undef_method vs remove_method

Ruby's undef_method and remove_method are both methods for removing a method from a class, but there are subtle differences between the two.

Say we have two classes that both define the method name, with one class inheriting from the other:

class Human
  def name
    "homo sapien"
  end
end

class Child < Human
  def name
    "small homo sapien"
  end
end

remove_method fully deletes a method from a particular class, but will still look for the method on parent classes or modules when called on the particular class:

child = Child.new
child.name
# => "small homo sapien"

class Child
  remove_method :name
end

child.name
# => "homo sapien"

undef_method in contrast will prevent Ruby from looking up the method on parent classes

child = Child.new
child.name
# => "small homo sapien"

class Child
  undef_method :name
end

child.name
# => raises NoMethodError
# undefined method `name' for #<Child:0x00007ffd91a007a8>