**Course Title:** Ruby Programming: From Basics to Advanced Techniques **Section Title:** Introduction to Ruby and Setup **Topic:** Setting up a development environment (RubyInstaller, RVM, or rbenv) In the previous topic, we introduced you to the world of Ruby programming, exploring its history and key features. Now, it's time to dive into the practical aspect of setting up a development environment that will enable you to write and execute Ruby programs. In this topic, we'll cover three popular tools for setting up a Ruby development environment: RubyInstaller, RVM (Ruby Version Manager), and rbenv. **Why Do We Need a Development Environment?** A development environment is a set of tools and configurations that allow you to write, run, and test your code. In the case of Ruby, a development environment typically includes: * Ruby interpreter (the engine that runs your Ruby code) * Gem manager (a package manager that allows you to install and manage libraries) * Code editor or IDE (a tool for writing and editing your code) **Option 1: RubyInstaller (Windows)** If you're on a Windows machine, RubyInstaller is the recommended way to install Ruby and set up a development environment. Here's how to do it: 1. Visit the RubyInstaller website ([https://rubyinstaller.org/downloads](https://rubyinstaller.org/downloads)) and download the latest version of RubyInstaller. 2. Run the installer and follow the prompts to install Ruby. 3. Once the installation is complete, open a command prompt or PowerShell window and type `ruby -v` to verify that Ruby is installed correctly. **Option 2: RVM (Ruby Version Manager)** RVM is a popular tool for managing multiple versions of Ruby on your system. Here's how to install RVM and set up a development environment: 1. Visit the RVM website ([https://rvm.io/rvm/install](https://rvm.io/rvm/install)) and follow the instructions to install RVM. 2. Once RVM is installed, open a terminal window and type `rvm install ruby-3.1.2` (replace `3.1.2` with the latest version of Ruby you want to install). 3. Once the installation is complete, type `rvm use ruby-3.1.2` to set the default Ruby version. 4. Verify that Ruby is installed correctly by typing `ruby -v`. **Option 3: rbenv** rbenv is another popular tool for managing multiple versions of Ruby. Here's how to install rbenv and set up a development environment: 1. Visit the rbenv website ([https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv#installation](https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv#installation)) and follow the instructions to install rbenv. 2. Once rbenv is installed, open a terminal window and type `rbenv install 3.1.2` (replace `3.1.2` with the latest version of Ruby you want to install). 3. Once the installation is complete, type `rbenv global 3.1.2` to set the default Ruby version. 4. Verify that Ruby is installed correctly by typing `ruby -v`. **Configuring Your Code Editor or IDE** Once you have Ruby installed, you'll need to configure your code editor or IDE to work with Ruby. Here are some popular choices: * Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the Ruby extension (install from the VS Code marketplace) * Atom with the ruby-debug-ide extension (install from the Atom marketplace) * IntelliJ IDEA with the Ruby plugin (install from the JetBrains marketplace) **Practical Takeaways** * Choose a development environment that works for you: RubyInstaller (Windows), RVM, or rbenv. * Install the latest version of Ruby and verify that it's working correctly. * Configure your code editor or IDE to work with Ruby. * Practice writing and running Ruby code to get comfortable with your development environment. **What's Next?** In the next topic, we'll cover the basics of Ruby syntax, including variables, data types, and operators. You'll learn how to write and execute your first Ruby program. **Comments and Questions?** If you have any questions or comments about setting up a Ruby development environment, feel free to leave a comment below.