seniorRuby

How does Ruby handle dynamic method definition and its impact on runtime caches?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

Dynamic method definitions invalidate method caches and force lookup table updates.

Deep explanation

When methods are defined at runtime (define_method, method_missing, class_eval), Ruby updates method tables and increments internal version counters. This invalidates inline caches and polymorphic caches. The VM ensures consistency by flushing cached method entries tied to affected classes/modules.

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