6 files changed, 72 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/lib/irb/command/help.rb b/lib/irb/command/help.rb
index fc44f6080e..1ed7a7707c 100644
--- a/lib/irb/command/help.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/command/help.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ module IRB
 
       def help_message
         commands_info = IRB::Command.all_commands_info
+        helper_methods_info = IRB::HelperMethod.all_helper_methods_info
         commands_grouped_by_categories = commands_info.group_by { |cmd| cmd[:category] }
+        commands_grouped_by_categories["Helper methods"] = helper_methods_info
 
         user_aliases = irb_context.instance_variable_get(:@user_aliases)
 
diff --git a/lib/irb/default_commands.rb b/lib/irb/default_commands.rb
index 72884318a5..2c515674af 100644
--- a/lib/irb/default_commands.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/default_commands.rb
@@ -98,10 +98,7 @@ module IRB
     end
 
     _register_with_aliases(:irb_context, Command::Context,
-      [
-        [:context, NO_OVERRIDE],
-        [:conf, NO_OVERRIDE],
-      ],
+      [:context, NO_OVERRIDE]
     )
 
     _register_with_aliases(:irb_exit, Command::Exit,
diff --git a/lib/irb/helper_method.rb b/lib/irb/helper_method.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f1f6fff915
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/irb/helper_method.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+require_relative "helper_method/base"
+
+module IRB
+  module HelperMethod
+    @helper_methods = {}
+
+    class << self
+      attr_reader :helper_methods
+
+      def register(name, helper_class)
+        @helper_methods[name] = helper_class
+
+        if defined?(HelpersContainer)
+          HelpersContainer.install_helper_methods
+        end
+      end
+
+      def all_helper_methods_info
+        @helper_methods.map do |name, helper_class|
+          { display_name: name, description: helper_class.description }
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Default helper_methods
+    require_relative "helper_method/conf"
+    register(:conf, HelperMethod::Conf)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/irb/helper_method/base.rb b/lib/irb/helper_method/base.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc74b046da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/irb/helper_method/base.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+module IRB
+  module HelperMethod
+    class Base
+      class << self
+        def description(description = nil)
+          @description = description if description
+          @description
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/irb/helper_method/conf.rb b/lib/irb/helper_method/conf.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..460f5ab78a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/irb/helper_method/conf.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+module IRB
+  module HelperMethod
+    class Conf < Base
+      description "Returns the current context."
+
+      def execute
+        IRB.CurrentContext
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/irb/workspace.rb b/lib/irb/workspace.rb
index 1490f7b478..dd92d99014 100644
--- a/lib/irb/workspace.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/workspace.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 require "delegate"
 
+require_relative "helper_method"
+
 IRB::TOPLEVEL_BINDING = binding
 module IRB # :nodoc:
   class WorkSpace
@@ -109,9 +111,9 @@ EOF
     attr_reader :main
 
     def load_helper_methods_to_main
-      if !(class<<main;ancestors;end).include?(ExtendCommandBundle)
-        main.extend ExtendCommandBundle
-      end
+      ancestors = class<<main;ancestors;end
+      main.extend ExtendCommandBundle if !ancestors.include?(ExtendCommandBundle)
+      main.extend HelpersContainer if !ancestors.include?(HelpersContainer)
     end
 
     # Evaluate the given +statements+ within the  context of this workspace.
@@ -172,4 +174,16 @@ EOF
       "\nFrom: #{file} @ line #{pos + 1} :\n\n#{body}#{Color.clear}\n"
     end
   end
+
+  module HelpersContainer
+    def self.install_helper_methods
+      HelperMethod.helper_methods.each do |name, helper_method_class|
+        define_method name do |*args, **opts, &block|
+          helper_method_class.new.execute(*args, **opts, &block)
+        end unless method_defined?(name)
+      end
+    end
+
+    install_helper_methods
+  end
 end