { |x| x * factor }
end

multiplier = make_multiplier(3)
puts multiplier.call(4)  # Output: 12

Are there any performance differences between procs and closures?

Yes, there are some performance differences. Procs are generally faster than lambdas because they have less overhead. However, lambdas enforce argument checking, which can be beneficial for ensuring correct usage.