gistfile1.rb

##
#
# Automatic
#

class Developer < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :audit_logs # the macro checks if it can find an obvious inverse_of, but none is found
end

class AuditLog < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :developer, :validate => true # the macro checks if it can find an obvious inverse_of, which it does and sets :inverse_of on both reflections
end

# At this point, the :inverse_of options should already have been inferred.
Developer.reflect_on_association(:audit_logs).options[:inverse_of] # => :developer
AuditLog.reflect_on_association(:developer).options[:inverse_of] # => :audit_logs

##
#
# Explicit
#

class Developer < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :audit_logs, :inverse_of => :developer_with_logs
end

class AuditLog < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :developer, :inverse_of => nil # Does *not* have an inverse assocaition.
  belongs_to :developer_with_logs, :inverse_of => :audit_logs
end

Developer.reflect_on_association(:audit_logs).options[:inverse_of] # => :developer_with_logs
AuditLog.reflect_on_association(:developer).options[:inverse_of] # => nil
AuditLog.reflect_on_association(:developer_with_logs).options[:inverse_of] # => :audit_logs