before_save_callback

💾 Persist Timestamps or Flags with before_save

The before_save callback runs just before a record is written to the database. This is perfect for setting flags or timestamps not handled by Rails by default.

class Article < ApplicationRecord
  before_save :set_published_at

  private

  def set_published_at
    self.published_at ||= Time.current if published?
  end
end

If an article is marked published and published_at is blank, this callback sets the timestamp automatically.