Rails 5.2.3: Monkey patch update_all and update_columns to always include updated_at

application_record.rb

# app/models/application_record.rb

class ApplicationRecord < ActiveRecord::Base
  # Didn't change #update_column because it uses #update_columns under the hood.
  def update_columns(attrs)
    new_attrs = attrs.symbolize_keys
    new_attrs[:updated_at] ||= Time.current if self.class.column_names.include?('updated_at')
    super(new_attrs)
  end

end

core_extentions.rb

# config/initializers/core_extentions.rb

Dir[File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(File.absolute_path(__FILE__)), 'lib/core_extensions')) + "/**/*.rb"].each do |file|
  require file
end

ActiveRecord::Relation.prepend(CoreExtensions::ActiveRecord::CustomUpdateAll)

custom_update_all.rb

# lib/core_extensions/active_record/custom_update_all.rb

module CoreExtensions
  module ActiveRecord
    module CustomUpdateAll
      def update_all(updates)
        if updates.is_a?(Hash) && !updates.delete(:skip_touch)
          # Didn't do updates[:updated_at] ||= Time.current
          # because it changes the original updates hash
          super({ updated_at: Time.current, **updates.symbolize_keys })
        else
          super(updates)
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

Thanks for this nice share 😄

You can make requiring core extensions a bit simpler, like this:

Dir[Rails.root.join("lib/core_extensions/**/*.rb")].sort.each do |file|
  require file
end