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Understanding Gem with prior knowledge of npm
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- Name
- hwahyeon
A Gem is a package (library) used in the Ruby ecosystem. It is similar to npm packages in the JavaScript/Node.js ecosystem, containing reusable code written in Ruby. Examples of popular Gems include Jekyll, Rails, and Devise.
| Category | Gem | npm |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Ruby | JavaScript/Node.js |
| Package Manager | RubyGems (gem command) | npm (npm command) |
| Dependency Tool | Bundler | npm |
| Dependency Files | Gemfile, Gemfile.lock | package.json, package-lock.json |
| Execution Command | bundle exec [command] | npx [command] |
| Global Install | gem install [package_name] | npm install -g [package_name] |
| Project Install | bundle install | npm install |
| Script Execution | bundle exec for Gems (e.g., Jekyll, Rails) | npm run [script_name] |
| Package Deployment | gem build [package_name].gemspec → gem push | npm publish |
| Package Structure | A RubyGem consists of Ruby code and a .gemspec file | An npm package consists of package.json and related files |
| Version Specification | Specify versions in the Gemfile (gem 'package_name', '~> 2.0') | Specify versions in package.json ("package_name": "^2.0.0") |
| Local Execution | Execute Gems with bundle exec | Use npx or run from the project's node_modules folder |