How to install Ruby Gems

This article describes how to install Ruby gems on your account.

Installing Ruby gems

You can install gems using the gem command-line program. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your account using SSH.
2. To make sure you are in your home directory, type the following command at the command line:

   cd ~

3. Use your preferred text editor to edit the .bash_profile file in your home directory. The .bash_profile file should contain the following configuration:
   

   # .bash_profile
   
   # Get the aliases and functions
   if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
   . ~/.bashrc
   fi
   
   # Set paths for Ruby gems:
   PATH=$HOME/ruby/gems/bin:$PATH
   GEM_HOME=$HOME/ruby
   GEM_PATH=$HOME/ruby/gems:/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8
   export PATH GEM_HOME GEM_PATH
   
   # END

4. Save your changes to the .bash_profile file.

5. To make the settings in the .bash_profile file take effect immediately, type the following command:
   

   source ~/.bash_profile

6. To create a directory for your local gems, type the following command:
   

   mkdir -p ~/ruby/gems

7. Use your preferred text editor to create a .gemrc file in your home directory. The .gemrc file sets the GEM_PATH and GEM_HOME variables that are used by the gem program. The gemhome value is set to the full path where the gems will be installed (this is the directory that you created in step 6). The gempath values are set to the gemhome directory, as well as to the system-wide base gems directory. The following text shows an example .gemrc file. Replace username with your own A2 Hosting account username:
   

   gemhome: /home/username/ruby/gems
   gempath:
   - /home/username/ruby/gems
   - /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8
   

8. To verify that the gem environment has been updated, type the following command:
   

   gem environment

   The output should display GEM PATHS with the values that you set in the .gemrc file.

9. To install a gem, type the following command. Replace gemname with the name of the gem that you want to install:
   

   gem install gemname

   For example, to install the sass gem, type gem install sass.

   To uninstall a gem, type the following command:
   

   gem uninstall gemname