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Installing Ruby and Creating a Development Environment in Windows 10

Meta description (155 characters): Learn step by step how to set up a stable Ruby development environment with RVM using WSL and Bash on Windows 10.

🧠 What Will You Learn in This Guide?​

This guide guides you step by step to set up the Ruby development environment on your Windows 10 operating system. We will enable WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and the Bash shell, which allows you to run Linux command line tools locally. Then, we will install the latest version of Ruby with RVM (Ruby Version Manager) and run a simple test program.

1️⃣ WSL and Bash Installation​

Since most Ruby libraries are developed for Linux, we will create the most compatible environment on Windows with WSL.

1.1 Turn on Developer Mode​

  1. Go to Settings → Update & Security → For Developers tab.
  2. Check the Developer Mode option and confirm.

1.2 Enable WSL Feature​

  1. Go to Control Panel → Programs → Turn Windows Features On or Off.
  2. Check the “Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta)” box.
  3. Click OK and restart your computer when the installation is complete.

1.3 Install Bash​

After the computer restarts, open Command Prompt and type:

bash

This command starts the installation of Bash from Microsoft Store.

Once the installation is complete, you will be asked to enter a UNIX username and password. Characters do not appear when typing a password — this is a normal security precaution.

When the installation is finished, the terminal looks like this:

kadir@tr1-node01:/mnt/c/Users/Kadir$

💡 Note: Your C: drive is located under the /mnt/c directory in Bash. You can access your files through this folder with Windows applications.

2️⃣ RVM (Ruby Version Manager) and Ruby Installation​

RVM lets you easily install and manage Ruby versions. It is the fastest and safest Ruby installation method in Ubuntu-based Bash.

2.1 Add GPG Keys​

Import the GPG key to verify the security of RVM:

gpg --keyserver hkp://keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys 409B6B1796C275462A1703113804BB82D39DC0E3 7D2BAF1CF37B13E2069D6956105BD0E739499BDB

2.2 Install Required Dependencies​

sudo apt-get install gnupg2

This command installs the “gnupg2” package that RVM needs for verification.

Download 2.3 RVM Installation File​

\curl -sSL https://get.rvm.io -o rvm.sh

This command downloads the latest installation script of RVM.

2.4 Install Ruby​

cat rvm.sh | bash -s stable
source ~/.rvm/scripts/rvm
rvm install ruby --default

These commands install RVM, download Ruby and set it as the default version.

To verify Ruby version:

ruby -v

If the command is not recognized, start Bash as “login shell”:

bash -l

3️⃣ Test Ruby Installation (“Hello World”)​

Create a simple Ruby program to make sure the installation works correctly.

Create new file:

nano merhaba.rb

Write the following line inside:

puts "Merhaba, Dünya!"

Save (CTRL+X, then Y and ENTER). Run the program:

ruby merhaba.rb

Output:

Merhaba, Dünya!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)​

1. Why should I use WSL?

Since most Ruby libraries are written for Linux, WSL eliminates compatibility issues.

2. What is RVM?

RVM (Ruby Version Manager) allows you to easily install and switch between different Ruby versions.

3. Why don't characters appear when typing a password in Bash?

This is a security measure. The characters you enter are saved but not displayed on the screen.

4. How do I access Windows files from Bash?

Your C: drive is under the /mnt/c directory in Bash. You can safely work in this folder.

5. What can I do after Ruby is installed?

Now you can start developing web applications, automation scripts or games.

🎯 Result​

You now have a full-fledged Ruby development environment on Windows 10. Thanks to WSL, you can use Linux tools natively on Windows.

💡 You can start trying your Ruby projects on the GenixNode platform now!