Learning when to use a DSL

There are some use cases in Ruby where using a DSL makes a lot of sense, and other cases where using a DSL increases complexity and makes the code worse instead of better. The best cases for DSL use in Ruby are where using the DSL makes the library easier to maintain and makes it simpler for a user to use the library. If you find yourself in that situation, then a DSL definitely sounds like the right choice. However, in most cases, a DSL is a trade-off.

In most cases, you design a DSL to make things easier in some way for the user, but it makes the internals more complex and makes your job as the maintainer of the library more difficult. It is possible but less likely for the opposite to be true, where you design a DSL to make your life as a maintainer easier, but the DSL makes the use of the library more difficult.

Of the DSL examples given previously, the RSpec configuration example may be an example of the best case for a DSL. It definitely makes...