memoize

Differences between normal or-assign operator

Differences between this method and normal memoization with ||=:

• memoize works with false/nil values

• Potential arguments are memoized

Take the following example:

def allowed?
  @allowed ||= begin
    # Big calculation
    puts "Worked"
    false
  end
end

allowed? # Outputs "Worked"
allowed? # Outputs "Worked" again

Since @allowed is set to false (this is also applicable with nil), the ||= operator will move on the the next statement and will not be short-circuited.

When you use memoize you will not have this problem.

def allowed?
  # Big calculation
  puts "Worked"
  false
end
memoize :allowed?

allowed? # Outputs "Worked"
allowed? # No output

Now, look at the case where we have parameters:

def random(max=10)
  @random ||= rand(max)
end

random     # => 4
random     # => 4 -- Yay!
random(20) # => 4 -- Oops!

Better use memoize again!

def random(max=10)
  rand(max)
end
memoize :random

random     # => 6
random     # => 6 -- Yay!
random(20) # => 12 -- Double-Yay!
random     # => 6 -- Head a'splode

Reloading memoized values

Memoize is used to cache the result of a method. It’s roughly equivalent of having:

def memoized_method(*args)
  @result[args] ||= (
    # do calculation here
  )
end

However, the result is cached so that it’s not calculated for every request.

To recalculate cached value use either

obj.memoized_method(:reload)

or

obj.memoized_method(true)

Remember to mixin the ActiveSupport::Memoizable module

To use memoize in your model you need to extend the model class with the module, like this:

class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
  # Mixin the module
  extend ActiveSupport::Memoizable

  def expensive_method
    # do something that is worth remembering
  end
  memoize :expensive_method
end

If you use memoizable in most of your models you could consider mixing the module into all ActiveRecord models by doing this in an initializer:

ActiveRecord::Base.extend(ActiveSupport::Memoizable) 

Further To: Memoize will not cache singleton methods

er…it will:

Code example

class PersonType < ActiveRecord::Base
  class << self
    # Add the mixin here:
    extend ActiveSupport::Memoizable
    def mister
      find_by_name('Mister')
    end
    memoize :mister
  end
end

Current version

See ActiveSupport::Memoizable for un-deprecated version.

Memoize will not cache singleton methods

The following does not work:

class PersonType < ActiveRecord::Base
  extend ActiveSupport::Memoizable
  class << self
    def mister
      find_by_name('Mister')
    end
    memoize :mister
  end

I guess one could extend the superclass, Class, with Memoizable support, but that seems Evil.