Difference between rvm default and global gemset

Question

I was on the default gemset on rvm. I then did a bundle install, and it did not install any gems since all of them had been installed.

I then switched to the global gemset; did a bundle install, and it started installing gems.

List of gemsets are:

root@dev:/home/karan/realestate# rvm gemset list

gemsets for ruby-2.0.0-p195 (found in /usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p195)
   (default)
=> global

I thought that the global and the default had the same gemset folder.

It can, but only when the default is the global gemset. The purpose of the global gemset is to have a set of gems installed for all gemsets. Default can be set to anything. Including global. — vgoff

mpapis mpapis · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-13T16:27:20

Global is documented at rvm site - http://rvm.io/gemsets/global :

Gems you install to the @global gemset for a given ruby are available to all other gemsets you create in association with that ruby.

This is a good way to allow all of your projects to share the same installed gem for a specific ruby interpreter installation.

As for default it is just the gemset when you do not specify a gemset name, this is why it is listed in brackets in rvm gemset list:

gemsets for ruby-2.0.0-p247 (found in /home/mpapis/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p247)
   (default)
   global
=> rvm-site

Where for both (default) and rvm-site all gems from global will be available.

You can select the default gemset by skipping the gemset name:

rvm use 2.0.0

or to switch to default of the current ruby - in case other was used:

rvm use @default

To access any gemset temporarily you can use:

rvm @global do gem install jist

This is especially useful for managing gems installed in global gemset - so those that will be available in all other gemsets of that ruby.

Difference between rvm default and global gemset

1 Answers