Using where(…).take for single record retrieval is less semantic and readable compared to find_by. The
find_by method clearly expresses the intent to find a single record by specific attributes and return nil if not found.
The where.take pattern requires readers to understand that:
-
where creates a query scope
-
take retrieves the first record from that scope
- The combination returns
nil if no record matches
In contrast, find_by makes this intent explicit and follows Rails conventions. It’s the idiomatic way to retrieve a single record by
attributes in ActiveRecord.
Using find_by also makes code more consistent with Rails style guidelines and community best practices, improving maintainability and
reducing cognitive load for developers familiar with Rails conventions.
What is the potential impact?
This issue affects code readability and maintainability. While both approaches have similar performance characteristics, using non-idiomatic
patterns can:
- Make code harder to understand for developers familiar with Rails conventions
- Reduce consistency across the codebase
- Increase cognitive load when reading and maintaining the code
The impact is primarily on code quality rather than functionality, as both patterns produce the same results.
