Source Layout
Ruby is a line-oriented language. Ruby expressions and statements are terminated at the end of a line unless the parser can determine that the statement is incomplete. Some examples are when the last token on a line is an operator or comma, or when an open delimiter, such as a parenthesis, square bracket, or curly brace has not been closed. A backslash at the end of a line also tells Ruby to continue the expression onto the next line:
| # no backslash '\' needed -- ends with an operator |
| d = 4 + 5 + |
| 6 + 7 |
| |
| # no backslash '\' needed -- has an unclosed parenthesis |
| e = (4 + 5 |
| + 6 + 7) |
| |
| # backslash '\' needed -- ends with a number |
| f = 8 + 9 \ |
| + 10 |
A semicolon can be used to separate multiple expressions on a line: ...
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