Question 1

How do I add custom holidays using the Ruby holidays gem?

Accepted Answer

Use Holidays.load_custom to load YAML files that match the gem's definition syntax. This allows defining holidays like company events, which can then be queried immediately, as shown in the custom definitions section.

Question 2

Ruby holidays gem vs handling holidays manually in code?

Accepted Answer

The gem saves time by providing pre-built, tested holiday logic for multiple regions, reducing maintenance. Manual handling might be simpler for single-region apps but lacks the gem's flexibility for updates and custom definitions.

Question 3

Does the Ruby holidays gem support time zones?

Accepted Answer

No, the README clearly states that time zones are ignored, and all dates are assumed to be in the same zone. For applications with time zone-sensitive data, you'll need to handle conversions externally.

Question 4

How to cache holidays for better performance in Ruby?

Accepted Answer

Call Holidays.cache_before with a date range and regions to pre-calculate and store holidays in memory. This speeds up future lookups, but note it's only in-memory and not suitable for distributed setups.

Question 5

What are informal holidays in the Ruby holidays gem?

Accepted Answer

Informal holidays are non-statutory celebrations like Valentine's Day, included using the :informal flag in queries. By default, they're excluded, but adding the flag returns them, as demonstrated with US examples.

Question 6

How to extend the Date class with the holidays gem?

Accepted Answer

Require 'holidays/core_extensions/date' and include Holidays::CoreExtensions::Date in the Date class. This adds methods like holidays and holiday? for easier holiday checks, as shown in the core extensions section.

Question 7

List of region codes for Ruby holidays gem?

Accepted Answer

Call Holidays.available_regions to get all supported region symbols, such as [:ar, :at, ..., :sg]. This helps identify valid codes for queries, as mentioned in the usage examples.

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