Supported Versions
DICE usually has one default version of ruby (as invoked by the ruby, gem, etc.), but on some platforms others will be / can be made available. Here's a summary of normally installed versions:
| Version | Command | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DICE Ubuntu Jammy (most desktops, most servers) | |||
| 3.0 | ruby | /usr/lib/ruby/ | Default version, base libraries plus gem |
| DICE Ubuntu Focal (some desktops, some servers) | |||
| 2.7 | ruby | /usr/lib/ruby/ | Default version, base libraries plus gem |
DICE-provided modules
Ruby has a straightforward and powerful mechanism allowing users to install their own modules through the gem system. We'd encourage users to use this wherever possible. For more complex setups we'd recommend the bundler system which enables full sets of library dependencies to be prepared.
However we understand not all modules can be built without assistance and we'll try to provide build dependencies where native compilation is needed.
We'd also ask that you get in touch if your libraries are required for teaching, or where it would be useful for them to be pre-distributed (for example if the build is particularly large or or time-consuming).
Installing modules yourself
In every case we'd recommend use of the gem command. Modern versions should know to install into your home directory using just:
$ gem install packagename
Though if you receive permissions errors attempting to write to system locations (i.e. anywhere not within your home directory), older versions of ruby might require:
$ gem install --user-install packagename
See gem help install for full details on this command.