Use ||= to initialize variables if they are not already
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ID: ruby-best-practices/initialization-shorthand
Language: Ruby
Severity: Info
Category: Best Practices
Description
The rule “Use ||= to initialize variables if they are not already” is a best practice in Ruby to ensure clean, readable, and efficient code. The ‘||=’ operator is used to assign a value to a variable only if the variable is currently nil or false. This is a more concise and readable way to express conditional assignment, as opposed to using the unless keyword.
This rule is important because it promotes code clarity and efficiency. Using ‘||=’ for conditional assignment reduces the cognitive load on the developer reading the code, as it clearly expresses the intent in a single, straightforward operation. It also avoids unnecessary assignments when the variable is already initialized, potentially improving performance.
To adhere to this rule, use ‘||=’ whenever you want to assign a value to a variable only if it’s not already initialized. For instance, instead of writing name = 'Bozhidar' unless name, write name ||= 'Bozhidar'. This clearly communicates the intent and ensures the assignment only happens when necessary.
Non-Compliant Code Examples
name = 'Bozhidar' unless name
Compliant Code Examples
