I love using Ruby, but one problem I have always had is distributing my programs made with it.

I would love to be able to distribute a version of Ruby in an AppImage; I want to make programs for the Steam Deck, and for most users this requires programs to be locally installed only. AppImages are perfect for this.

I managed to make an AppImage running an ancient version of Ruby from the PortableRuby project, but I would like to be able to use modern Ruby. Are there any tips/tricks I should know to compile a portable version?

  • V H
    2•1 year ago

    I realise this thread is ancient, but when you say “programs”, if you mean games, then look at DragonRuby:

    https://dragonruby.itch.io/dragonruby-gtk/devlog/450794/dragonruby-steam-deck

    I haven’t used it in a long time, but it was a lot of fun already a couple of years ago.

    If you want to use it as something more of a general computer, I’m working on a tool that currently inlines all required files (using Whitequark and Unparser), and next step will be bytecode compiling it, at which point it’d be reasonable easy to produce a binary of it linked to libruby. Will take some time, but will post here when there’s something testable.