Are you ready to supercharge your Ruby development experience on Ubuntu? RubyMine, JetBrains’ flagship Ruby IDE, offers an unparalleled development environment that can transform how you write, debug, and deploy Ruby applications. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through every step of installing RubyMine on your Ubuntu system, ensuring you get up and running smoothly.

Whether you’re a seasoned Ruby developer or just starting your journey, this guide covers multiple installation methods, configuration tips, and troubleshooting solutions to help you make the most of RubyMine on Ubuntu.

What is RubyMine and Why Choose It for Ubuntu Development?

RubyMine stands as JetBrains’ premier integrated development environment specifically designed for Ruby and Rails development. This powerful IDE combines intelligent code assistance, robust debugging capabilities, and seamless version control integration to create an exceptional development experience.

Key Features of RubyMine

RubyMine packs an impressive array of features that make it stand out in the crowded field of Ruby IDEs:

Intelligent Code Editor: RubyMine’s smart editor provides syntax highlighting, code completion, and real-time error detection. It understands Ruby’s dynamic nature and offers context-aware suggestions that actually make sense for your specific codebase.

Advanced Debugging: The built-in debugger supports both Ruby and JavaScript, allowing you to set breakpoints, inspect variables, and step through your code with ease. You can debug Rails applications, RSpec tests, and even remote applications.

Integrated Version Control: Git, Mercurial, and Subversion integration comes built-in, with visual diff tools and merge conflict resolution that makes collaboration seamless.

Database Tools: Connect to and manage databases directly from the IDE, with support for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and many others.

Testing Framework Support: Run and debug tests using RSpec, Test::Unit, Cucumber, and other popular testing frameworks without leaving the IDE.

Benefits of Using RubyMine on Ubuntu

Ubuntu’s open-source nature pairs perfectly with RubyMine’s comprehensive feature set. Here’s why this combination works so well:

Native Linux Performance: RubyMine runs natively on Ubuntu, taking advantage of the Linux kernel’s efficient memory management and process handling. This results in faster startup times and more responsive performance compared to running it on other platforms.

Seamless Ruby Ecosystem Integration: Ubuntu’s package management system makes it easy to install and manage Ruby versions, gems, and dependencies. RubyMine automatically detects these installations and integrates them into your development workflow.

Cost-Effective Development: Ubuntu’s free nature combined with RubyMine’s reasonable pricing creates an affordable yet powerful development setup that rivals much more expensive alternatives.

System Requirements for RubyMine on Ubuntu

Before diving into the installation process, let’s ensure your Ubuntu system meets RubyMine’s requirements. Having adequate resources ensures smooth operation and prevents frustrating performance issues down the road.

Hardware Requirements

Memory (RAM): RubyMine requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM, but 4 GB is strongly recommended for optimal performance. If you’re working with large Rails applications or multiple projects simultaneously, consider 8 GB or more. Memory usage can vary significantly based on project size and enabled plugins.

Storage Space: You’ll need at least 2.5 GB of free disk space for the IDE installation. However, plan for additional space to accommodate project files, gems, and temporary files that RubyMine creates during operation.

Processor: While RubyMine runs on most modern processors, a multi-core CPU significantly improves performance during code indexing and analysis. A dual-core processor running at 2 GHz or higher provides a good baseline experience.

Ubuntu Version Compatibility

RubyMine supports Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and later versions, including:

• Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)
• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat)

The LTS (Long Term Support) versions are particularly recommended for development environments as they provide stability and extended support periods.

Java Requirements

RubyMine is built on the Java platform and requires Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) version 11 or later. The good news is that modern versions of RubyMine include a bundled JRE, so you don’t necessarily need to install Java separately. However, having a system-wide Java installation can be beneficial for other development tools.

Pre-Installation Preparation

Proper preparation ensures a smooth installation process and prevents common issues that might arise later. Let’s get your Ubuntu system ready for RubyMine.

Updating Your Ubuntu System

Start by updating your system packages to ensure you have the latest security patches and bug fixes:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This command updates the package list and upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions. The process might take several minutes depending on your system and the number of packages that need updating.

Installing Java Development Kit (JDK)

While RubyMine includes a bundled JRE, installing a system-wide JDK provides additional flexibility and ensures compatibility with other Java-based development tools:

sudo apt install default-jdk -y

Verify the installation by checking the Java version:

java -version
javac -version

You should see output indicating Java 11 or later is installed.

Setting Up Ruby Environment

If you haven’t already installed Ruby on your Ubuntu system, now’s the perfect time to set up a proper Ruby development environment:

sudo apt install ruby-full -y

For more control over Ruby versions, consider installing a Ruby version manager like RVM or rbenv:

Installing RVM:

curl -sSL https://get.rvm.io | bash -s stable --ruby
source ~/.rvm/scripts/rvm

Installing rbenv (alternative):

sudo apt install rbenv -y
rbenv init
echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Method 1: Installing RubyMine Using Snap Package

The Snap package system offers the easiest and most straightforward way to install RubyMine on Ubuntu. Snaps are self-contained packages that include all dependencies, ensuring consistent behavior across different Ubuntu versions.

Step-by-Step Snap Installation

First, ensure that snapd is installed on your system (it comes pre-installed on most Ubuntu versions):

sudo apt install snapd -y

Install RubyMine using the snap command:

sudo snap install rubymine --classic

The --classic flag is necessary because RubyMine requires access to system resources outside of the snap’s confined environment. This access is needed for features like project file management and system integration.

The installation process typically takes 5-10 minutes, depending on your internet connection speed and system performance.

Verifying Snap Installation

Once installation completes, verify that RubyMine is properly installed:

snap list | grep rubymine

You should see output showing RubyMine in the list of installed snaps. Launch RubyMine from the command line:

rubymine

Alternatively, find RubyMine in your applications menu or dash and launch it from there.

Advantages of Snap Installation:

• Automatic updates
• Easy uninstallation
• Isolated environment
• Consistent across Ubuntu versions

Disadvantages:

• Larger disk usage due to bundled dependencies
• Potential startup delay
• Limited customization options

Method 2: Installing RubyMine via Official JetBrains Toolbox

The JetBrains Toolbox provides a centralized way to manage all JetBrains IDEs, making it ideal if you use multiple JetBrains products or want fine-grained control over updates and versions.

Downloading JetBrains Toolbox

Visit the official JetBrains Toolbox website and download the Linux version, or use wget from the command line:

wget -O toolbox.tar.gz "https://download.jetbrains.com/toolbox/jetbrains-toolbox-1.27.3.14493.tar.gz"

Extract the downloaded archive:

tar -xzf toolbox.tar.gz
cd jetbrains-toolbox-*/

Make the toolbox executable and run it:

chmod +x jetbrains-toolbox
./jetbrains-toolbox

Installing Through Toolbox

Once Toolbox launches, you’ll see a clean interface listing available JetBrains products. Here’s how to install RubyMine:

1. Locate RubyMine in the product list
2. Click the Install button next to RubyMine
3. Choose your preferred version (usually the latest stable release)
4. Wait for the download and installation to complete

The Toolbox will handle the entire installation process, including creating desktop shortcuts and menu entries.

Managing Multiple JetBrains IDEs

One of Toolbox’s greatest advantages is unified management of multiple JetBrains products. You can:

• Install multiple IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm) from a single interface
• Manage different versions of the same IDE for testing purposes
• Configure automatic updates or choose to update manually
• Share settings and plugins across different IDEs

Method 3: Manual Installation from Official Website

For users who prefer complete control over the installation process, manual installation from the official JetBrains website offers maximum flexibility.

Downloading RubyMine Tarball

Navigate to the official RubyMine download page and download the Linux tarball, or use wget:

wget -O RubyMine-2024.1.tar.gz "https://download.jetbrains.com/ruby/RubyMine-2024.1.tar.gz"

The file size is typically around 500-600 MB, so the download time will depend on your internet connection speed.

Extracting and Installing Manually

Create a directory for JetBrains applications:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/jetbrains
cd /opt/jetbrains

Extract RubyMine to the applications directory:

sudo tar -xzf ~/RubyMine-2024.1.tar.gz
sudo mv RubyMine-* rubymine

Make RubyMine accessible system-wide by creating a symbolic link:

sudo ln -s /opt/jetbrains/rubymine/bin/rubymine.sh /usr/local/bin/rubymine

Creating Desktop Shortcuts

Create a desktop entry for easy access:

sudo tee /usr/share/applications/rubymine.desktop << EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Name=RubyMine
Comment=Ruby and Rails IDE
Exec=/opt/jetbrains/rubymine/bin/rubymine.sh
Icon=/opt/jetbrains/rubymine/bin/rubymine.svg
Type=Application
Categories=Development;IDE;
EOF

Update the desktop database:

sudo update-desktop-database

Initial Setup and Configuration

After successfully installing RubyMine using any of the above methods, the initial setup process ensures everything works correctly and is configured to your preferences.

First Launch Configuration

When you launch RubyMine for the first time, you’ll encounter the setup wizard. This wizard guides you through several important configuration steps:

Import Settings: If you’ve used RubyMine before, you can import your previous settings. For new installations, choose “Do not import settings.”

License Agreement: Read and accept the JetBrains license agreement to continue.

Data Sharing: Choose whether to share anonymous usage statistics with JetBrains (optional).

UI Theme: Select your preferred theme – Light, Dark, or High Contrast. You can change this later in the settings.

Plugin Selection: The wizard shows recommended plugins. Most are useful, but you can customize this selection based on your development needs.

License Activation

RubyMine offers several licensing options to accommodate different user needs:

Free Trial Options

New users can evaluate RubyMine with a 30-day free trial. Simply click “Start Trial” when prompted. The trial includes all premium features, giving you complete access to evaluate whether RubyMine meets your development needs.

Educational Licenses

Students and teachers can obtain free RubyMine licenses through JetBrains’ educational program. You’ll need:

• A valid university email address
• Student ID or academic documentation
• Verification of current enrollment status

The educational license provides full access to RubyMine and other JetBrains IDEs for the duration of your studies.

Paid Licenses: Professional developers can purchase individual licenses, with options for monthly or yearly subscriptions. Volume discounts are available for teams and organizations.

Configuring Ruby SDK and Interpreters

Proper SDK configuration is crucial for RubyMine to understand your Ruby environment and provide accurate code assistance.

Adding Ruby Interpreters

RubyMine automatically detects Ruby installations, but you may need to add additional interpreters manually:

1. Open Settings (File → Settings or Ctrl+Alt+S)
2. Navigate to Languages & Frameworks → Ruby SDK and Gems
3. Click the “+” button to add a new SDK
4. Select your Ruby installation from the detected options or browse to a custom location

If you’re using version managers like RVM or rbenv, RubyMine can automatically detect and configure different Ruby versions.

Configuring Gemsets

For RVM users, gemsets provide isolated gem environments for different projects:

1. Select your RVM Ruby in the SDK configuration
2. Choose the appropriate gemset from the dropdown
3. Create new gemsets directly from RubyMine if needed

RubyMine integrates seamlessly with gemsets, ensuring that each project uses the correct gem versions.

Setting Up Version Managers (RVM, rbenv)

RVM Integration: RubyMine automatically detects RVM installations and presents available Ruby versions and gemsets in an easy-to-use interface. You can switch between versions without leaving the IDE.

rbenv Integration: While rbenv integration is slightly less seamless than RVM, RubyMine still detects rbenv-managed Ruby versions. You may need to manually specify the Ruby path in some cases.

ASDF Integration: For users of the ASDF version manager, RubyMine provides basic support, though you might need to configure paths manually.

Essential Plugins and Extensions

While RubyMine comes feature-complete out of the box, additional plugins can enhance your development experience and adapt the IDE to your specific workflow.

Must-Have Plugins for Ruby Development

GitLens: Enhances Git integration with advanced blame information, file history, and branch comparison features. While RubyMine has excellent built-in Git support, GitLens adds visualization features that many developers find invaluable.

Database Navigator: If your Rails applications work with multiple databases, this plugin provides advanced database management capabilities beyond RubyMine’s built-in database tools.

Markdown Support: Essential for Ruby developers who document their code extensively. Provides live preview and enhanced editing capabilities for Markdown files.

Docker Integration: For containerized Ruby applications, this plugin enables container management, image building, and deployment directly from RubyMine.

Kubernetes: If you’re deploying Ruby applications to Kubernetes clusters, this plugin provides manifest editing, cluster management, and deployment tools.

Installing Additional Plugins

Installing plugins in RubyMine is straightforward:

1. Open Settings (File → Settings)
2. Navigate to Plugins
3. Browse the Marketplace or search for specific plugins
4. Install desired plugins and restart RubyMine when prompted

Be selective with plugin installation – too many plugins can slow down the IDE and create conflicts.

Optimizing RubyMine Performance on Ubuntu

RubyMine is a powerful IDE, but it can be resource-intensive. Proper optimization ensures smooth performance even on modest hardware.

Memory and CPU Optimization

Increase Heap Size: For large projects, increase RubyMine’s memory allocation by editing the custom VM options:

1. Go to Help → Edit Custom VM Options
2. Add or modify these lines:

-Xms512m
-Xmx2048m
-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=512m

Adjust these values based on your system’s available RAM. The settings above allocate 2GB of heap memory and 512MB for code cache.

CPU Optimization: Enable parallel indexing and analysis:

• Navigate to File → Settings → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings
• Check “Use multiple processes for indexing”
• Adjust “Thread count for indexing” based on your CPU cores

File Indexing Settings

Indexing large codebases can slow down RubyMine significantly. Optimize indexing by:

Excluding Unnecessary Directories: Large directories like node_modules, tmp, and log can be excluded from indexing without affecting functionality:

1. Open Settings → Project → Directories
2. Mark resource-heavy directories as “Excluded”
3. Common directories to exclude:

• tmp/
• log/
• node_modules/
• .git/ (if it’s large)
• public/assets/

Excluding Unnecessary Directories

Vendor Directories: If you’re using Bundler with vendor/bundle, exclude the vendor directory to prevent RubyMine from indexing all gem source code.

Build Artifacts: Exclude directories containing compiled assets, generated documentation, or other build artifacts that change frequently.

Large Data Files: Exclude directories containing large data files, dumps, or backups that aren’t part of your source code.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

Even with careful preparation, you might encounter issues during RubyMine installation or initial setup. Here are solutions to the most common problems.

Java-Related Problems

“Java not found” Error: This typically occurs when Java isn’t properly installed or configured:

# Check if Java is installed
java -version

# Install Java if missing
sudo apt install default-jdk -y

# Set JAVA_HOME if needed
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java
echo 'export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java' >> ~/.bashrc

Wrong Java Version: RubyMine requires Java 11 or later. If you have an older version:

# Install OpenJDK 11
sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk -y

# Update alternatives to use Java 11
sudo update-alternatives --config java

Permission Issues

Cannot Write to Installation Directory: This happens when RubyMine doesn’t have proper permissions:

# Fix ownership of RubyMine directory
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/jetbrains/rubymine

# Ensure proper permissions
chmod +x /opt/jetbrains/rubymine/bin/rubymine.sh

Config Directory Permissions: Sometimes RubyMine cannot create or access its configuration directory:

# Create and set permissions for config directory
mkdir -p ~/.config/JetBrains/RubyMine2024.1
chmod 755 ~/.config/JetBrains/RubyMine2024.1

Desktop Integration Problems

Missing Desktop Icon: If RubyMine doesn’t appear in your applications menu:

# Update desktop database
sudo update-desktop-database

# Refresh icon cache
sudo gtk-update-icon-cache /usr/share/icons/hicolor/

Snap Desktop Integration: For snap installations, desktop integration sometimes fails:

# Reconnect desktop interface
sudo snap connect rubymine:desktop-legacy
sudo snap connect rubymine:home

Updating and Maintaining RubyMine

Keeping RubyMine updated ensures you have the latest features, performance improvements, and security patches.

Automatic Updates

Snap Packages: Snap-installed RubyMine updates automatically:

# Check for updates manually
sudo snap refresh rubymine

# View update history
snap changes

JetBrains Toolbox: Toolbox-managed installations can be configured for automatic updates:

1. Open JetBrains Toolbox
2. Click the settings gear icon
3. Enable “Update all tools automatically”

Manual Update Process

For manual installations, check for updates within RubyMine:

1. Go to Help → Check for Updates
2. Download and install updates when prompted
3. Restart RubyMine to complete the update

Major Version Updates: Major version updates (like 2023.x to 2024.x) typically require license renewal or upgrade for paid users.

Alternative Ruby IDEs for Ubuntu

While RubyMine is excellent, it’s worth considering alternatives that might better fit your needs or budget.

Comparison with Other Options

Visual Studio Code: Free, lightweight, and highly extensible. With the right extensions, VS Code provides excellent Ruby support, though it lacks some of RubyMine’s advanced features like intelligent refactoring and deep Rails integration.

Sublime Text: Fast and responsive with good Ruby syntax highlighting. Requires additional packages for advanced functionality. Great for developers who prefer minimal interfaces.

Vim/Neovim: For developers who prefer terminal-based editors, Vim with proper Ruby plugins offers powerful editing capabilities. The learning curve is steep, but productivity can be very high once mastered.

Atom (discontinued): GitHub’s editor was popular among Ruby developers but was sunset in 2022. Many Atom users have migrated to VS Code.

Eclipse with DLTK: Free IDE with Ruby support through the Dynamic Languages Toolkit. Less polished than RubyMine but capable for basic Ruby development.

Each option has its strengths, but RubyMine’s comprehensive feature set, excellent Rails integration, and intelligent code assistance make it the preferred choice for serious Ruby development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I use RubyMine for free permanently?

RubyMine offers a 30-day free trial for evaluation purposes. After the trial, you need a paid license unless you qualify for a free educational license as a student or teacher. JetBrains doesn’t offer a free community edition of RubyMine like they do for IntelliJ IDEA.

2. How much RAM does RubyMine need to run smoothly on Ubuntu?

While RubyMine can run with 2 GB RAM, 4 GB is recommended for comfortable development. For large Rails applications or when working with multiple projects simultaneously, 8 GB or more RAM provides optimal performance. Memory usage also depends on the number of enabled plugins and project size.

3. Which installation method is best for beginners?

The Snap installation method is ideal for beginners because it’s simple, handles dependencies automatically, and provides automatic updates. Simply run sudo snap install rubymine --classic and you’re ready to go. More experienced users might prefer JetBrains Toolbox for better control over versions and updates.

4. Can RubyMine work with Docker containers on Ubuntu?

Yes, RubyMine has excellent Docker integration on Ubuntu. You can configure Ruby interpreters running inside Docker containers, debug applications in containers, and manage Docker-compose configurations directly from the IDE. This is particularly useful for maintaining consistency between development and production environments.

5. Is it possible to run multiple versions of RubyMine simultaneously?

Yes, you can run multiple RubyMine versions simultaneously, especially useful when testing new features or maintaining compatibility with different project requirements. JetBrains Toolbox makes this particularly easy by allowing you to install and manage multiple versions from a single interface. Each version maintains its own configuration and settings.