Ri Command
The ri command is a powerful tool for accessing Ruby
documentation directly from your terminal. It allows developers to
quickly look up information about Ruby classes, modules, and methods
without leaving their command-line environment. This makes it an
indispensable utility for efficient Ruby development.
Explore Ruby Documentation with Ri
ri provides a convenient way to search and display
documentation for your installed Ruby gems and standard library.
It's designed to be fast and easy to use, helping you understand how
to use different parts of the Ruby language and its ecosystem.
Key Ri Command Usages
Here are some common ways to use the ri command:
# ri displays information about Ruby classes, modules, and methods
# show help for the File class
ri File
# show help for the File class on the stdout stream
# do not start a pager for it
ri --no-pager File
# show help for the File.directory? method
ri File.directory?
# start an interactive Ruby documentation repl
ri -i
# Generate the missing ri docs for all your installed gems
gem rdoc --all --ri --no-rdoc
Benefits of Using Ri
By integrating documentation lookup into your workflow,
ri helps you:
- Save time by avoiding context switching to web browsers.
- Quickly find method signatures and parameter details.
- Understand the functionality of built-in Ruby classes and methods.
- Explore the documentation of third-party gems you have installed.
Further Documentation and Resources
For more in-depth information on Ruby's documentation system and related tools, you can refer to the following resources: