Ruby is a general-purpose, dynamic programming language built on an object-oriented runtime environment. It treats every piece of data as an object, ensuring a consistent interface for manipulation across the entire system. The language is designed to support programmer productivity through a focus on natural syntax and flexible metaprogramming capabilities.
The runtime distinguishes itself through a pure object model that allows for dynamic class modification and runtime method definition. It supports functional programming patterns by encapsulating code blocks as objects that capture their surrounding lexical scope, enabling deferred execution and state persistence. Developers can further customize behavior by injecting singleton classes into specific objects or intercepting calls to undefined methods to implement dynamic proxying.
The language provides a comprehensive suite of tools for development and maintenance, including support for static type analysis, keyword arguments, and operator overloading. It features a native interface for integrating low-level code written in C, allowing for performance enhancements and access to system-level features. Additionally, the environment includes built-in support for interactive scripting, task automation, and offline documentation access.
