What is the difference between `gets` and `gets.chomp` in Ruby?

General Discussions
1

What is the difference between gets and gets.chomp in Ruby?

I learned that Ruby gets reads user input and creates a new line, while gets.chomp does the same but removes the newline character. Since gets returns an object, you can call methods on it, like chomp.

Does chomp remove the newline after gets creates it? And is the following order correct when calling gets.chomp?

  1. gets prints a new line
  2. gets returns tmp
  3. tmp.chomp removes the new line
  4. User enters input

Can someone clarify how this works?

3

You’re on the right track! Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening:

  1. gets reads a line of input from the user, including the newline character at the end of the input (i.e., when the user presses Enter).

  2. chomp removes this newline character (or any trailing newline characters).

So, when you use gets.chomp, you’re reading the user input and immediately removing the newline, making it easier to work with the input without worrying about the extra newline.

Here’s how it looks in code:

input = gets
puts "You entered: #{input}"   # This will print the input with the newline

input = gets.chomp
puts "You entered: #{input}"   # This will print the input without the newline
4

Now, regarding the order you’ve mentioned:

  1. gets prints a new line – Yes, when gets reads the input, it waits for the user to press Enter, which means it reads the newline character at the end.
  2. gets returns tmp – Exactly, gets returns the input, but it includes the newline character at the end.
  3. tmp.chomp removes the new line – Correct! The chomp method removes that newline (or any other trailing newline characters) from the returned string.
  4. User enters input – Right! The user’s input is captured and returned by gets, and chomp cleans it up by removing the newline.

The order works perfectly because gets captures everything the user types, including the newline, and chomp is a method called on the string to remove the unwanted newline.

5

To add a bit more clarity:

  1. gets is useful when you want to read a whole line, including the newline, which can be helpful in some cases.
  2. gets.chomp is often used when you don’t want the extra newline. It’s the most common usage when processing user input in Ruby.

A good habit is to use gets.chomp when you’re reading input from the user in most cases because it simplifies handling input for comparisons, manipulations, or printing it out later.