> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/programmy/rails/convert-a-symbol-to-a-constant.md).

# Convert A Symbol To A Constant

If you have a symbol and need to convert it to a constant, perhaps because of some metaprogramming induced by a polymorphic solution, then you may start off on an approach like the following. In fact, I've seen a number of StackOverflow solutions like this.

```ruby
:module.to_s.capitalize.constantize
#=> Module
```

That is great for one-word constant names, but what about multi-word constants like `OpenStruct`. This approach will not work for the symbol `:open_struct`. We need a more general solution.

The key is to ditch `#capitalize and instead use another ActiveSupport method,` #classify\`.

```ruby
:open_struct.to_s.classify.constantize
#=> OpenStruct
```


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