Sinatra method `development?` undefined

Question

The Sinatra docs say that development? will return true when the environment is development, but I receive an error stating that the method development? is undefined.

I tried skipping the shorthand and testing the ENV['RAKE_ENV'] variable itself, but it was just nil.

This is the error I'm getting:

undefined method `development?' for main:Object (NoMethodError)

and this is the code that is triggering the error:

require 'dm-sqlite-adapter' if development?

I am using the modular style app. The line above is an separate file that only manages the model. What's going on?

Answer 1

I struggled with this one, too. Here's what I discovered along the way.

You need to be "inside" a class that inherits from Sinatra::Base (such as Sinatra::Application, which inherits from Base) to be able to use the development? method, which is defined in base.rb.

In a classic Sinatra app you are already coding "inside" a class that inherits from Sinatra::Base. So development? will just work "anywhere".

In modular Sinatra the development? will only work in Sinatra::Base sub-classes, such as:

require 'sinatra/base'

# Placing
# require 'dm-sqlite-adapter' if development?
# here will not work.

class ApplicationController < Sinatra::Base
require 'dm-sqlite-adapter' if development? # But here it works
...
end

# Placing 
# require 'dm-sqlite-adapter' if development?` 
# AFTER the above class will still not work

class SomethingElse 
# nor will `development?` work here, since it is called inside
# a class without Sinatra::Base inheritance
...
end

So basically you can use an ApplicationController class that inherits from Sinatra::Base and inside here check for development?. The same goes for sub-classes that inherits from your ApplicationController class:

class UserController < ApplicationController
  require 'dotenv' if development?
  ...
end

For modular Sinatra, in the (main:Object) code text "outside" Sinatra::Base sub-classes, you need to follow Arup's instructions:

if Sinatra::Base.environment == :development
    require 'awesome_print'
    require 'dotenv'
    Dotenv.load
    ...
end

Answer 2

Since you are using the modular style, you need to add the module namespace Sinatra::Base before the method.

So you will be able to access Sinatra::Base.development? anywhere in the app.