Issue #20411 has been updated by jeremyevans0 (Jeremy Evans). These are separate methods: Kernel.autoload?/Kernel#autoload? (it's a global/module function) is documented here: https://docs.ruby-lang.org/en/master/Kernel.html#method-i-autoload-3F Module#autoload? is documented here: https://docs.ruby-lang.org/en/master/Module.html#method-i-autoload-3F Once you understand that Kernel.autoload? and Kernel#autoload? are the same method, the behavior makes more sense: ```ruby autoload :A, "a.rb" module B puts Kernel.autoload?(:A) # nil puts Module.autoload?(:A) # a.rb puts autoload?(:A) # nil puts B.autoload?(:A) # nil end puts Kernel.autoload?(:A) # a.rb puts Module.autoload?(:A) # a.rb puts autoload?(:A) # a.rb puts B.autoload?(:A) # nil ``` `Kernel#autoload?` looks up in the currently open namespace, so `Kernel.autoload?` does as well. Not defining `Kernel.autoload?` as a singleton method would fix the behavior, but would break backwards compatibility. I don't think it is worth changing. The behavior is currently expected and not a bug. I'm leaving this open as I think the documentation for `Kernel#autoload?` should be improved to mention it uses the current namespace. ---------------------------------------- Bug #20411: Kenrel.autoload? behaviour https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/20411#change-107827 * Author: gmcgibbon (Gannon McGibbon) * Status: Open * ruby -v: 3.3.0 * Backport: 3.0: UNKNOWN, 3.1: UNKNOWN, 3.2: UNKNOWN, 3.3: UNKNOWN ---------------------------------------- 👋 I recently tried checking if a top-level constant was autoloaded within a module, and it doesn't seem to work properly when calling `autoload?` from `Kernel`. Here's a simple reproduction script: ``` autoload :A, "a.rb" module B puts Kernel.autoload?(:A) # nil puts Module.autoload?(:A) # a.rb end puts Kernel.autoload?(:A) # a.rb puts Module.autoload?(:A) # a.rb ``` I would expect `Kernel.autoload?` and `Module.autoload?` to behave the same way, and return the path of the autoloaded constant until it is loaded. -- https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/