New Class Naming Rules in Ruby

There were 26 valid characters. Now there are 1,853!

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In Ruby 2.5 and prior:

It’s been a longstanding rule in Ruby that you must use a capital ASCII letter as the first character of a Class or Module name. This limited you to just these 26 characters:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

New in Ruby 2.6:

In Ruby 2.6, non-ASCII upper case characters are allowed. By my count, that makes a total of 1,853 options! Here are the 1,827 new characters that can start a Class or Module name in Ruby 2.6:

ÀÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖØÙÚÛÜÝÞĀĂĄĆĈĊČĎĐĒĔĖĘĚĜĞĠĢĤĦĨĪĬĮİĲĴĶĹĻĽĿŁŃŅŇŊŌŎŐŒŔŖŘŚŜŞŠŢŤŦŨŪŬŮŰŲŴŶŸŹŻŽƁƂƄƆƇƉƊƋƎƏƐƑƓƔƖƗƘƜƝƟƠƢƤƦƧƩƬƮƯƱƲƳƵƷƸƼǄǅǇǈǊǋǍǏǑǓǕǗǙǛǞǠǢǤǦǨǪǬǮǱǲǴǶǷǸǺǼǾȀȂȄȆȈȊȌȎȐȒȔȖȘȚȜȞȠȢȤȦȨȪȬȮȰȲȺȻȽȾɁɃɄɅɆɈɊɌɎͰͲͶͿΆΈΉΊΌΎΏΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩΪΫϏϒϓϔϘϚϜϞϠϢϤϦϨϪϬϮϴϷϹϺϽϾϿЀЁЂЃЄЅІЇЈЉЊЋЌЍЎЏАБВГДЕЖЗИЙКЛМНОПРСТУФХЦЧШЩЪЫЬЭЮЯѠѢѤѦѨѪѬѮѰѲѴѶѸѺѼѾҀҊҌҎҐҒҔҖҘҚҜҞҠҢҤҦҨҪҬҮҰҲҴҶҸҺҼҾӀӁӃӅӇӉӋӍӐӒӔӖӘӚӜӞӠӢӤӦӨӪӬӮӰӲӴӶӸӺӼӾԀԂԄԆԈԊԌԎԐԒԔԖԘԚԜԞԠԢԤԦԨԪԬԮԱԲԳԴԵԶԷԸԹԺԻԼԽԾԿՀՁՂՃՄՅՆՇՈՉՊՋՌՍՎՏՐՑՒՓՔՕՖႠႡႢႣႤႥႦႧႨႩႪႫႬႭႮႯႰႱႲႳႴႵႶႷႸႹႺႻႼႽႾႿჀჁჂჃჄჅჇჍᎠᎡᎢᎣᎤᎥᎦᎧᎨᎩᎪᎫᎬᎭᎮᎯᎰᎱᎲᎳᎴᎵᎶᎷᎸᎹᎺᎻᎼᎽᎾᎿᏀᏁᏂᏃᏄᏅᏆᏇᏈᏉᏊᏋᏌᏍᏎᏏᏐᏑᏒᏓᏔᏕᏖᏗᏘᏙᏚᏛᏜᏝᏞᏟᏠᏡᏢᏣᏤᏥᏦᏧᏨᏩᏪᏫᏬᏭᏮᏯᏰᏱᏲᏳᏴᏵḀḂḄḆḈḊḌḎḐḒḔḖḘḚḜḞḠḢḤḦḨḪḬḮḰḲḴḶḸḺḼḾṀṂṄṆṈṊṌṎṐṒṔṖṘṚṜṞṠṢṤṦṨṪṬṮṰṲṴṶṸṺṼṾẀẂẄẆẈẊẌẎẐẒẔẞẠẢẤẦẨẪẬẮẰẲẴẶẸẺẼẾỀỂỄỆỈỊỌỎỐỒỔỖỘỚỜỞỠỢỤỦỨỪỬỮỰỲỴỶỸỺỼỾἈἉἊἋἌἍἎἏἘἙἚἛἜἝἨἩἪἫἬἭἮἯἸἹἺἻἼἽἾἿὈὉὊὋὌὍὙὛὝὟὨὩὪὫὬὭὮὯᾈᾉᾊᾋᾌᾍᾎᾏᾘᾙᾚᾛᾜᾝᾞᾟᾨᾩᾪᾫᾬᾭᾮᾯᾸᾹᾺΆᾼῈΈῊΉῌῘῙῚΊῨῩῪΎῬῸΌῺΏῼℂℇℋℌℍℐℑℒℕℙℚℛℜℝℤΩℨKÅℬℭℰℱℲℳℾℿⅅⅠⅡⅢⅣⅤⅥⅦⅧⅨⅩⅪⅫⅬⅭⅮⅯↃⒶⒷⒸⒹⒺⒻⒼⒽⒾⒿⓀⓁⓂⓃⓄⓅⓆⓇⓈⓉⓊⓋⓌⓍⓎⓏⰀⰁⰂⰃⰄⰅⰆⰇⰈⰉⰊⰋⰌⰍⰎⰏⰐⰑⰒⰓⰔⰕⰖⰗⰘⰙⰚⰛⰜⰝⰞⰟⰠⰡⰢⰣⰤⰥⰦⰧⰨⰩⰪⰫⰬⰭⰮⱠⱢⱣⱤⱧⱩⱫⱭⱮⱯⱰⱲⱵⱾⱿⲀⲂⲄⲆⲈⲊⲌⲎⲐⲒⲔⲖⲘⲚⲜⲞⲠⲢⲤⲦⲨⲪⲬⲮⲰⲲⲴⲶⲸⲺⲼⲾⳀⳂⳄⳆⳈⳊⳌⳎⳐⳒⳔⳖⳘⳚⳜⳞⳠⳢⳫⳭⳲꙀꙂꙄꙆꙈꙊꙌꙎꙐꙒꙔꙖꙘꙚꙜꙞꙠꙢꙤꙦꙨꙪꙬꚀꚂꚄꚆꚈꚊꚌꚎꚐꚒꚔꚖꚘꚚꜢꜤꜦꜨꜪꜬꜮꜲꜴꜶꜸꜺꜼꜾꝀꝂꝄꝆꝈꝊꝌꝎꝐꝒꝔꝖꝘꝚꝜꝞꝠꝢꝤꝦꝨꝪꝬꝮꝹꝻꝽꝾꞀꞂꞄꞆꞋꞍꞐꞒꞖꞘꞚꞜꞞꞠꞢꞤꞦꞨꞪꞫꞬꞭꞮꞰꞱꞲꞳꞴꞶ𐐀𐐁𐐂𐐃𐐄𐐅𐐆𐐇𐐈𐐉𐐊𐐋𐐌𐐍𐐎𐐏𐐐𐐑𐐒𐐓𐐔𐐕𐐖𐐗𐐘𐐙𐐚𐐛𐐜𐐝𐐞𐐟𐐠𐐡𐐢𐐣𐐤𐐥𐐦𐐧𐒰𐒱𐒲𐒳𐒴𐒵𐒶𐒷𐒸𐒹𐒺𐒻𐒼𐒽𐒾𐒿𐓀𐓁𐓂𐓃𐓄𐓅𐓆𐓇𐓈𐓉𐓊𐓋𐓌𐓍𐓎𐓏𐓐𐓑𐓒𐓓𐲀𐲁𐲂𐲃𐲄𐲅𐲆𐲇𐲈𐲉𐲊𐲋𐲌𐲍𐲎𐲏𐲐𐲑𐲒𐲓𐲔𐲕𐲖𐲗𐲘𐲙𐲚𐲛𐲜𐲝𐲞𐲟𐲠𐲡𐲢𐲣𐲤𐲥𐲦𐲧𐲨𐲩𐲪𐲫𐲬𐲭𐲮𐲯𐲰𐲱𐲲𑢠𑢡𑢢𑢣𑢤𑢥𑢦𑢧𑢨𑢩𑢪𑢫𑢬𑢭𑢮𑢯𑢰𑢱𑢲𑢳𑢴𑢵𑢶𑢷𑢸𑢹𑢺𑢻𑢼𑢽𑢾𑢿𝐀𝐁𝐂𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐆𝐇𝐈𝐉𝐊𝐋𝐌𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐐𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐕𝐖𝐗𝐘𝐙𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷𝐸𝐹𝐺𝐻𝐼𝐽𝐾𝐿𝑀𝑁𝑂𝑃𝑄𝑅𝑆𝑇𝑈𝑉𝑊𝑋𝑌𝑍𝑨𝑩𝑪𝑫𝑬𝑭𝑮𝑯𝑰𝑱𝑲𝑳𝑴𝑵𝑶𝑷𝑸𝑹𝑺𝑻𝑼𝑽𝑾𝑿𝒀𝒁𝒜𝒞𝒟𝒢𝒥𝒦𝒩𝒪𝒫𝒬𝒮𝒯𝒰𝒱𝒲𝒳𝒴𝒵𝓐𝓑𝓒𝓓𝓔𝓕𝓖𝓗𝓘𝓙𝓚𝓛𝓜𝓝𝓞𝓟𝓠𝓡𝓢𝓣𝓤𝓥𝓦𝓧𝓨𝓩𝔄𝔅𝔇𝔈𝔉𝔊𝔍𝔎𝔏𝔐𝔑𝔒𝔓𝔔𝔖𝔗𝔘𝔙𝔚𝔛𝔜𝔸𝔹𝔻𝔼𝔽𝔾𝕀𝕁𝕂𝕃𝕄𝕆𝕊𝕋𝕌𝕍𝕎𝕏𝕐𝕬𝕭𝕮𝕯𝕰𝕱𝕲𝕳𝕴𝕵𝕶𝕷𝕸𝕹𝕺𝕻𝕼𝕽𝕾𝕿𝖀𝖁𝖂𝖃𝖄𝖅𝖠𝖡𝖢𝖣𝖤𝖥𝖦𝖧𝖨𝖩𝖪𝖫𝖬𝖭𝖮𝖯𝖰𝖱𝖲𝖳𝖴𝖵𝖶𝖷𝖸𝖹𝗔𝗕𝗖𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗚𝗛𝗜𝗝𝗞𝗟𝗠𝗡𝗢𝗣𝗤𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗩𝗪𝗫𝗬𝗭𝘈𝘉𝘊𝘋𝘌𝘍𝘎𝘏𝘐𝘑𝘒𝘓𝘔𝘕𝘖𝘗𝘘𝘙𝘚𝘛𝘜𝘝𝘞𝘟𝘠𝘡𝘼𝘽𝘾𝘿𝙀𝙁𝙂𝙃𝙄𝙅𝙆𝙇𝙈𝙉𝙊𝙋𝙌𝙍𝙎𝙏𝙐𝙑𝙒𝙓𝙔𝙕𝙰𝙱𝙲𝙳𝙴𝙵𝙶𝙷𝙸𝙹𝙺𝙻𝙼𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚀𝚁𝚂𝚃𝚄𝚅𝚆𝚇𝚈𝚉𝚨𝚩𝚪𝚫𝚬𝚭𝚮𝚯𝚰𝚱𝚲𝚳𝚴𝚵𝚶𝚷𝚸𝚹𝚺𝚻𝚼𝚽𝚾𝚿𝛀𝛢𝛣𝛤𝛥𝛦𝛧𝛨𝛩𝛪𝛫𝛬𝛭𝛮𝛯𝛰𝛱𝛲𝛳𝛴𝛵𝛶𝛷𝛸𝛹𝛺𝜜𝜝𝜞𝜟𝜠𝜡𝜢𝜣𝜤𝜥𝜦𝜧𝜨𝜩𝜪𝜫𝜬𝜭𝜮𝜯𝜰𝜱𝜲𝜳𝜴𝝖𝝗𝝘𝝙𝝚𝝛𝝜𝝝𝝞𝝟𝝠𝝡𝝢𝝣𝝤𝝥𝝦𝝧𝝨𝝩𝝪𝝫𝝬𝝭𝝮𝞐𝞑𝞒𝞓𝞔𝞕𝞖𝞗𝞘𝞙𝞚𝞛𝞜𝞝𝞞𝞟𝞠𝞡𝞢𝞣𝞤𝞥𝞦𝞧𝞨𝟊𞤀𞤁𞤂𞤃𞤄𞤅𞤆𞤇𞤈𞤉𞤊𞤋𞤌𞤍𞤎𞤏𞤐𞤑𞤒𞤓𞤔𞤕𞤖𞤗𞤘𞤙𞤚𞤛𞤜𞤝𞤞𞤟𞤠𞤡🄰🄱🄲🄳🄴🄵🄶🄷🄸🄹🄺🄻🄼🄽🄾🄿🅀🅁🅂🅃🅄🅅🅆🅇🅈🅉🅐🅑🅒🅓🅔🅕🅖🅗🅘🅙🅚🅛🅜🅝🅞🅟🅠🅡🅢🅣🅤🅥🅦🅧🅨🅩🅰🅱🅲🅳🅴🅵🅶🅷🅸🅹🅺🅻🅼🅽🅾🅿🆀🆁🆂🆃🆄🆅🆆🆇🆈🆉ＡＢＣＤＥＦＧＨＩＪＫＬＭＮＯＰＱＲＳＴＵＶＷＸＹＺ (Characters unsupported by this font appear as squares.)

This change supports upper case characters in other languages but doesn’t go so far as to allow emoji as a Class or Module name. These examples are now valid Ruby:

It’s worth noting that local variables in Ruby could begin with these characters in Ruby 2.5 and earlier. (Thanks to Cary Swoveland for pointing this out.) A local variable starting with one of these characters would become a constant in Ruby 2.6.

Why support these additional characters? Sergei Borodanov started an issue ticket asking about support for Cyrillic characters. Matz decided, “maybe it’s time to relax the limitation for Non-ASCII capital letters to start constant names.” Nobuyoshi (“nobu”) Nakada (a.k.a. “patch monster”) wrote and committed the patch to support this new feature.

With the addition of this feature, Rubyists in various languages can use their own alphabet for the first character of a Class or Module. For example, a Greek Rubyist can now have an Ωμέγα class, instead of an Oμέγα class — where the first letter is transliterated. Thanks to the Ruby core team for making this change! It will be shipped on December 25, 2018 with Ruby 2.6.

We use Ruby for lots of things here at Square — including our Square Connect Ruby SDKs and open source Ruby projects. We’re eagerly awaiting the release of Ruby 2.6!

The Ruby logo is Copyright © 2006, Yukihiro Matsumoto, distributed under CC BY-SA 2.5.

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