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IRB(1) UNIX IRB(1)

NAME

irb - Interactive Ruby Shell

SYNOPSIS

irb [--version] [-dfm] [-I directory] [-r library] [--[no]inspect] [--[no]readline] [--prompt mode] [--prompt-mode mode] [--inf-ruby-mode] [--simple-prompt] [--noprompt] [--tracer] [--back-trace-limit n] [--irb_debug n] [--] [program_file] [argument ...]

DESCRIPTION

irb is the REPL(read-eval-print loop) environment for Ruby programs.

OPTIONS

Prints the version of .

Same as `ruby -E' . Specifies the default value(s) for external encodings and internal encoding. Values should be separated with colon (:).

You can omit the one for internal encodings, then the value ("Encoding.default_internal") will be nil.

Same as `ruby -I' . Specifies $LOAD_PATH directory

Same as `ruby -U' . Sets the default value for internal encodings ("Encoding.default_internal") to UTF-8.

Same as `ruby -d' . Sets $DEBUG to true.

Suppresses read of ~/.irbrc.

Prints a summary of the options.

Same as `ruby -r'. Causes irb to load the library using require.

Uses `inspect' for output (default except for bc mode)

Doesn't use inspect for output

Uses Readline extension module.

Doesn't use Readline extension module.

Switch prompt mode. Pre-defined prompt modes are `default', `simple', `xmp' and `inf-ruby'.

Uses prompt appropriate for inf-ruby-mode on emacs. Suppresses --readline.

Makes prompts simple.

No prompt mode.

Displays trace for each execution of commands.

Displays backtrace top n and tail n. The default value is 16.

Sets internal debug level to n (not for popular use)

ENVIRONMENT

Also irb depends on same variables as ruby(1).

FILES

~/.irbrc
Personal irb initialization.

EXAMPLES

  % irb
  irb(main):001:0> 1 + 1
  2
  irb(main):002:0> def t(x)
  irb(main):003:1> x+1
  irb(main):004:1> end
  => :t
  irb(main):005:0> t(3)
  => 4
  irb(main):006:0> if t(3) == 4
  irb(main):007:1> p :ok
  irb(main):008:1> end
  :ok
  => :ok
  irb(main):009:0> quit
  %

SEE ALSO

ruby(1).

REPORTING BUGS

  • Security vulnerabilities should be reported via an email to Mt security@ruby-lang.org. Reported problems will be published after being fixed.

  • Other bugs and feature requests can be reported via the Ruby Issue Tracking System (https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/). Do not report security vulnerabilities via this system because it publishes the vulnerabilities immediately.

AUTHORS

Written by Keiju ISHITSUKA.

Ruby Programmer's Reference Guide November 15, 2012