ActiveRecord default attributes

ar_model.rb

require 'active_record'
require 'pg'

ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection host: 'localhost',
                                        database: 'jamie',
                                        adapter: 'postgresql'

class ARModel < ActiveRecord::Base
  def initialize(attributes={})
    # AR::Base#create w/o args passes nil because lol.
    attributes ||= {}

    # Override defaults with passed-in args
    super(default_attributes.merge(attributes))
  end

  private
  def default_attributes
    { name: 'foo' }
  end
end

p ARModel.new
# => #<ARModel name: "foo">

p ARModel.new(name: 'bar')
# => #<ARModel name: "bar">

p ARModel.create
# => #<ARModel name: "foo">

p ARModel.create(name: 'baz')
# => #<ARModel name: "baz">