--- title: OptimizelyUserContext for the Ruby SDK slug: feature-experimentation/docs/optimizelyusercontext-ruby docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-05T20:39:54.000Z --- The `OptimizelyUserContext` object lets you make flag decisions and track events for a user context that you created using the [Create User Context](docId\:EZ82PrPXF05kJvmd7OoxE) method. Also, if you have [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8) configured between Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) and Optimizely Feature Experimentation, you can evaluate if your user would qualify for a real-time audience segment. ## OptimizelyUserContext minimum SDK version OptimizelyUserContext is supported on SDK v3.8 and higher. ### Forced decision methods minimum SDK version `set_forced_decision()`, `get_forced_decision()`, `remove_forced_decision()` and `remove_all_forced_decisions()` methods are supported on v3.10.0 and higher. ### Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation minimum SDK version `fetch_qualified_segments()` and `qualified_for?()` methods are supported on v5.0.0 and higher. ## `OptimizelyUserContext` definition The following code shows the object definition for `OptimizelyUserContext`: ```ruby module Optimizely class OptimizelyUserContext attr_reader :user_id # Create an instance of the Optimizely User Context. Pass in user id and optionally user attributes def initialize(optimizely_client, user_id, user_attributes) # set an attribute for the user def set_attribute(attribute_key, attribute_value) # get attributes for the user def user_attributes # make a decision about which flag variation the user buckets into for the flag key def decide(key, options = nil) # make decisions about which flag variations the user buckets into for flag keys def decide_for_keys(keys, options = nil) # make decisions about which flag variations the user buckets into for all flags def decide_all(options = nil) # track user event def track_event(event_key, event_tags = nil) # OptimizelyDecisionContext OptimizelyDecisionContext = Struct.new(:flag_key, :rule_key) # OptimizelyForcedDecision OptimizelyForcedDecision = Struct.new(:variation_key) # Sets the forced decision (variation_key) for a given decision context def set_forced_decision(context, decision) # Returns the forced decision for a given decision context def get_forced_decision(context) # Removes the forced decision for a given decision context def remove_forced_decision(context) # Removes all forced decisions bound to this user context def remove_all_forced_decisions # The following methods require Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation # See note following the code sample. # An array of audience segment names that the user is qualified for. # The result of **fetch_qualified_segments()** is saved here. # Can be nil if not properly updated with fetch_qualified_segments(). # # You can read and write directly to the qualified segments array. # This lets you bypass the remote fetching process from ODP # or for utilizing your own fetching service. def qualified_segments # Fetch all qualified segments for the user context. # If no callback is provided, this method fetches the qualified segments # and return a boolean signifying success. # # If a callback is provided, the method fetches segments in a separate thread, # invoke the provided callback when results are available, and return the thread handle. def fetch_qualified_segments(options, &block) # Check is the user qualified for the given segment. def qualified_for?(segment) end end ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** You must first configure [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8) to run the`qualified_segments()`, `fetch_qualified_segments()`, and `qualified_for?()` methods. ::: ## Properties The following table shows attributes for the `OptimizelyUserContext` object: | Attribute | Type | Comment | | ------------------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | \`user\_id\` | String | The ID of the user | | \`attributes\` (optional) | Map | A map of custom key-value pairs specifying attributes for the user that are used for \[audience targeting]\(https\://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/38683417490957). You can pass the map with the user ID when you create the user. | ## Methods The following table shows methods for the `OptimizelyUserContext` object: | Method | Comment | | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | \`set\_attribute\` | Pass a custom user attribute as a key-value pair to the user context. | | \`decide\` | Returns a decision result for a flag key for a user in an OptimizelyDecision object, which contains all data required to deliver the flag rule. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-ruby#example-decide) | | \`decide\_for\_keys\` | Returns a map of flag decisions for specified flag keys. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-ruby#decide-for-keys) | | \`decide\_all\` | Returns decisions for all active (unarchived) flags for a user. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-ruby#example-decideall) | | \`track\_event\` | Tracks a conversion event for a user (an action a user takes) and logs an error message if the specified event key does not match any existing events. See \[Track Event]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/track-event-ruby) | | \`set\_forced\_decision\` | Forces a user into a specific variation. See \[Set Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-ruby#set-forced-decision-method---set\_forced\_decision) | | \`get\_forced\_decision\` | Returns what variation the user was forced into. See \[Get Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-ruby#get-forced-decision-method---get\_forced\_decision) | | \`remove\_forced\_decision\` | Removes a user from a specific forced variation. See \[Remove Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-ruby#remove-forced-decision-method---remove\_forced\_decision) | | \`remove\_all\_forced\_decisions\` | Removes a user from all forced variations. See \[Remove All Forced Decisions]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-ruby#remove-all-forced-decisions-method---remove\_all\_forced\_decisions) | | \`fetch\_qualified\_segments\` \*\* | Fetch all Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) real-time audiences that the user context qualified for. See \[Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation segment qualification methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/real-time-audiences-for-feature-experimentation-segment-qualification-methods-ruby). | | \`qualified\_for?\` \*\* | Check if the user context qualified for a given ODP real-time audience. See \[Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation segment qualification methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/real-time-audiences-for-feature-experimentation-segment-qualification-methods-ruby). | \*\* Requires [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8). ## See Also [Create User Context](docId\:EZ82PrPXF05kJvmd7OoxE) ## Source files The language and platform source files containing the implementation for Ruby are available on [Github.com](https://github.com/optimizely/ruby-sdk/blob/master/lib/optimizely.rb).