Let's learn Gems Today, Ruby has some amazing bunch of gems that make coding entertaining and a little less formal.
These gems can add fun elements to your projects or simply spice up your terminal experience.
Gems that'll add fun to your projects
These gems add a lighthearted touch to coding while helping you learn new tricks along the way.
Let’s find out couple of most exciting ones.
lolcat
Have you ever wanted to make your terminal output colorful and vibrant? lolcat is here to save the day! This gem adds rainbow gradients to your text output, making even the most mundane log messages lively. It's often used just for laughs, but it can also help in identifying specific output patterns visually.
To install:
bash
gem install lolcat
Learn more on its GitHub page.
catpix
If you think the terminal is just for plain text, think again! catpix allows you to display images directly in your terminal. It's not only fun but also a great way to experiment with visual data representation in a simple environment.
To install:
bash
gem install catpix
Check out more details here.
whirly
Bring animations to your terminal with whirly. This gem provides fun and customizable animated spinners. While it’s typically used for showing progress during long-running tasks, its creative animations can bring a touch of humor to your debugging sessions.
To install:
bash
gem install whirly
Visit its GitHub page for more.
dinosaur
This gem does exactly what it sounds like: generates random dinosaur names! It’s great for practice when you’re experimenting with randomization or need some placeholders.
To install:
bash
gem install dinosaur
Learn more about it here.
Couple of important Ruby Gems for developer
Here are some essential gems that not only add functionality but also teach you valuable skills while using them:
Devise
Devise is a robust authentication solution for Rails applications. It simplifies creating login systems, user registration, password resets, and more. Even as a beginner, implementing Devise will teach you how Rails handles authentication workflows.
To install:
bash
gem install devise
Learn about it on its GitHub page.
Faker
If you’ve ever needed sample data for testing, Faker is your go-to gem. It can generate fake names, emails, addresses, and even quirky data like Star Wars quotes! Working with Faker helps you understand the importance of data seeding during development.
To install:
bash
gem install faker
Visit its repository for more.
Pry
A must-have for debugging, Pry offers an interactive REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) that’s far more powerful than the default IRB. It allows you to pause your code, inspect variables, and step through execution to figure out issues in real time.
To install:
bash
gem install pry
Learn more on the Pry website.
SimpleCov
Testing is an essential part of development, and SimpleCov ensures your code has adequate test coverage. It shows which parts of your code are tested and which aren’t, helping you write more robust programs.
To install:
bash
gem install simplecov
Learn about it here.
Rubocop
Want to write clean and consistent code? Rubocop enforces Ruby style guidelines in your codebase, helping you adopt best practices from the start. It’s a great learning tool for beginners trying to follow community standards.
To install:
bash
gem install rubocop
Read more on its official page.
The fun gems can lighten your learning journey, while the essential gems teach you best practices and professional workflows.
Let me know the feedback in comments below, Thanks.
