# How do I install both Ruby 1.8 and Ruby 1.9?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 6, 2007, 7:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594 "2007-02-06T07:46:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594/1 "2007-02-06T07:46:03Z")

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Hi,

I have Ruby 1.8 installed (on Linux) in /usr/local/bin/.

I want to have a copy of a Ruby 1.9 snapshot around too, so I can try  
out stuff out with that.

But I can’t figure out how to install it in a different location.  
I’ve altered the “prefix” variable in the Makefile, but when I do a  
“make install”, it just overwrites my Ruby 1.8 installation in /usr/  
local/bin.

I imagine there is a simple solution to this. Can anyone share it?

```
David Flanagan
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594/2 "2007-02-06T08:26:06Z")

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Thanks, Matz!

David

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 8:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594/3 "2007-02-06T08:02:03Z")

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Hi,

In message “Re: How do I install both Ruby 1.8 and Ruby 1.9?”  
on Tue, 6 Feb 2007 15:45:09 +0900, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid writes:

|I have Ruby 1.8 installed (on Linux) in /usr/local/bin/.  
|  
|I want to have a copy of a Ruby 1.9 snapshot around too, so I can try  
|out stuff out with that.

Try supplying --program-suffix to configure.  
I use --program-suffix=1.9 for 1.9.

```
          matz.
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-install-both-ruby-1-8-and-ruby-1-9/84594/4 "2007-02-07T21:57:18Z")

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run

./configure --help

to see all the options

usually, i do:

configure --prefix=/usr/local/opt/ruby/1.9 --program-suffix=.yarv

and then symlink what is in /usr/local/opt/ruby/1.9/bin to  
/usr/local/bin .

hope this helps,

vlad