What are Ruby lambdas and how do I use them?

What are Ruby lambdas and how do I use them?

Ruby lambdas are anonymous functions that can be stored in variables and passed around like any other object. They are defined using the lambda keyword or the -> syntax.

Can you show me an example of a Ruby lambda?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

my_lambda = ->(x) { x * 2 }
puts my_lambda.call(5)  # Output: 10

What’s the difference between a lambda and a proc in Ruby?

The main difference is that lambdas check the number of arguments passed to them, while procs do not. If you pass the wrong number of arguments to a lambda, it will raise an error.

When should I use a lambda instead of a proc?

Use a lambda when you need strict argument checking and want to maintain the return behavior. Use a proc for more flexibility.