# Gem & Classes **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479 "2009-02-04T22:53:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/devrubygem)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479/1 "2009-02-04T22:53:37Z")
I’m confused with the difference between gems and classes. Are they considered the same thing? I familiar with what a class is, but where do gems fall into place. Do you use them sort of like an include in C\C++?. Can someone give me a simple example. What about Modules? How are they used in Ruby? Thanks Zayd ---
**Author:** ![devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/devrubygem)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479/2 "2009-02-04T23:06:52Z")
El Miércoles, 4 de Febrero de 2009, Zayd C. escribió: > I’m confused with the difference between gems and classes. Are they > considered the same thing? I familiar with what a class is, but where do > gems fall into place. Do you use them sort of like an include in C\C++?. Gems are just a way to package a Ruby library/module, no more. > What about Modules? How are they used in Ruby? You should start by reading some Ruby book 😉 ---
**Author:** ![devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/devrubygem)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479/3 "2009-02-04T23:09:48Z")
2009/2/4 Zayd C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > I’m confused with the difference between gems and classes. Are they > considered the same thing? I familiar with what a class is, but where do > gems fall into place. Do you use them sort of like an include in C\C++?. > Can someone give me a simple example. > > What about Modules? How are they used in Ruby? A module serves as namespace or as mixin (essentially a bag of methods). A class is a module (really, Class inherits from Module) that can be instantiated. Every object has a class that was used to instantiate it (you can get it with the “class” method). There is no such thing as a “gem” on the language level. A gem is a package of Ruby code. It can package any number of modules, classes, source files, and associated data files. The require function is used to load source files. It looks for source files on the load path ($LOAD\_PATH). In order for require to find source files installed as gem, you have to load the gem (require “rubygems”; gem “some-gem”). Ruby 1.9 ships with RubyGems and source files from gems are automatically on the load path. HTH, Stefan ---
**Author:** ![devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/devrubygem)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479/4 "2009-02-04T23:32:05Z")
Okay Cool!! Understood 🙂 Thanks Guys. I need to put in some more Ruby time On Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 5:09 PM, Stefan L. \< ---
**Author:** ![devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@devrubygem](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/devrubygem)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-classes/159479/5 "2009-02-05T01:30:25Z")
Gems are packages of code. Classes are part of how you write code. Blog: [http://random8.zenunit.com/](http://random8.zenunit.com/) Learn rails: [http://sensei.zenunit.com/](http://sensei.zenunit.com/)