How to find where a method is defined at runtime in Ruby?

This article focuses on discussing find where a method is defined at runtime in ruby.

Using Method#source_location

Method#source_location method returns the source location (file name and line number) where a method is defined.

Syntax:

method(:method_name).source_location

Example: 

In this example, we use Method#source_location to print the file name and line number where the greet method is defined.

Ruby

# Finding where a method is defined at runtime using Method#source_location
# Define a method called greet
def greet
  puts "Geeksforgeeks"
end

# Print the source location of the greet method
puts greet.method(:greet).source_location.inspect

Output

Geeksforgeeks
["Solution.rb", 3]

Using Kernel#caller_locations

Kernel#caller_locations method returns an array of Thread::Backtrace::Location objects representing the current execution stack. By inspecting the caller locations, we can determine where a method call originates.

Syntax:

caller_locations

Example: 

In this example, We use caller_locations method to print the caller locations when bar method is called from foo.

Ruby

#  Finding where a method is defined at runtime using Kernel#caller_locations
# Define two methods, foo and bar
def geeks
  forgeek
end

def forgeek
  # Print the caller locations
  puts caller_locations
end

# Call the foo method
geeks

Output

Solution.rb:4:in `geeks'
Solution.rb:13:in `<main>'

Using Method#owner

Method#owner method returns the module or class where the method is defined.

Syntax

method(:method_name).owner

Example:

In this example,we use Method#owner to print the owner module of the my_method method, which is MyModule.

Ruby

# Finding where a method is defined at runtime using Method#owner
module MyModule
  # Define a method called my_method within the module MyModule
  def self.my_method
    puts "Hello from MyModule!"
  end
end

# Print the owner module of the my_method method
puts MyModule.method(:my_method).owner

Output

#<Class:MyModule>