RubyGem

RubyGems is the package manager for the Ruby programming language. It provides a standard format for distributing Ruby programs and libraries as "gems" and a command-line tool to install, update, and manage those gems. The system is designed to simplify the sharing of code and the management of dependencies across Ruby projects.

Gems are packaged units that contain Ruby code and metadata defined in a gemspec file. This metadata includes the gem’s name, version, authors, description, license, and a list of runtime and development dependencies. RubyGems relies on a central repository, typically rubygems.org, where developers publish new gems and others can discover and install them. Gems can be built locally and then pushed to the repository for distribution.

The primary interface for RubyGems is the gem command-line tool. Common operations include gem install to install a gem, gem update to upgrade installed gems, gem uninstall to remove them, and gem search or gem list to find available gems. RubyGems also supports versioning and dependency resolution, ensuring that a gem and its required libraries are compatible with a given Ruby environment.

Bundler is commonly used alongside RubyGems to manage project-specific dependencies. Bundler uses a Gemfile to declare required gems and their versions, and it coordinates installation via RubyGems. Overall, RubyGems remains a central component of the Ruby ecosystem, promoting reuse and standardized distribution of Ruby software.