Ruby - Function Returning Values

Introduction

All Ruby methods always return a value.

When no return value is specified, Ruby methods return the result of the last expression evaluated.

Consider this method:

def method1
    a = 1
    b = 2
    c = a + b   # returns 3
end

The last expression evaluated is a + b, which happens to return 3.

3 is the value returned by this method.

You can specify the return value using the return keyword:

def method2
    a = 1
    b = 2
    c = a + b
    return b   # returns 2
end

A method don not need to use any assignments to return a value.

If a simple piece of data happens to be the last thing evaluated in a method, that will be the value the method returns.

When nothing is evaluated, nil is returned:

def method3
   "hello"        # returns "hello"
end

def method4
   a = 1 + 2
   "goodbye"   # returns "goodbye"
end

def method5
end               # returns nil

Ruby - Function Returning Values

Introduction

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