Installing Ruby on Rails with RVM (Ruby Version Manager) on Ubuntu 24 is the go-to approach for developers who need flexible Ruby version management and streamlined Rails development environments. This combination gives you fine-grained control over Ruby versions per project, eliminates system-wide Ruby conflicts, and provides a rock-solid foundation for Rails applications. We’ll walk through the complete installation process, tackle common roadblocks, and show you how to optimize your setup for real-world development scenarios.

Why RVM Makes Sense for Rails Development

RVM stands out from other Ruby version managers because it handles gemsets alongside Ruby versions, creating isolated environments for different projects. Unlike rbenv or asdf, RVM gives you complete sandboxing without additional plugins or configuration gymnastics.

Feature	RVM	rbenv	asdf
Gemset Management	Built-in	Plugin required	Not available
Shell Integration	Full shell override	Shim-based	Shim-based
Installation Complexity	Medium	Low	Medium
Multi-language Support	Ruby only	Ruby only	Multiple languages

Prerequisites and System Preparation

Before diving into RVM installation, Ubuntu 24 needs several development packages. These dependencies ensure smooth Ruby compilation and Rails functionality.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl gpg build-essential libssl-dev libreadline-dev zlib1g-dev libyaml-dev libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev software-properties-common libffi-dev nodejs yarn postgresql postgresql-contrib libpq-dev imagemagick libvips42

The nodejs and yarn packages handle JavaScript compilation for Rails asset pipeline, while postgresql and imagemagick support common Rails application requirements.

Installing RVM and Ruby

RVM installation involves importing GPG keys and running the installation script. This approach ensures cryptographic verification of the RVM codebase.

# Import RVM GPG keys
gpg --recv-keys 409B6B1796C275462A1703113804BB82D39DC0E3 7D2BAF1CF37B13E2069D6956105BD0E739499BDB

# Download and install RVM
curl -sSL https://get.rvm.io | bash -s stable

After installation, reload your shell configuration to activate RVM:

source ~/.rvm/scripts/rvm

Verify RVM installation and check available Ruby versions:

rvm --version
rvm list known

Install the latest stable Ruby version (3.2.0 as of this writing):

rvm install 3.2.0
rvm use 3.2.0 --default

The compilation process takes 5-15 minutes depending on your server specifications. For faster installations on VPS environments, consider using pre-compiled Ruby binaries:

rvm install 3.2.0 --binary

Installing Rails and Creating Your First Application

With Ruby installed, install Rails using the gem command. Skip documentation generation for faster installation:

gem install rails --no-document

Create a new Rails application to test your setup:

rails new testapp --database=postgresql
cd testapp
bundle install

The bundle install command installs all gems specified in the Gemfile. This process downloads and compiles native extensions, which benefits from multiple CPU cores available on dedicated server configurations.

Managing Multiple Ruby Versions and Gemsets

RVM’s killer feature is managing multiple Ruby versions with isolated gemsets. Create project-specific environments:

# Create and use a new gemset
rvm gemset create myproject
rvm use 3.2.0@myproject

# Install project-specific gems
gem install rails -v 7.0.4
gem install sidekiq redis

Use .rvmrc files for automatic environment switching:

# In your project directory
echo "rvm use 3.2.0@myproject" > .rvmrc
cd .. && cd myproject  # Triggers automatic gemset switching

Performance Optimization and Best Practices

Several configurations improve Rails development performance on Ubuntu 24:

• Enable gemset caching to reduce bundle install times
• Configure Ruby garbage collection for development workloads
• Use precompiled gems when available
• Set up shared gemsets for common development gems

Configure Ruby memory settings for better performance:

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS=1000000
export RUBY_GC_HEAP_FREE_SLOTS=500000
export RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR=1.1

Create a shared gemset for development tools:

rvm gemset create global
rvm @global do gem install bundler rubocop pry byebug

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Several issues commonly surface during RVM and Rails installation on Ubuntu 24:

RVM Command Not Found: This happens when shell configuration doesn’t load RVM scripts. Add this line to your ~/.bashrc:

export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.rvm/bin"
[[ -s "$HOME/.rvm/scripts/rvm" ]] && source "$HOME/.rvm/scripts/rvm"

Ruby Compilation Failures: Missing development headers cause compilation errors. Install the complete build environment:

sudo apt install -y autoconf bison build-essential libssl-dev libyaml-dev libreadline6-dev zlib1g-dev libncurses5-dev libffi-dev libgdbm6 libgdbm-dev libdb-dev

Permission Errors: Never use sudo with RVM commands. RVM installs in user space intentionally. If you encounter permission issues:

rvm fix-permissions
rvm repair all

Gemset Loading Issues: Gemsets sometimes fail to load automatically. Force reload with:

rvm reload
rvm gemset list

Real-World Development Scenarios

Here are practical examples of RVM usage in development teams:

Legacy Application Maintenance: Maintain multiple Rails versions simultaneously:

# Legacy app on Rails 5.2
rvm install 2.7.6
rvm use 2.7.6@legacy_app
gem install rails -v 5.2.8

# Modern app on Rails 7
rvm use 3.2.0@modern_app
gem install rails -v 7.0.4

Client Project Isolation: Separate client environments completely:

rvm gemset create client_a
rvm gemset create client_b
rvm use 3.2.0@client_a --create
# Install client A specific gems and versions

Testing Different Ruby Versions: Test application compatibility across Ruby versions:

#!/bin/bash
for version in 3.0.5 3.1.3 3.2.0; do
  rvm use $version
  bundle exec rspec
  echo "Tests completed for Ruby $version"
done

Integration with Development Tools

RVM integrates seamlessly with popular development tools and editors. Configure your IDE to recognize RVM Ruby paths:

# Find current Ruby path for IDE configuration
which ruby
# Returns: /home/username/.rvm/rubies/ruby-3.2.0/bin/ruby

For VS Code users, add this configuration to settings.json:

{
  "ruby.interpreter.commandPath": "/home/username/.rvm/rubies/ruby-3.2.0/bin/ruby",
  "ruby.format": "rubocop"
}

Automate environment setup with shell scripts:

#!/bin/bash
# setup_rails_project.sh
rvm use 3.2.0@$1 --create
gem install bundler rails
rails new $1 --database=postgresql
cd $1
echo "rvm use 3.2.0@$1" > .rvmrc

Security Considerations and Updates

Keep RVM and Ruby versions updated for security patches:

# Update RVM itself
rvm get stable

# List installed Ruby versions
rvm list

# Update to latest patch version
rvm install 3.2.1
rvm use 3.2.1 --default

Monitor Ruby security advisories through the official Ruby security announcements at ruby-lang.org/en/security/.

Remove old Ruby versions to save disk space:

rvm remove 3.1.0
rvm cleanup all

This setup provides a robust, flexible Rails development environment on Ubuntu 24. RVM’s gemset isolation prevents dependency conflicts while maintaining easy version switching for multiple projects. Regular maintenance and updates ensure your development environment stays secure and performant for long-term Rails development work.

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