RubyGems is a package manager for the Ruby programming language that provides a standard format for distributing Ruby programs and libraries (in a self-contained format called a "gem"), a tool designed to easily manage the installation of gems, and a server for distributing them. It was created by Chad Fowler, Jim Weirich, David Alan Black, Paul Brannan and Richard Kilmer during RubyConf 2004.[2]
The interface for RubyGems is a command-line tool called gem which can install and manage libraries (the gems).[3] RubyGems integrates with Ruby run-time loader to help find and load installed gems from standardized library folders. Though it is possible to use a private RubyGems repository, the public repository is most commonly used for gem management.
The public repository helps users find gems, resolve dependencies and install them. RubyGems is bundled with the standard Ruby package as of Ruby 1.9.[4]
Development on RubyGems started in November 2003 and was released to the public on March 14, 2004, or Pi Day 2004.[5] In 2010, the default public repository for gems moved from gems.rubyforge.org to rubygems.org, which is still in use. Also, RubyGems development was moved to GitHub in 2010. Though RubyGems has existed since Ruby 1.8, it was not a part of the standard Ruby distribution until Ruby 1.9.
Previously, compatibility with RubyGems and Ruby varied. Many versions of RubyGems are almost fully incompatible with many versions of Ruby and some versions had key features unusable. For example, Ruby 1.9 came with RubyGems 1.3.7 in its standard distribution, but RubyGems 1.4.x was not compatible with Ruby 1.9. This meant that updating RubyGems on Ruby 1.9 was not possible until RubyGems 1.5.0 was released in 2011, two years after the first stable release of Ruby 1.9.[6] These compatibility issues led to a rapid development of RubyGems, switching to a 4–6 week release schedule. This is reflected in there being 38 releases from 2004 to 2010 and 117 releases from 2011 to 2016. 45 versions were released in 2013, which is the highest number of releases in a year for RubyGems.[5]
Structure of a gemedit
Every gem contains a name, version and platform. Gems work only on ruby designed for a particular platform based on CPU architecture and operating-system type and version.[7]
Each gem consists of:
Code
Documentation
Gem specification (Gemspec)
The code organization follows the following structure for a gem called gem_name:
Rakefile is used by Rake to automate tests and to generate code.
README includes the documentation, RDOC, for most gems.
Gem specification (gemspec) contains information about the author of the gem, the time of creation and the purpose the gem serves.
Security concernsedit
Since gems run their own code in an application it may lead to various security issues due to installation of malicious gems. The creator of a malicious gem may be able to compromise the user's system or server.[8]
A number of methods have been developed to counter the security threat:
Cryptographic signing of gems since RubyGems version 0.8.11. The gem cert and gem install commands are used for this purpose.
New signing models such as X509 and OpenPGP have been proposed and are actively being discussed among Ruby experts.
rubygems, this, article, relies, excessively, references, primary, sources, please, improve, this, article, adding, secondary, tertiary, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2021, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, . This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources RubyGems news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gem software redirects here For the 1980s desktop see GEM desktop environment RubyGems is a package manager for the Ruby programming language that provides a standard format for distributing Ruby programs and libraries in a self contained format called a gem a tool designed to easily manage the installation of gems and a server for distributing them It was created by Chad Fowler Jim Weirich David Alan Black Paul Brannan and Richard Kilmer during RubyConf 2004 2 RubyGemsStable release3 4 22 1 9 November 2023 32 days ago 9 November 2023 Repositorygithub wbr com wbr rubygems wbr rubygemsWritten inRubyOperating systemCross platformTypePackage managerLicenseRuby LicenseWebsiterubygems wbr orgTotal gems173 000 Total downloads109 billionThe interface for RubyGems is a command line tool called gem which can install and manage libraries the gems 3 RubyGems integrates with Ruby run time loader to help find and load installed gems from standardized library folders Though it is possible to use a private RubyGems repository the public repository is most commonly used for gem management The public repository helps users find gems resolve dependencies and install them RubyGems is bundled with the standard Ruby package as of Ruby 1 9 4 Contents 1 History 2 Structure of a gem 3 Security concerns 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editDevelopment on RubyGems started in November 2003 and was released to the public on March 14 2004 or Pi Day 2004 5 In 2010 the default public repository for gems moved from gems rubyforge org to rubygems org which is still in use Also RubyGems development was moved to GitHub in 2010 Though RubyGems has existed since Ruby 1 8 it was not a part of the standard Ruby distribution until Ruby 1 9 Previously compatibility with RubyGems and Ruby varied Many versions of RubyGems are almost fully incompatible with many versions of Ruby and some versions had key features unusable For example Ruby 1 9 came with RubyGems 1 3 7 in its standard distribution but RubyGems 1 4 x was not compatible with Ruby 1 9 This meant that updating RubyGems on Ruby 1 9 was not possible until RubyGems 1 5 0 was released in 2011 two years after the first stable release of Ruby 1 9 6 These compatibility issues led to a rapid development of RubyGems switching to a 4 6 week release schedule This is reflected in there being 38 releases from 2004 to 2010 and 117 releases from 2011 to 2016 45 versions were released in 2013 which is the highest number of releases in a year for RubyGems 5 Structure of a gem editEvery gem contains a name version and platform Gems work only on ruby designed for a particular platform based on CPU architecture and operating system type and version 7 Each gem consists of Code Documentation Gem specification Gemspec The code organization follows the following structure for a gem called gem name gem name bin gem name lib gem name rb test test gem name rb README Rakefile gem name gemspec The lib directory contains the code for the gem The test or spec directory is used for testing Rakefile is used by Rake to automate tests and to generate code README includes the documentation RDOC for most gems Gem specification gemspec contains information about the author of the gem the time of creation and the purpose the gem serves Security concerns editSince gems run their own code in an application it may lead to various security issues due to installation of malicious gems The creator of a malicious gem may be able to compromise the user s system or server 8 A number of methods have been developed to counter the security threat Cryptographic signing of gems since RubyGems version 0 8 11 The gem cert and gem install commands are used for this purpose New signing models such as X509 and OpenPGP have been proposed and are actively being discussed among Ruby experts See also edit nbsp Free and open source software portalRuby Version Manager Package manager Pip package manager Npm software LuaRocksReferences edit Release 3 4 22 9 November 2023 Retrieved 19 November 2023 174 Rubygems with Eric Hodel Archived from the original on 2021 07 31 Retrieved 2018 05 09 RubyGems Command Reference guides rubygems org Retrieved 2016 09 18 Ruby 1 9 1 changelog Archived from the original on 2022 01 17 a b Version history of RubyGems GitHub Retrieved 2016 09 18 Ruby 1 9 1 released www ruby lang org Retrieved 2016 09 18 What is a gem RubyGems org guides rubygems org Retrieved 2016 09 18 Security RubyGems Guides guides rubygems org Retrieved 2016 09 23 External links editOfficial website Linux Journal article Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RubyGems amp oldid 1187348968, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
