When monkey patching an instance method, can you call the overridden method from the new implementation?

🐒 Monkey Patching: Can You Call the Overridden Method? 📞🔧

👋 Hey there tech enthusiasts! 👋

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to override (or monkey patch) a method in a class, but still wanted to call the original (overridden) method? 🤔

🤔 Well, the good news is that you're not alone! Many developers have faced this challenge, and luckily, there are some easy solutions available. Let's dive in and find out how to make the overridden method play nice with the new implementation. 🐵💥

Understanding the Problem 🕵️‍♀️🤔

The question at hand revolves around calling the overridden method from within the new implementation. In other words, we want to extend the behavior of a method while still accessing the original functionality.

To give you a clearer picture, consider the following example:

class Foo
  def bar()
    "Hello"
  end
end 

class Foo
  def bar()
    super() + " World"
  end
end

Foo.new.bar # Should return "Hello World"

Now, what we're doing here is we're defining the Foo class and its bar method. Then, we're redefining the Foo class and overriding the bar method to add extra functionality while preserving the original behavior.

The Superhero: super() 🦸‍♂️💥

In Ruby, when you want to call the overridden method from the new implementation, you can simply use the super() keyword. This magical keyword helps us reference the overridden method and invoke it from within the monkey patched implementation.

In our example, by using super() inside the overridden bar method, we first call the original bar method, and then append " World" to the returned value. This way, we successfully extend the behavior while preserving the original greeting.

Conquer the Monkey Patching Challenge 🦧🚀

Now that we know how to call the overridden method, let's summarize the steps to successfully conquer the monkey patching challenge:

1. Define the original class and its method.

2. Redefine the class and override the method while using super() to access the original implementation.

3. Enjoy the extended functionality without sacrificing the original behavior!

Remember, monkey patching should be used with caution and only when no other alternatives exist. Overusing it might lead to confusion and hard-to-debug issues.

Your Turn to Monkey Patch! 🐵✨

Now that you've mastered the art of calling the overridden method in a monkey patched implementation, it's time to put your skills to the test! 🔬 Why not try it out in your own projects and see how it can enhance your code?

If you have any awesome monkey patching experiences, useful tips, or even questions, we'd love to hear from you! 🗣️ Just drop a comment below and let's engage in an exciting tech conversation!

Happy monkey patching! 🐒🔧

• Your friendly neighborhood tech writer 🌟✍️