Implements a hash where keys :foo and "foo" are considered to be the same.

rgb = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new

rgb[:black] = '#000000'
rgb[:black]  # => '#000000'
rgb['black'] # => '#000000'

rgb['white'] = '#FFFFFF'
rgb[:white]  # => '#FFFFFF'
rgb['white'] # => '#FFFFFF'

Internally symbols are mapped to strings when used as keys in the entire writing interface (calling []=, merge, etc). This mapping belongs to the public interface. For example, given:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(a: 1)

You are guaranteed that the key is returned as a string:

hash.keys # => ["a"]

Technically other types of keys are accepted:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(a: 1)
hash[0] = 0
hash # => {"a"=>1, 0=>0}

but this class is intended for use cases where strings or symbols are the expected keys and it is convenient to understand both as the same. For example the params hash in Ruby on Rails.

Note that core extensions define Hash#with_indifferent_access:

rgb = { black: '#000000', white: '#FFFFFF' }.with_indifferent_access

which may be handy.

To access this class outside of Rails, require the core extension with:

require "active_support/core_ext/hash/indifferent_access"

which will, in turn, require this file.

Methods

Class Public methods

[](*args)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 79
    def self.[](*args)
      new.merge!(Hash[*args])
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

new(constructor = {})

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 66
    def initialize(constructor = {})
      if constructor.respond_to?(:to_hash)
        super()
        update(constructor)

        hash = constructor.to_hash
        self.default = hash.default if hash.default
        self.default_proc = hash.default_proc if hash.default_proc
      else
        super(constructor)
      end
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

Instance Public methods

[](key)

Same as Hash#[] where the key passed as argument can be either a string or a symbol:

counters = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
counters[:foo] = 1

counters['foo'] # => 1
counters[:foo]  # => 1
counters[:zoo]  # => nil
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 162
    def [](key)
      super(convert_key(key))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

[]=(key, value)

Assigns a new value to the hash:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash[:key] = 'value'

This value can be later fetched using either :key or 'key'.

Also aliased as: regular_writer, store
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 92
    def []=(key, value)
      regular_writer(convert_key(key), convert_value(value, for: :assignment))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

assoc(key)

Same as Hash#assoc where the key passed as argument can be either a string or a symbol:

counters = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
counters[:foo] = 1

counters.assoc('foo') # => ["foo", 1]
counters.assoc(:foo)  # => ["foo", 1]
counters.assoc(:zoo)  # => nil
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 175
    def assoc(key)
      super(convert_key(key))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

compact()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 346
    def compact
      dup.tap(&:compact!)
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

deep_stringify_keys()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 300
    def deep_stringify_keys; dup end
🔎 See on GitHub

deep_stringify_keys!()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 298
    def deep_stringify_keys!; self end
🔎 See on GitHub

deep_symbolize_keys()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 305
    def deep_symbolize_keys; to_hash.deep_symbolize_keys! end
🔎 See on GitHub

default(*args)

Same as Hash#default where the key passed as argument can be either a string or a symbol:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(1)
hash.default                   # => 1

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new { |hash, key| key }
hash.default                   # => nil
hash.default('foo')            # => 'foo'
hash.default(:foo)             # => 'foo'
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 219
    def default(*args)
      super(*args.map { |arg| convert_key(arg) })
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

delete(key)

Removes the specified key from the hash.

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 293
    def delete(key)
      super(convert_key(key))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

dig(*args)

Same as Hash#dig where the key passed as argument can be either a string or a symbol:

counters = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
counters[:foo] = { bar: 1 }

counters.dig('foo', 'bar')     # => 1
counters.dig(:foo, :bar)       # => 1
counters.dig(:zoo)             # => nil
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 203
      def dig(*args)
        args[0] = convert_key(args[0]) if args.size > 0
        super(*args)
      end
🔎 See on GitHub

dup()

Returns a shallow copy of the hash.

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new({ a: { b: 'b' } })
dup  = hash.dup
dup[:a][:c] = 'c'

hash[:a][:c] # => "c"
dup[:a][:c]  # => "c"
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 254
    def dup
      self.class.new(self).tap do |new_hash|
        set_defaults(new_hash)
      end
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

extractable_options?()

Returns true so that Array#extract_options! finds members of this class.

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 54
    def extractable_options?
      true
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

fetch(key, *extras)

Same as Hash#fetch where the key passed as argument can be either a string or a symbol:

counters = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
counters[:foo] = 1

counters.fetch('foo')          # => 1
counters.fetch(:bar, 0)        # => 0
counters.fetch(:bar) { |key| 0 } # => 0
counters.fetch(:zoo)           # => KeyError: key not found: "zoo"
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 189
    def fetch(key, *extras)
      super(convert_key(key), *extras)
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

fetch_values(*indices, &block)

Returns an array of the values at the specified indices, but also raises an exception when one of the keys can't be found.

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash[:a] = 'x'
hash[:b] = 'y'
hash.fetch_values('a', 'b') # => ["x", "y"]
hash.fetch_values('a', 'c') { |key| 'z' } # => ["x", "z"]
hash.fetch_values('a', 'c') # => KeyError: key not found: "c"
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 242
    def fetch_values(*indices, &block)
      indices.collect { |key| fetch(key, &block) }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

has_key?(key)

Alias for: key?

include?(key)

Alias for: key?

key?(key)

Checks the hash for a key matching the argument passed in:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash['key'] = 'value'
hash.key?(:key)  # => true
hash.key?('key') # => true
Also aliased as: include?, has_key?, member?
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 145
    def key?(key)
      super(convert_key(key))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

member?(key)

Alias for: key?

merge(hash, &block)

This method has the same semantics of update, except it does not modify the receiver but rather returns a new hash with indifferent access with the result of the merge.

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 263
    def merge(hash, &block)
      dup.update(hash, &block)
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

merge!(other_hash)

Alias for: update

nested_under_indifferent_access()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 62
    def nested_under_indifferent_access
      self
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

regular_update(other_hash)

Alias for: update

regular_writer(key, value)

Alias for: []=

reject(*args, &block)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 313
    def reject(*args, &block)
      return to_enum(:reject) unless block_given?
      dup.tap { |hash| hash.reject!(*args, &block) }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

replace(other_hash)

Replaces the contents of this hash with other_hash.

h = { "a" => 100, "b" => 200 }
h.replace({ "c" => 300, "d" => 400 }) # => {"c"=>300, "d"=>400}
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 288
    def replace(other_hash)
      super(self.class.new(other_hash))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

reverse_merge(other_hash)

Like merge but the other way around: Merges the receiver into the argument and returns a new hash with indifferent access as result:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash['a'] = nil
hash.reverse_merge(a: 0, b: 1) # => {"a"=>nil, "b"=>1}
Also aliased as: with_defaults
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 273
    def reverse_merge(other_hash)
      super(self.class.new(other_hash))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

reverse_merge!(other_hash)

Same semantics as reverse_merge but modifies the receiver in-place.

Also aliased as: with_defaults!
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 279
    def reverse_merge!(other_hash)
      super(self.class.new(other_hash))
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

select(*args, &block)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 308
    def select(*args, &block)
      return to_enum(:select) unless block_given?
      dup.tap { |hash| hash.select!(*args, &block) }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

slice(*keys)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 336
    def slice(*keys)
      keys.map! { |key| convert_key(key) }
      self.class.new(super)
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

slice!(*keys)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 341
    def slice!(*keys)
      keys.map! { |key| convert_key(key) }
      super
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

store(key, value)

Alias for: []=

stringify_keys()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 299
    def stringify_keys; dup end
🔎 See on GitHub

stringify_keys!()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 297
    def stringify_keys!; self end
🔎 See on GitHub

symbolize_keys()

Also aliased as: to_options
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 303
    def symbolize_keys; to_hash.symbolize_keys! end
🔎 See on GitHub

to_hash()

Convert to a regular hash with string keys.

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 351
    def to_hash
      _new_hash = Hash.new
      set_defaults(_new_hash)

      each do |key, value|
        _new_hash[key] = convert_value(value, for: :to_hash)
      end
      _new_hash
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

to_options()

Alias for: symbolize_keys

to_options!()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 306
    def to_options!; self end
🔎 See on GitHub

transform_keys(*args, &block)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 323
    def transform_keys(*args, &block)
      return to_enum(:transform_keys) unless block_given?
      dup.tap { |hash| hash.transform_keys!(*args, &block) }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

transform_keys!()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 328
    def transform_keys!
      return enum_for(:transform_keys!) { size } unless block_given?
      keys.each do |key|
        self[yield(key)] = delete(key)
      end
      self
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

transform_values(*args, &block)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 318
    def transform_values(*args, &block)
      return to_enum(:transform_values) unless block_given?
      dup.tap { |hash| hash.transform_values!(*args, &block) }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

update(other_hash)

Updates the receiver in-place, merging in the hash passed as argument:

hash_1 = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash_1[:key] = 'value'

hash_2 = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash_2[:key] = 'New Value!'

hash_1.update(hash_2) # => {"key"=>"New Value!"}

The argument can be either an ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess or a regular Hash. In either case the merge respects the semantics of indifferent access.

If the argument is a regular hash with keys :key and +“key”+ only one of the values end up in the receiver, but which one is unspecified.

When given a block, the value for duplicated keys will be determined by the result of invoking the block with the duplicated key, the value in the receiver, and the value in other_hash. The rules for duplicated keys follow the semantics of indifferent access:

hash_1[:key] = 10
hash_2['key'] = 12
hash_1.update(hash_2) { |key, old, new| old + new } # => {"key"=>22}
Also aliased as: regular_update, merge!
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 123
    def update(other_hash)
      if other_hash.is_a? HashWithIndifferentAccess
        super(other_hash)
      else
        other_hash.to_hash.each_pair do |key, value|
          if block_given? && key?(key)
            value = yield(convert_key(key), self[key], value)
          end
          regular_writer(convert_key(key), convert_value(value))
        end
        self
      end
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

values_at(*indices)

Returns an array of the values at the specified indices:

hash = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
hash[:a] = 'x'
hash[:b] = 'y'
hash.values_at('a', 'b') # => ["x", "y"]
📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 229
    def values_at(*indices)
      indices.collect { |key| self[convert_key(key)] }
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

with_defaults(other_hash)

Alias for: reverse_merge

with_defaults!(other_hash)

Alias for: reverse_merge!

with_indifferent_access()

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 58
    def with_indifferent_access
      dup
    end
🔎 See on GitHub

Instance Private methods

convert_key(key)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 362
      def convert_key(key) # :doc:
        key.kind_of?(Symbol) ? key.to_s : key
      end
🔎 See on GitHub

convert_value(value, options = {})

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 366
      def convert_value(value, options = {}) # :doc:
        if value.is_a? Hash
          if options[:for] == :to_hash
            value.to_hash
          else
            value.nested_under_indifferent_access
          end
        elsif value.is_a?(Array)
          if options[:for] != :assignment || value.frozen?
            value = value.dup
          end
          value.map! { |e| convert_value(e, options) }
        else
          value
        end
      end
🔎 See on GitHub

set_defaults(target)

📝 Source code 
# File activesupport/lib/active_support/hash_with_indifferent_access.rb, line 383
      def set_defaults(target) # :doc:
        if default_proc
          target.default_proc = default_proc.dup
        else
          target.default = default
        end
      end
🔎 See on GitHub