in_transaction helper to avoid nesting transaction blocks

README.md

@@ -111,13 +111,80 @@ Will be executed right after transaction in which it have been declared was roll
 
 If called outside transaction will raise an exception!
 
-Please keep in mind ActiveRecord's [limitations for rolling back nested transactions](http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveRecord/Transactions/ClassMethods.html#module-ActiveRecord::Transactions::ClassMethods-label-Nested+transactions).
+Please keep in mind ActiveRecord's [limitations for rolling back nested transactions](http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveRecord/Transactions/ClassMethods.html#module-ActiveRecord::Transactions::ClassMethods-label-Nested+transactions). See [`in_transaction`](#in_transaction) for a workaround to this limitation. 
 
 ### Available helper methods
 
+#### `in_transaction`
+
+Makes sure the provided block is running in a transaction.
+
+This method aims to provide clearer intention than a typical `ActiveRecord::Base.transaction` block - `in_transaction` only cares that _some_ transaction is present, not that a transaction is nested in any way.
+
+If a transaction is present, it will yield without taking any action. Note that this means `ActiveRecord::Rollback` errors will not be trapped by `in_transaction` but will propagate up to the nearest parent transaction block.
+
+If no transaction is present, the provided block will open a new transaction.
+
+```rb
+class ServiceObjectBtw
+  include AfterCommitEverywhere
+
+  def call
+    in_transaction do
+      an_update
+      another_update
+      after_commit { puts "We're all done!" }
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
+
+Our service object can run its database operations safely when run in isolation. 
+
+```rb
+ServiceObjectBtw.new.call # This opens a new #transaction block
+```
+
+If it is later called from code already wrapped in a transaction, the existing transaction will be utilized without any nesting:
+
+```rb
+ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+  new_update
+  next_update
+  # This no longer opens a new #transaction block, because one is already present
+  ServiceObjectBtw.new.call
+end
+```
+
+This can be called directly on the module as well:
+
+```rb
+AfterCommitEverywhere.in_transaction do
+  AfterCommitEverywhere.after_commit { puts "We're all done!" }
+end
+```
+
 #### `in_transaction?`
 
-Returns `true` when called inside open transaction, `false` otherwise.
+Returns `true` when called inside an open transaction, `false` otherwise.
+
+```rb
+def check_for_transaction
+  if in_transaction?
+    puts "We're in a transaction!"
+  else
+    puts "We're not in a transaction..."
+  end
+end
+
+check_for_transaction
+# => prints "We're not in a transaction..."
+
+in_transaction do
+  check_for_transaction
+end
+# => prints "We're in a transaction!"
+```
 
 ### Available callback options
 

lib/after_commit_everywhere.rb

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module AfterCommitEverywhere
   class NotInTransaction < RuntimeError; end
 
   delegate :after_commit, :before_commit, :after_rollback, to: AfterCommitEverywhere
-  delegate :in_transaction?, to: AfterCommitEverywhere
+  delegate :in_transaction?, :in_transaction, to: AfterCommitEverywhere
 
   # Causes {before_commit} and {after_commit} to raise an exception when
   # called outside a transaction.
@@ -132,6 +132,20 @@ def in_transaction?(connection = nil)
       connection.transaction_open? && connection.current_transaction.joinable?
     end
 
+    # Makes sure the provided block runs in a transaction. If we are not currently in a transaction, a new transaction is started.
+    #
+    # @param connection [ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::AbstractAdapter] Database connection to operate in. Defaults to +ActiveRecord::Base.connection+
+    # @return           void
+    def in_transaction(connection = nil)
+      connection ||= default_connection
+
+      if in_transaction?(connection)
+        yield
+      else
+        connection.transaction { yield }
+      end
+    end
+
     private
 
     def default_connection

spec/after_commit_everywhere_spec.rb

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
         expect(handler).to have_received(:call)
       end
 
-      it "doesn't execute callback when rollback issued" do
+      it "doesn't execute callback when rollback issued from :requires_new transaction" do
         outer_handler = spy("outer")
         ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
           example_class.new.after_commit { outer_handler.call }
@@ -145,6 +145,19 @@
         expect(outer_handler).to have_received(:call)
         expect(handler).not_to have_received(:call)
       end
+
+      it "executes callbacks when rollback issued from default nested transaction" do
+        outer_handler = spy("outer")
+        ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+          described_class.after_commit { outer_handler.call }
+          ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+            raise ActiveRecord::Rollback
+          end
+        end
+
+        expect(outer_handler).to have_received(:call)
+        expect(handler).not_to have_received(:call)
+      end
     end
 
     context "with transactions to different databases" do
@@ -515,4 +528,55 @@
       is_expected.to be_falsey
     end
   end
+
+  shared_examples "verify in_transaction behavior" do
+    it "rollbacks propogate up to the top level transaction block" do
+      outer_handler = spy("outer")
+      ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+        described_class.after_commit { outer_handler.call }
+        receiver.in_transaction do
+          raise ActiveRecord::Rollback
+        end
+      end
+
+      expect(outer_handler).not_to have_received(:call)
+      expect(handler).not_to have_received(:call)
+    end
+
+    it "runs in a new transaction if no wrapping transaction is available" do
+      expect(ActiveRecord::Base.connection.transaction_open?).to be_falsey
+      receiver.in_transaction do
+        expect(ActiveRecord::Base.connection.transaction_open?).to be_truthy
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when rolling back, the rollback propogates to the parent transaction block" do
+      subject { receiver.after_rollback { handler.call } }
+
+      it "executes all after_rollback calls, even when raising an ActiveRecord::Rollback" do
+        outer_handler = spy("outer")
+        ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+          receiver.after_rollback { outer_handler.call }
+          described_class.in_transaction do
+            subject
+            # ActiveRecord::Rollback works here because `in_transaction` yields without creating a new nested transaction
+            raise ActiveRecord::Rollback
+          end
+        end
+
+        expect(handler).to have_received(:call)
+        expect(outer_handler).to have_received(:call)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#in_transaction" do
+    let(:receiver) { example_class.new }
+    include_examples "verify in_transaction behavior"
+  end
+
+  describe ".in_transaction" do
+    let(:receiver) { described_class }
+    include_examples "verify in_transaction behavior"
+  end
 end