Message Passing Through Inheritance Chain

class Example
  def example_method
    :example
  end

  def subexample_method
    :example
  end

  def not_missed_method
    :example
  end

  def method_missing name
    return :example if name == :missing_example_method
    return :example if name == :missing_subexample_method
    return :subexample if name == :not_missed_method
    super
  end
end

class SubExample < Example
  def subexample_method
    :subexample
  end

  def method_missing name
    return :subexample if name == :missing_subexample_method
    return :subexample if name == :not_missed_method
    super
  end
end

s = Subexample.new

To find a suitable method for SubExample#subexample_method Ruby first looks at ancestors chain of SubExample

SubExample.ancestors # => [SubExample, Example, Object, Kernel, BasicObject]

It starts from SubExample. If we send subexample_method message Ruby chooses the one available one SubExample and ignores Example#subexample_method.

s.subexample_method # => :subexample

After SubExample it checks Example. If we send example_method Ruby checks if SubExample can reply to it or not and since it can’t Ruby goes up the chain and looks into Example.

s.example_method # => :example

After Ruby checks all defined methods then it runs method_missing to see if it can reply or not. If we send missing_subexample_method Ruby won’t be able to find a defined method on SubExample so it moves up to Example. It can’t find a defined method on Example or any other class higher in chain either. Ruby starts over and runs method_missing. method_missing of SubExample can reply to missing_subexample_method.

s.missing_subexample_method # => :subexample

However if a method is defined Ruby uses defined version even if it is higher in the chain. For example if we send not_missed_method even though method_missing of SubExample can reply to it Ruby walks up on SubExample because it doesn’t have a defined method with that name and looks into Example which has one.

s.not_missed_method # => :example