Ruby methods() method

Question

I want to understand how Ruby method methods() work.
I tried to Google with "ruby methods" but it's not what i need.
Also i've seen ruby-doc.org, but i didn't find this method.

Can you expain me how it works in details or give me a link?

Update

I experimented with methods() method and got such results:

'lab rat' code

class First
  def first_instance_mymethod
  end
  def self.first_class_mymethod
  end
end
class Second < First
  def second_instance_mymethod
  end
  def self.second_class_mymethod
  end
end

Work with Classes

#returns available methods list for class and ancestors
puts Second.methods.grep(/mymethod/)
  # => second_class_mymethod
  # => first_class_mymethod

#returns Class methods list for current class only 
puts Second.methods(false)
  # => second_class_mymethod

Work with Objects

obj = Second.new
def obj.obj_singleton_mymethod
end

#returns available methods list for object and ancestors
puts obj.methods.grep(/mymethod/)
  # => second_instance_mymethod
  # => first_instance_mymethod

#returns current object class methods
puts obj.methods(false)
  # => obj_singleton_mymethod

Answer 1

The accepted answer misses a slight point. A fuller answer was given in the comment by keymone - .methods returns an array of symbols being names of all the methods defined on the given instance. For example:

irb(main):012:0> object = ""
=> ""
irb(main):013:0> object.instance_eval("def foo;:bar;end")
=> nil
irb(main):014:0> object.methods.include?(:foo)
=> true
irb(main):016:0> "".methods.include?(:foo)
=> false

Answer 2

I'm not entirely sure why it's not in the ruby 1.9 docs (it seems to still be in the code), but you can see the documentation in the 1.8.7 docs: http://www.ruby-doc.org/core-1.8.7/classes/Object.html#M000032

Basically, in ruby 1.9 it just returns a list of the symbols (names) for all the methods in a given class and its ancestors. (ruby 1.8 it returned a list of strings)