Ruby Language Hashes Creating a hash
Example
A hash in Ruby is an object that implements a hash table, mapping keys to values. Ruby supports a specific literal syntax for defining hashes using {}:
my_hash = {} # an empty hash
grades = { 'Mark' => 15, 'Jimmy' => 10, 'Jack' => 10 }
A hash can also be created using the standard new method:
my_hash = Hash.new # any empty hash
my_hash = {} # any empty hash
Hashes can have values of any type, including complex types like arrays, objects and other hashes:
mapping = { 'Mark' => 15, 'Jimmy' => [3,4], 'Nika' => {'a' => 3, 'b' => 5} }
mapping['Mark'] # => 15
mapping['Jimmy'] # => [3, 4]
mapping['Nika'] # => {"a"=>3, "b"=>5}
Also keys can be of any type, including complex ones:
mapping = { 'Mark' => 15, 5 => 10, [1, 2] => 9 }
mapping['Mark'] # => 15
mapping[[1, 2]] # => 9
Symbols are commonly used as hash keys, and Ruby 1.9 introduced a new syntax specifically to shorten this process. The following hashes are equivalent:
# Valid on all Ruby versions
grades = { :Mark => 15, :Jimmy => 10, :Jack => 10 }
# Valid in Ruby version 1.9+
grades = { Mark: 15, Jimmy: 10, Jack: 10 }
The following hash (valid in all Ruby versions) is different, because all keys are strings:
grades = { "Mark" => 15, "Jimmy" => 10, "Jack" => 10 }
While both syntax versions can be mixed, the following is discouraged.
mapping = { :length => 45, width: 10 }
With Ruby 2.2+, there is an alternative syntax for creating a hash with symbol keys (most useful if the symbol contains spaces):
grades = { "Jimmy Choo": 10, :"Jack Sparrow": 10 }
# => { :"Jimmy Choo" => 10, :"Jack Sparrow" => 10}
