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Installing rbenv

3:58 with Jay McGavren

We're going to use a program called `rbenv` (short for "RuBy ENVironment") to install and manage our Ruby interpreter on this system. Let's install `rbenv` now.

Run these commands while logged in as the deployment user on your server:

$ git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv (No need for sudo)
$ echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
$ ~/.rbenv/bin/rbenv init
$ echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.bash_profile

Then log out of your server and back in to load the changes to your $PATH environment variable.

You can confirm the installation was successful by running rbenv:

$ rbenv
  • 0:00

    In case we wind up needing multiple Ruby versions on this server,

  • 0:03

    we're going to use a software package called rbemv.

  • 0:07

    That stands for Ruby environment.

  • 0:11

    Rbemv will download and install Ruby versions for us and

  • 0:14

    let us switch between them as needed.

  • 0:17

    Note that it shouldn't be confused with RVM standing for Ruby Version Manager.

  • 0:22

    RVM is a bit more complex than rbenv, and while it's appropriate for

  • 0:26

    a development environment.

  • 0:27

    It's probably better to use rbenv in production.

  • 0:33

    So let's click on RVM's GitHub site here.

  • 0:38

    And then go down to the installation section.

  • 0:41

    And you'll see the command for installing it here, basically you just git clone

  • 0:46

    the repository into your home directory on your server.

  • 0:49

    So we're gonna copy that command and then go back to our terminal and

  • 0:52

    paste it there.

  • 0:58

    Next, we need to add rbenv to the list of paths that Linux searches when it's

  • 1:02

    looking for executables.

  • 1:04

    So I'm gonna copy the second command here, and again paste it into my terminal.

  • 1:10

    And what this does is it'll just cause your system to search the rbenv

  • 1:15

    directory for executables before it searches the rest of the directories.

  • 1:23

    Next, the install instructions advise us to run this command,

  • 1:27

    to get instructions on how to set up the rest of our environments.

  • 1:30

    We'll copy this, piece it into the terminal.

  • 1:34

    And it says to add this line here to our bash profile configuration file.

  • 1:41

    So I'm going to fire up the nano editor.

  • 1:46

    And edit the bash profile file.

  • 1:50

    Note that that starts with a dot here in our home directory.

  • 1:55

    And I'm going to paste that line here on a new line.

  • 2:02

    As usual I'll hit Ctrl+O to write out the file and Ctrl+X to exit.

  • 2:07

    Now, to load in these configuration changes,

  • 2:09

    I'm gonna need to restart the shell.

  • 2:11

    So I'm going to exit out of the system and log in again.

  • 2:18

    We can confirm the installation was successful by running the rbenv command.

  • 2:24

    The last recommendation here in the rbenv install instructions is,

  • 2:27

    to install the ruby-build plugin.

  • 2:31

    Rbenv has plugins which provide various functionality, and

  • 2:34

    the ruby-build plugin allows you to install new Ruby versions automatically.

  • 2:39

    The command you need to install it is right here at the top of the ruby-build

  • 2:42

    page.

  • 2:43

    So we're gonna copy that.

  • 2:46

    And switch to our terminal and paste it there.

  • 2:54

    Just like before,

  • 2:55

    it'll do a git clone into your home directory into the rbenv plugins folder.

  • 3:01

    And now let's try running it.

  • 3:02

    We do that with the rbenv command and we'll use the install sub command.

  • 3:08

    We're gonna install a specific version of Ruby with the -v flag.

  • 3:14

    We're gonna install version 2.3.0.

  • 3:18

    And they'll download and install that version for us automatically.

  • 3:22

    Again, this might take a little bit.

  • 3:26

    When it returns to the system prompt, your new Ruby version will be installed.

  • 3:31

    Now we're going to wanna set it up to use this new Ruby version

  • 3:33

    in every new shell that you open.

  • 3:35

    We can do that by running the rbenv command, the global sub command.

  • 3:42

    And we'll use the new version that we just installed.

  • 3:46

    Hit enter to run that.

  • 3:47

    And then we can verify our new Ruby version by typing the ruby command

  • 3:52

    along with the -v flag to check the version.

  • 3:55

    And there it is, Ruby version 2.3.0.

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