Why is this string key in a hash converted to a symbol?

Question

Using Ruby 2.3:

In example 1, the string key \"a\" is automatically converted to a symbol, whereas with example 2, it stays a string.

Example 1

Answer 1

It's because of the new hash syntax introduced with ruby 1.9. The syntax with colon works with symbol keys only. It's called a "symbol to object" hash and it's only syntactic sugar for the most common style of hashes out there. Another point for me, it's closer to the javascript object notation.

If I have mixed key types then I prefer the old style (hash-rocket syntax), but that's up to you. Mixing the two style looks ugly to me.