What alternatives to IRB are there?

ruby irb
Derek Thurn picture Derek Thurn · Oct 7, 2010 · Viewed 8.6k times · Source

In the python world, there are a number of alternative python interpreters that add cool additional features. One particularly useful example is bpython, which adds dynamic syntax highlighting, automatically pulls documentation, and displays live autocomplete information. In the Ruby world, I have yet to uncover any projects which add to the basic IRB interpreter even a subset of these features. Am I just not looking hard enough, or is this just something the Ruby community is lacking?

Answer

horseyguy picture horseyguy · Apr 28, 2011

Use Pry: https://github.com/pry/pry

Let's you:

  • start sessions at runtime
  • view method source code
  • view method documentation (not using RI so you dont have to pre-generate it)
  • pop in and out of different contexts
  • syntax highlighting
  • gist integration
  • view and replay history
  • open editors to edit method using edit-method obj.my_method syntax

A tonne more great and original features

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