Irbtools

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Improvements for Ruby's IRB console, like colored output and a lot of debugging and introspection methods. Unlike with PRY, you are still in your normal IRB. It is designed to work out-of-the-box, so there is no reason to not use it!

Setup

$ gem install irbtools

IRB executes code in ~/.irbrc on start-up. If the file does not exist, yet, just create a new one. Add the following content:

require 'irbtools'

You also need to add irbtools to your project's Gemfile:

gem 'irbtools', require: 'irbtools/binding'

Then start IRB (with Irbtools loaded) from the console or directly from your code with:

binding.irb

If the binding_of_caller gem is available (e.g. see below), you can omit the binding:

irb

More Improvements

Some suggested gems will not be installed to ensure wider general support. For the full feature set, you can add irbtools-more and change your .irbrc to:

require 'irbtools/more'

and edit your Gemfile to

gem 'irbtools-more', require: 'irbtools/binding'

Included Gems and Libraries

IRB Improvements

Colored output: wirb fanycy_irb
Custom views for specific objects: hirb
(irbtools-more) Correction suggestions for misspelled method/constant names: did_you_mean
(irbtools-more) Better tab-completion: bond

Utils

Useful IRB commands (see below): every_day_irb debugging fileutils
Clipboard Access: clipboard
Terminal colors: paint
Load an editor into your IRB session: interactive_editor

Introspection

Displays a method's source: code
Access to ri docs: ori
Manipulate instance variables with ease: instance
Platform information: ruby_version ruby_engine os ruby_info
Improved method lookup path inspection: method_locator
Finds methods that turn one value into another value: methodfinder
irbtools-more Awesome lookup path inspection: looksee

Irbtools Methods

Besides improving IRB itself, you will get the following methods:

Method	Arguments	Description
`beep`		Ring terminal bell.
`cat`	path	Read file contents.
`cd`	path = nil	Changes the directory. Can also be used in these forms: `~cd` (change to home directory), `-cd` (change to previous directory).
`clear`		Clear the terminal.
`code`	object = self, method_name	Display the method source with syntax highlighting. Will also look up C methods if the core_docs gem is available.
`colorize`	string	Syntax highlight a Ruby string.
`copy`	string	Copy something to the clipboard.
`copy_input`		Copy session history to the clipboard.
`copy_output`		Copy session output history to the clipboard.
`ed` / `emacs` / `mate` / `mvim` / `nano` / `vi` / `vim`	filename = nil	Start an editor in the session context.
`engine`		Show the Ruby engine.
`g`	*args	Like `Kernel#p`, but using terminal-notifier or growl.
`howtocall`	object = self, method_or_proc	Displays parameter names and types for a proc or method.
`info`		List general information about the Ruby environment.
`ld`	file	Shortcut for `load lib.to_s + '.rb'`.
`ls`	path = "."	List directory content.
`mf`	object1, object2	Find methods that turn one value into another value:w
`mof`	object, depth = 0, grep = //	Print a method list, ordered by modules.
`os`		Query operating system information.
`pa`	string, color	Print a string in the specified color.
`page`	what, options = {}	Page long content.
`paste`		Paste clipboard content.
`q`	*args	Like `Kernel#p`, but prints results on one line, with different colors.
`ray`	path	Syntax highlight a Ruby file.
`re`	string, regexg, groups = nil	Assists you when matching regexes againts strings.
`reset!`		Restart the current IRB session.
`rq`	lib	Shortcut for `require lib.to_s`. Use it like this: `rq:prime`.
`rrq` / `rerequire`	lib	Hack to remove a library from `$LOADED_FEATURES` and `require` it again.
`session_history`	number_of_lines = nil	Return a string of all commands issued in the current session.
`version`		Show the Ruby version.
`wp`	inspect_string	Syntax-highlight a Ruby object.
`Object#instance`		Proxy object to read and manipulate instance variables / run eval.
`Object#lp`		irbtools-more Supercharged method introspection in IRB
`Object#mlp` / `Object#method_lookup_path`		Traverse an object's method lookup path to find all places where a method may be defined.
`Object#ri`	*args	Show ri documentation for this object or method.

Advanced tweaking

See CONFIGURE.md.

Troubleshooting: ANSI colors on Windows

Windows: ANSI support can be enabled via ansicon or ConEmu.

Troubleshooting: Clipboard not working on Linux

Clipboard support requires xclip or xsel. On ubuntu, do: sudo apt-get install xclip

Troubleshooting: Unicode causes wrong display widths

If you use double-width unicode characterss, you will need to paste the following snippet to your .irbrc file.

Irbtools.replace_library_callback :fancy_irb do
  FancyIrb.start east_asian_width: true
end

This setting is deactivated by default, because of performance issues.

Hint: Debundle

If you do not want to add Irbtools to your project's Gemfile, you will need a debundle hack. Put it at the beginning of your ~/.irbrc file and you are fine (until it breaks).

Hint: No ANSI / IRB extension

You can use Irbtools without colors/irb extensions. To do so, put this into ~/.irbrc:

require 'irbtools/non_fancy'
Irbtools.start

Hint: Web Console

Irbtools works well together with the amazing web-console!