Understanding Ruby's Thread.handle_interrupt for Safe Multithreaded Programming

2023/09/01

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The article explores the usage of Ruby's Thread.handle_interrupt for handling interrupting exceptions in multithreaded code. It emphasizes the importance of coding defensively and provides examples of how to appropriately use Thread.handle_interrupt to avoid leaving work in an inconsistent state. The article highlights the potential problem of interrupts occurring between the ensure block and the Thread.handle_interrupt block and suggests nesting the ensure block within the outer Thread.handle_interrupt(Exception: :never) to prevent interrupts. It also introduces the pattern of using :no_blocking to avoid problematic seams, but cautions about the possibility of threads hanging if there is an unbounded Ruby calculation. The article concludes by encouraging further discussion and suggesting that developers reach out on Twitter or suggest changes. This article is a valuable resource for developers looking to ensure safe and defensive multithreaded programming in Ruby.