# How can I find the source of ruby package installed by gem

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 6, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983 "2009-01-06T02:57:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/b9bd4f/32.png) [@youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/youhaodeyi)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983/1 "2009-01-06T02:57:43Z")

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I installed a ruby application by gem. Where can I find its source code?

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**Author:** ![youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/b9bd4f/32.png) [@youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/youhaodeyi)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983/2 "2009-01-06T03:17:40Z")

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Zhao Yi wrote:

> I installed a ruby application by gem. Where can I find its source code?

gem unpack

unpacks a gem to the current directory.

gem env

shows where gems are installed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/b9bd4f/32.png) [@youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/youhaodeyi)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983/3 "2009-01-06T03:27:08Z")

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Tim H. wrote:

> Zhao Yi wrote:
> 
> > I installed a ruby application by gem. Where can I find its source code?
> 
> gem unpack
> 
> unpacks a gem to the current directory.
> 
> gem env
> 
> shows where gems are installed.

OK, it works. thanks.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/b9bd4f/32.png) [@youhaodeyi](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/youhaodeyi)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-find-the-source-of-ruby-package-installed-by-gem/156983/4 "2009-01-06T04:13:51Z")

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On Jan 5, 2009, at 9:27 PM, Zhao Yi wrote:

> > shows where gems are installed.
> 
> ## OK, it works. thanks.

There’s also gem list -d gemname

$ gem list -d rails

\*\*\* LOCAL GEMS \*\*\*

rails (2.1.2, 2.1.0, 2.0.2, 1.2.6, 1.2.5, 1.2.3)  
Author: David Heinemeier H.  
Rubyforge: [http://rubyforge.org/projects/rails](http://rubyforge.org/projects/rails)  
Homepage: [http://www.rubyonrails.org](http://www.rubyonrails.org)  
Installed at (2.1.2): /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8  
(2.1.0): /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8  
(2.0.2): /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8  
(1.2.6): /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/  
Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8  
(1.2.5): /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8  
(1.2.3): /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/  
Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8

```
 Web-application framework with template engine, control-flow layer,
 and ORM.

```

So if you’re looking to know where a particular version of a gem is  
installed, it can be better than gem env:

$ gem env  
RubyGems Environment:

- RUBYGEMS VERSION: 1.3.1
- RUBY VERSION: 1.8.6 (2008-03-03 patchlevel 114) [universal-  
darwin9.0]
- INSTALLATION DIRECTORY: /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8
- RUBY EXECUTABLE: /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/  
Versions/1.8/usr/bin/ruby
- EXECUTABLE DIRECTORY: /usr/bin
- RUBYGEMS PLATFORMS:
  - ruby
  - universal-darwin-9

- GEM PATHS:
  - /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8
  - /Users/rab/.gem/ruby/1.8
  - /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/  
ruby/gems/1.8

- GEM CONFIGURATION:
  - :update\_sources =\> true
  - :verbose =\> true
  - :benchmark =\> false
  - :backtrace =\> false
  - :bulk\_threshold =\> 1000

- REMOTE SOURCES:
  - [http://gems.rubyforge.org/](http://gems.rubyforge.org/)

Hopefully, this gives you much more information that you needed 😉

-Rob

Rob B. [http://agileconsultingllc.com](http://agileconsultingllc.com)  
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid