Get started right with RVM

http://sirupsen.com/get-started-right-with-rvm/

by Sirupsen • 16 years ago

69 21 16 years ago

stevefink• 16 years ago

RVM is one of those tools that you add to your arsenal that makes you go back and think how you ever got by without it before. This is particularly true if you are working on multiple projects, all of which have their own Ruby versioning/gem set requirements. It's incredible how trivial management has become when I'm dealing with 1.8.7, 1.9.2 and JRuby 1.5.2 (concurrently) on an almost daily basis.

devin• 16 years ago

Amen, brother.

I don't know how I ever managed multiple projects before RVM. Thinking back, I don't think I'd ever call what I was doing "management"...

cmelbye• 16 years ago

How does that gemset stuff fit in with Bundler? It's much easier for us to just keep Gemfile in the git repo, run "bundle install", and then let Bundler worry about installing gems and keeping a clean gem environment.

swatermasysk2• 16 years ago

You can use gemsets and bundler together.

Gemsets simply allow you to have an isolated environment. If you want to install the gems from multiple projects in the same gemset the choice is yours.

Bundler just makes installing each project's dependencies easier.

The pattern I started to use recently was to check in include an .rvm file with the same gemset name as the project.

This way, I simply clone the project, install bundler, and then issue bundle install and my project is ready to go.

psadauskas• 16 years ago

You can do this automatically with

    rvm ruby@gemset --create --rvmrc

`--create` creates a gemset if it doesn't already exist, and `--rvmrc` makes a .rvmrc file to automatically switch to that gemset when you cd into the current directory. This makes it easy enough, that I have a gemset per application/project, and then use bundler to install the deps.

jagtesh• 16 years ago

Nifty. Was searching for a how-to yesterday. Thanks!

Construct• 16 years ago

Another important think to note when using RVM is to not use 'sudo' when installing gems. It is easy get caught up in a README or tutorial and execute 'sudo gem install...' as listed in the document. Unfortunately, this installs the gem in root's environment, which isn't configured with RVM goodness using the default installation method and you'll quickly end up with all sorts of problems and obscure error messages.

mcantor• 16 years ago

I discovered this last week and almost instantly donated some cash to the developer. It has easily already saved me hours of manual effort.

reedlaw• 16 years ago

After installing RVM if gem is giving you a zlib error, this info was useful on both Ubuntu and Debian: http://rvm.beginrescueend.com/packages/zlib/

edit: I put up a short tutorial on how to get this running on Lenny: http://www.reedglaw.com/rails/InstallRailsRVM

nanairo4• 16 years ago

Personally I find it a bit of an overkill for me, and I doubt that it plays nice with other package managers... (if anyone knows more I'd like to hear more about it).

That said I understand people doing a lot of work on other people's computers (e.g. Ruby on Rail) may find it really useful.

Personally now it's 1.9.2 all the way! :D

philwelch2• 16 years ago

That's what kept me from it, but if you use Ruby you're already using two layers of package managers (your system package manager manages Ruby and RubyGems, RubyGems manages gems). Putting RVM in the middle just deepens that. Being able to quickly switch Ruby versions for different projects is a big convenience.

nanairo4• 16 years ago

Exactly. My fear actually started when I realised exactly that. Now, maybe it works beautifully... dunno, and if someone does please enlighten me. :)

I can see the appeal of something like RVM. But despite using Ruby a lot, it's mostly stuff for myself so I just use whatever it's the latest. The reason why I thought about RVM was that I wanted to try MacRuby (and rare cases when I need to move back to the system's ruby) and was suggested to use RVM.

jshen3• 16 years ago

" I doubt that it plays nice with other package managers"

Your not adding much value to a conversation when you make assertions based on zero experience with the thing you're criticizing.

nanairo4• 16 years ago

Geesh... you couldn't spent two secs to actually reply?

I wasn't trying to throw FUD: I very clearly stated where I was coming from, and that it was only a doubt.

I also asked for some information, from people who knew more. You seem to, but you felt better just to bash me without providing any helpful hint. Your choice.

Finally it wasn't a criticism as such: as I explained I don't need to have 4 different ruby versions installed and to swap between them. On the other hand, I fear that having macport > rvm > gem in order to install a gem may be a bit too much. Hence why I didn't install it.

shrugs suit yourself, though personally it seems you are the one contributing absolutely nothing.

JangoSteve• 16 years ago

we do not need to use sudo to install gems, as everything is kept in ~/.rvm

It's not that you don't need to, it's that you shouldn't. Using sudo to install gems will do so outside of your rvm gemset, and so the gems you install this way will not be available to your app using the gemset.

Get started right with RVM

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