Installation and Setup: Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Ruby on Various Operating Systems

Ruby is a dynamic, open-source programming language with a focus on simplicity and productivity. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a beginner, setting up Ruby on your system is the first step towards building powerful applications. This guide will walk you through the installation process for Ruby on various operating systems: Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Installing Ruby on Windows

Using RubyInstaller

RubyInstaller is the easiest way to set up Ruby on a Windows system.

1. Download RubyInstaller:

• Go to the RubyInstaller website.
• Download the latest Ruby+Devkit version.

1. Run the Installer:

• Run the downloaded installer.
• Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Ensure that you check the option to add Ruby to your PATH.

1. Run ridk install:

• After the installation, a command prompt window will appear. Type ridk install to install the MSYS2 Devkit, which provides essential tools for building native C/C++ extensions.

1. Verify Installation:

• Open a new command prompt and type:
  sh ruby -v
• You should see the Ruby version number, confirming a successful installation.

Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

For a more Unix-like environment, you can use WSL to run Ruby on Windows.

1. Enable WSL:

• Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
  sh wsl --install
• Restart your computer if prompted.

1. Install a Linux Distribution:

• Open the Microsoft Store, search for a Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu), and install it.

1. Set Up Ruby:

• Open the installed Linux distribution from the Start menu.
• Update package lists:
  sh sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade
• Install Ruby using a version manager like rbenv or rvm (see Linux instructions below).

Installing Ruby on macOS

Using Homebrew

Homebrew is a package manager for macOS that makes installing software a breeze.

1. Install Homebrew:

• Open Terminal and run:
  sh /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

1. Install Ruby:

• With Homebrew installed, run:
  sh brew install ruby

1. Update Your PATH:

• Add Homebrew’s Ruby to your PATH by adding the following line to your ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bash_profile if you’re using Bash):
  sh export PATH="/usr/local/opt/ruby/bin:$PATH"
• Apply the changes:
  sh source ~/.zshrc

1. Verify Installation:

• Check the Ruby version:
  sh ruby -v

Using rbenv

rbenv is a popular version manager for Ruby, allowing you to install and manage multiple Ruby versions.

1. Install rbenv:

• Run:
  sh brew install rbenv

1. Set Up rbenv:

• Add rbenv to your shell by adding the following to your ~/.zshrc:
  sh eval "$(rbenv init -)"
• Apply the changes:
  sh source ~/.zshrc

1. Install Ruby:

• Find the version you want to install:
  sh rbenv install -l
• Install the desired version:
  sh rbenv install 3.1.2 rbenv global 3.1.2

1. Verify Installation:

• Check the Ruby version:
  sh ruby -v

Installing Ruby on Linux

Using APT (Debian/Ubuntu)

1. Update Package Lists:

• Open Terminal and run:
  sh sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade

1. Install Ruby:

• Install Ruby with:
  sh sudo apt install ruby-full

1. Verify Installation:

• Check the Ruby version:
  sh ruby -v

Using rbenv

rbenv is also a great option for Linux systems.

1. Install Dependencies:

• Install required dependencies:
  sh sudo apt update sudo apt install -y git-core curl zlib1g-dev build-essential libssl-dev libreadline-dev libyaml-dev libsqlite3-dev sqlite3 libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev software-properties-common libffi-dev

1. Install rbenv and ruby-build:

• Clone rbenv and ruby-build repositories:
  sh git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.bashrc source ~/.bashrc git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git ~/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc source ~/.bashrc

1. Install Ruby:

• List available versions and install:
  sh rbenv install -l rbenv install 3.1.2 rbenv global 3.1.2

1. Verify Installation:

• Check the Ruby version:
  sh ruby -v

Conclusion

Setting up Ruby on your system is a straightforward process, whether you’re using Windows, macOS, or Linux. By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll be ready to start developing Ruby applications in no time. With Ruby’s elegant syntax and powerful features, you’ll quickly see why it has become such a beloved language in the programming community. Happy coding!