# Ruby: Nil

DevFeed: [Ruby: Nil](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/ruby-nil-37836.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://carlosbecker.com/posts/ruby-nil/>)

Author: Carlos Alexandro Becker

Published: 2013-09-09T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Carlos Becker](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/carlos-becker.md>)

Topics: [Ruby](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ruby.md>), [object](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/object.md>), [Java](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/java.md>)

Tags: [concepts](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/concepts.md>), [java](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/java.md>), [object](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/object.md>), [ruby](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ruby.md>)

## AI overview

A beginner-oriented explanation of Ruby's nil object, including how it represents the absence of a value and supports method calls through the Null Object Pattern. The article compares this behavior with null handling in Java.

## Source excerpt

Following my previous posts with basic Javascript aspects, like context and variable hoisting, I'll try to write some basic concepts of the Ruby language. I decided to start with something that usually confuses new Ruby users (sometimes they don't even know that they are confused, by the way): the Ruby nil object.