Installation

Why RubyEnv?

RubyEnv was built to take the friction out of setting up and managing Ruby development environments on macOS. If you've ever spent hours wrestling with asdf, rbenv, or mismatched project dependencies, you're not alone.

RubyEnv brings together everything you need to work on Ruby and Rails apps — all in one macOS-native interface. It’s designed for speed, clarity, and developer happiness.

Common problems RubyEnv solves:

• Version Confusion: Quickly switch Ruby versions per project with no terminal config needed.
• Gem Sprawl: See all gems for a project and track outdated ones without running commands.
• Project Setup: Easily create or import Rails apps with automatic `.test` domain routing and environment isolation.
• Tool Fragmentation: No more bouncing between terminal tabs, local email viewers, Postico, and shell scripts.

Built for the Mac, Built for Ruby

RubyEnv is macOS-first and Rails-aware. From native notifications to Caddy-powered local HTTPS, every part of the experience is tailored to how real developers work day to day.

Requirements

RubyEnv requires macOS 14.0 or later.

Installation

To install RubyEnv, download the latest release from our Download page and run the installer. The installer will guide you through the setup process, including configuring your shell environment.

After downloading the DMG file, double-click the file to open it and drag the RubyEnv icon to the Applications folder.

Once RubyEnv is installed you can launch it from your launchpad or applications folder. The first time you run RubyEnv, it will prompt you to set up your environment. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

The onboarding process will guide you through the following steps:

• Setting up your default Ruby version
• Configuring your shell environment
• Creating your first Ruby project
• Installing essential gems

Once the setup is complete, you'll have a fully functional Ruby development environment ready to use. You can start creating new Ruby projects, managing your gems, and exploring the features of RubyEnv. You'll also be able to access the command line for advanced tasks.

ruby --version

gem install rails

rails -v

node --version

If you decide RubyEnv isn't for you and want to uninstall it, you can do so by dragging the RubyEnv application from your Applications folder to the Trash. This will remove the application. Then you can remove the ~/.rubyenv directory and any related configuration files from your home directory.

Since RubyEnv is designed to be a self-contained application, it does not modify your system Ruby installation or other development tools. Uninstalling RubyEnv will not affect any existing Ruby projects or gems you have installed outside of RubyEnv.

Users from a different setups or beginners can go to the next chapter and learn how to manage your Runtime Environments with RubyEnv.