rbenvshims

rbenvshims is a mechanism used by the rbenv Ruby version management tool to manage different Ruby versions. When rbenv is installed, it creates a directory of "shims," which are small executable files. These shims are placed in a directory that is at the beginning of your system's PATH environment variable.

When you run a Ruby command, such as ruby, gem, or bundle, your shell actually executes the corresponding shim file. The shim file then consults rbenv to determine which Ruby version is currently active for your project or globally. After identifying the correct Ruby executable, the shim invokes that specific Ruby version to run your command. This process allows rbenv to switch between different Ruby installations seamlessly without requiring manual modification of your PATH for each project.

The shims are automatically generated and updated by rbenv whenever you install or uninstall Ruby versions, or when you change the global or local Ruby version settings. This ensures that the correct Ruby interpreter is always invoked, providing a consistent development environment across different projects and Ruby versions. The shims act as a transparent layer, intercepting commands and routing them to the appropriate Ruby installation.