What are the performance differences between procs and lambdas in Ruby?

What are the performance differences between procs and lambdas in Ruby?

In Ruby, procs and lambdas are both types of closures, but they have different performance characteristics. Procs are generally faster because they have less overhead, while lambdas are more strict with argument checking, which can make them slightly slower.

Can you explain why lambdas are stricter with arguments?

Sure! Lambdas enforce the number of arguments passed to them, raising an error if the count doesn't match. Procs, on the other hand, will accept fewer arguments and ignore the extras, which is why they are more flexible but less strict.

Are there any scenarios where I should prefer one over the other?

Yes, if you need strict argument checking and want to ensure that your code behaves predictably, use lambdas. If you need more flexibility and performance, procs might be the better choice.

What about memory usage? Is there a difference?

Yes, procs typically use less memory than lambdas because they have a simpler structure and less overhead. However, the difference is usually minimal unless you're creating a large number of closures.