The **`insert`** method in Ruby is used to insert an element to a given string or an array. The `insert` method takes in two parameters: an `index` and the `element`. The first parameter is the `index`, whereas the second is the `element`. The `insert` method then returns the modified string or array.

The `insert` method places the element at the index specified in the parameter. 

> Indexing begins from 0 in Ruby.

The illustration below shows how the `insert` method works in Ruby:

# Syntax

The `insert` method works on a string or an array in Ruby. We use the `.` operator to link our string or array with the method. An example is shown below:

```Ruby
"myString".insert(2,"e")
```

or

```Ruby
Array.insert(2,"e")
```

# Parameters

The `insert` function takes in two parameters: the `index` and the `element`.

The index can be a negative number as well. In that case, the `insert` method will add an element to the specified index from the end of the string or the array.

> -1 refers to the last index of the string or array.

# Return value

The `insert` method returns a modified string or array with the element inserted at the specified index.

# String example

The code snippet below shows the `insert` method applied on a string:

puts "Educative".insert(2, 'u')  
puts "Cat".insert(1, 'a') 
puts "Work".insert(-1, "m")

# Array example

The code snippet below shows the `insert` method applied on an array:

array1 = [1,2,3,4,5,6]
puts "inserted in array1 : #{array1.insert(2, 10)}"

array2 = [1,2,3,4,5,6]
puts "inserted in array2 : #{array2.insert(-2, 10)}"

What is the insert method in Ruby?

The insert method in Ruby inserts an element at a specified index in a string or array, modifying and returning it.