How To Downgrade Ruby Version

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Ruby is an extremely popular programming language, and over time, new versions with different features and improvements are released. However, sometimes you may find yourself needing to downgrade Ruby on your system due to compatibility issues or other reasons. In this blog post, we will walk you through the steps to downgrade your Ruby version.

Note: This guide assumes you have Ruby installed on your system. If not, please follow the instructions on the official Ruby website to install Ruby first.

Using RVM (Ruby Version Manager)

One of the most convenient ways to manage different Ruby versions on your system is by using RVM. RVM is a command-line tool that allows you to install, manage, and work with multiple Ruby environments.

1. Install RVM

If you don’t have RVM installed on your system, follow these steps to install it:

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Enter the following command:
    curl -sSL https://get.rvm.io | bash -s stable

This command will download and install the latest stable version of RVM.

2. Install the Desired Ruby Version

Now that you have RVM installed, you can install the Ruby version you want to downgrade to. For example, if you want to downgrade to Ruby 2.6.3, run the following command:

    rvm install 2.6.3

RVM will download, compile, and install the specified Ruby version on your system.

3. Set the Default Ruby Version

Once the desired Ruby version is installed, you need to set it as the default version for your system. To do this, run the following command, replacing 2.6.3 with the version number you installed:

    rvm use 2.6.3 --default

Now, when you run ruby -v, you should see the downgraded Ruby version as the default version.

Using rbenv (Ruby Environment)

rbenv is another popular tool for managing Ruby versions. It’s a lightweight alternative to RVM, and it’s particularly useful if you prefer a more manual approach to managing your Ruby environments.

1. Install rbenv

If you don’t have rbenv installed on your system, follow these steps to install it:

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Enter the following command (for macOS and Linux users):
    git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv
  1. Add rbenv to your system’s PATH by adding the following line to your shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or ~/.bash_profile):
    export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"
  1. Run the following command to initialize rbenv:
    eval "$(rbenv init -)"

2. Install ruby-build

ruby-build is a plugin for rbenv that simplifies the process of installing Ruby versions. To install it, run the following command:

    git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git "$(rbenv root)"/plugins/ruby-build

3. Install the Desired Ruby Version

Now that you have rbenv and ruby-build installed, you can install the Ruby version you want to downgrade to. For example, if you want to downgrade to Ruby 2.6.3, run the following command:

    rbenv install 2.6.3

rbenv will download, compile, and install the specified Ruby version on your system.

4. Set the Default Ruby Version

Once the desired Ruby version is installed, you need to set it as the default version for your system. To do this, run the following command, replacing 2.6.3 with the version number you installed:

    rbenv global 2.6.3

Now, when you run ruby -v, you should see the downgraded Ruby version as the default version.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we’ve covered how to downgrade your Ruby version using RVM and rbenv. Both tools provide a convenient way to manage multiple Ruby environments on your system. Choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences, and you’ll be able to easily switch between different Ruby versions as needed.