Ruby in a Nutshell

Name

begin Statement

Synopsis

begin 
code
[rescue [exception_class[, exception_class...]] [=> variable] [then]
code]...
[else
code]
[ensure
code]
end

The begin statement encloses code and performs exception handling when used together with the rescue and ensure clauses.

When a rescue clause is specified, exceptions belonging to the exception_class specified are caught, and the code is executed. The value of the whole begin enclosure is the value of its last line of code. If no exception_class is specified, the program is treated as if the StandardError class had been specified. If a variable is specified, the exception object is stored to it. The rescue exception_class is separated from the rest of the code by the reserved word then, a newline, or a semicolon. If no exceptions are raised, the else clause is executed if specified. If an ensure clause is specified, its code is always executed before the begin/end block exits, even if for some reason the block is exited before it can be completed.