Is there a clear standard or guide to use or not use parenthesis when calling a function/method?
For example, the following code:
class List < Jets::Stack
sqs_queue(:dead_letter)
end
Should I or shouldn't I use parenthesis? Other example:
class ExampleJob < ApplicationJob
def sqs_event ref(:dead_letter)
end
end
vs.
class ExampleJob < ApplicationJob
def sqs_event ref :dead_letter
end
end
Is there a official guideline I can follow?
There isn't an official standard for Ruby code best practices. However, a set of preferred styles has evolved in the Ruby community. It's a good idea to follow those preferred styles, just because it makes your code more easily readable by other Ruby programmers.
Nick Roz has given you a link to the style guide. I would also recommend that you consider installing and using rubocop. It will give you feedback on when and when not to parenthesize arguments, many other formatting matters such as proper indenting, and which of the often several different syntax options to choose in a particular situation.
To answer your specific question about whether or not to use parentheses for method arguments, the answer is yes, in general. Exceptions are, as the guide says, "methods that have 'keyword' status in Ruby." An example is puts
(actually the Kernel.puts
method). Most people don't use parentheses here, but the guide states that they are optional.
Another example, as Nick has said (although "methods with keyword arguments" isn't quite correct; in that case the arguments are symbols that represent methods rather than keywords), is attr_accessor
, which is actually Module.attr_accessor
.
So, as a general rule, if it looks like a "command" (a "keyword," if you will), but is actually a method, omit the parentheses. Otherwise, use them. And if you're not sure of the difference, get in the habit of using rubocop.