ruby-3-hash-double-splat-args.md

The other day we had an issue with scope when migrating from the Ruby 2 to Ruby 3 syntax for hash arguments. Previously we had something like:

def foo(**kwargs)
  kwargs[:value] += 1
end

In Ruby 2 you can then do:

hash = { value: 1 }
foo(hash)

and the value of kwargs[:value] inside the method would increment, but it would not impact the value outside the method.

In Ruby 3 foo(hash) is now an error:

(irb):1:in `foo': wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 0) (ArgumentError)

To fix this the migration guide suggests you might change the method to read:

def foo(kwargs = {})
  kwargs[:value] += 1
end

This is mostly equivalent but the trick is this now mutates the value of kwargs[:value] outside the method. Suddenly you might see bugs you did not see before.

What This Means

In Ruby 2 def foo(**kwargs) creates a copy of the hash and changes it inside the method without the impacting its value outside the method. In Ruby 2 and 3 the def foo(kwargs = {}) syntax merely passes the hash into the method and any changes you make to it are seen inside or outside the method.