In this section, we will guide you through the process of setting up your development environment for Ruby programming. This includes installing Ruby, setting up a code editor, and verifying the installation.

1. Download Ruby Installer:

   • Visit the RubyInstaller website.
   • Download the latest version of the Ruby+Devkit installer.

2. Run the Installer:

   • Double-click the downloaded installer.
   • Follow the prompts to install Ruby. Ensure you check the option to add Ruby to your PATH.

3. Verify Installation:

   • Open Command Prompt.
   • Type ruby -v and press Enter. You should see the Ruby version number.

1. Using Homebrew:

   • Open Terminal.
   • Install Homebrew if you haven't already by running:

     /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
     

   • Install Ruby using Homebrew:

     brew install ruby
     

2. Verify Installation:

   • In Terminal, type ruby -v and press Enter. You should see the Ruby version number.

1. Using a Package Manager:

   • Open Terminal.
   • For Debian-based systems (e.g., Ubuntu), run:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt install ruby-full
     

   • For Red Hat-based systems (e.g., Fedora), run:

     sudo dnf install ruby
     

2. Verify Installation:

   • In Terminal, type ruby -v and press Enter. You should see the Ruby version number.

Choosing a good code editor can significantly enhance your coding experience. Here are some popular options:

1. Download and Install:

   • Visit the VS Code website.
   • Download and install the appropriate version for your operating system.

2. Install Ruby Extension:

   • Open VS Code.
   • Go to the Extensions view by clicking the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window.
   • Search for "Ruby" and install the Ruby extension by Peng Lv.

1. Download and Install:

   • Visit the Sublime Text website.
   • Download and install the appropriate version for your operating system.

2. Install Ruby Package:

   • Open Sublime Text.
   • Install Package Control by following the instructions on the Package Control website.
   • Use Package Control to install the "Ruby" package.

1. Download and Install:

   • Visit the Atom website.
   • Download and install the appropriate version for your operating system.

2. Install Ruby Package:

   • Open Atom.
   • Go to File > Settings > Install.
   • Search for "language-ruby" and install it.

To ensure everything is set up correctly, let's create a simple Ruby program and run it.

1. Create a New File:

   • Open your code editor.
   • Create a new file and save it as hello.rb.

2. Write a Simple Program:

   • Add the following code to hello.rb:

     puts "Hello, Ruby!"
     

3. Run the Program:

   • Open your terminal or command prompt.
   • Navigate to the directory where hello.rb is saved.
   • Run the program by typing:

     ruby hello.rb
     

   • You should see the output:

     Hello, Ruby!
     

Congratulations! You have successfully set up your Ruby development environment. You installed Ruby, set up a code editor, and ran your first Ruby program. In the next section, we will dive into writing your first Ruby program in more detail.