Ruby Modules vs Composition

Developers should learn Ruby modules to implement mixins for code reuse and to avoid deep inheritance hierarchies, which is common in object-oriented Ruby programming meets developers should learn composition to build more maintainable and testable code, as it reduces tight coupling and allows components to be reused independently across different contexts. Here's our take.

Ruby Modules

Nice Pick

Developers should learn Ruby modules to implement mixins for code reuse and to avoid deep inheritance hierarchies, which is common in object-oriented Ruby programming

Pros

• They are essential for creating reusable libraries, organizing code into logical namespaces, and implementing interfaces or shared behaviors across unrelated classes, such as in Rails concerns or utility modules
• Related to: ruby, object-oriented-programming

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Composition

Developers should learn composition to build more maintainable and testable code, as it reduces tight coupling and allows components to be reused independently across different contexts

Pros

• It is particularly useful in scenarios like building UI components in frameworks like React, designing microservices architectures, or implementing the Strategy and Decorator design patterns, where behavior can be dynamically composed at runtime
• Related to: object-oriented-programming, design-patterns

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Ruby Modules if: You want they are essential for creating reusable libraries, organizing code into logical namespaces, and implementing interfaces or shared behaviors across unrelated classes, such as in rails concerns or utility modules and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Composition if: You prioritize it is particularly useful in scenarios like building ui components in frameworks like react, designing microservices architectures, or implementing the strategy and decorator design patterns, where behavior can be dynamically composed at runtime over what Ruby Modules offers.

The Bottom Line

Ruby Modules wins

Developers should learn Ruby modules to implement mixins for code reuse and to avoid deep inheritance hierarchies, which is common in object-oriented Ruby programming