# Irb documentation queries?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/irb-documentation-queries/157618>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 13, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/irb-documentation-queries/157618 "2009-01-13T19:34:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Benjamin_JSRacine)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/irb-documentation-queries/157618/1 "2009-01-13T19:34:58Z")

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Hello all,

I am coming from python and loving ruby (the language), but trying to  
figure out some of the tools/capabilities.

Would anyone be so kind as to tell me whether irb has a way of seeing  
documentation strings in the source code (as in ipython)?

Many thanks,

Ben Racine

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**Author:** ![Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Benjamin_JSRacine)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/irb-documentation-queries/157618/2 "2009-01-13T19:39:08Z")

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Benjamin J. Racine schrieb:

> Hello all,
> 
> I am coming from python and loving ruby (the language), but trying to figure out some of the tools/capabilities.
> 
> Would anyone be so kind as to tell me whether irb has a way of seeing documentation strings in the source code (as in ipython)?
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Ben Racine

type  
help name  
for the documentation or use  
ri names  
on command-line

for example:  
$ ri ‘Array::[]’  
or  
irb\> help ‘Array::[]’

or install fastri:  
[eigenclass.org](http://eigenclass.org/hiki/fastri)  
it’s faster 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Benjamin\_JSRacine](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Benjamin_JSRacine)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/irb-documentation-queries/157618/3 "2009-01-14T14:34:09Z")

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Benjamin J. Racine wrote:

> Would anyone be so kind as to tell me whether irb has a way of seeing  
> documentation strings in the source code (as in ipython)?

No, it’s not possible. Although in Ruby the documentation is embedded in  
the source code, it’s not something the interpreter/compiler really  
sees. There’s an external tool you use to call up this documentation.