# List gem updates without installing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [July 9, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649 "2006-07-09T03:42:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/1 "2006-07-09T03:42:29Z")
Is there a way to list, but not install, updated gems? I know that ‘gem update’ will automatically update any gems to newer versions, but I’d like to see what it’s planning to do before actually doing the updates. Thanks! -Mason ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/2 "2006-07-10T01:31:14Z")
Andrew H. wrote: > Mason B. wrote: > > > Is there a way to list, but not install, updated gems? > > All I could think of was querying the local gems, querying the remote > gems, then comparing the version numbers on the remote gems also in the > local repository. I’ve thrown a Ruby script together to do it, though it > lacks any elegance and has only had minimal testing: More generally, is there a nice way to add customized behavior to one’s install of rubygems? Basically, plugins, such as could add to or alter the default behavior? I’ve poked around a bit, but not settled on a pleasing solution. – James B. “Take eloquence and wring its neck.” - Paul Verlaine ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/3 "2006-07-10T04:47:18Z")
Andrew H. wrote: > Mason B. wrote: > > > Is there a way to list, but not install, updated gems? > > All I could think of was querying the local gems, querying the remote > gems, then comparing the version numbers on the remote gems also in the > local repository. I’ve thrown a Ruby script together to do it, though it > lacks any elegance and has only had minimal testing: > > [http://pond.org.uk/misc/gem-would-update.rb](http://pond.org.uk/misc/gem-would-update.rb) > > Is there a better way? That’s exactly the type of thing I was looking for. Thanks for the quick and awesome response. Maybe the gem project would consider including this kind of functionality as a future feature? They obviously already maintain local and remote versions and compare them to determine if they need to be upgraded. Again, thanks! -Mason ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/4 "2006-07-10T00:56:52Z")
Mason B. wrote: > Is there a way to list, but not install, updated gems? All I could think of was querying the local gems, querying the remote gems, then comparing the version numbers on the remote gems also in the local repository. I’ve thrown a Ruby script together to do it, though it lacks any elegance and has only had minimal testing: [http://pond.org.uk/misc/gem-would-update.rb](http://pond.org.uk/misc/gem-would-update.rb) Is there a better way? ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/5 "2006-07-15T18:16:56Z")
What about using “gem update”, it updates all the installed gems … at least for me it does. ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/6 "2006-07-15T18:17:03Z")
What about using “gem update”, it updates all the installed gems … at least for me it does. ---
**Author:** ![masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@masonbrown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonbrown)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/list-gem-updates-without-installing/97649/7 "2006-07-15T18:23:03Z")
bbiker wrote: > What about using “gem update”, it updates all the installed gems … at > least for me it does. Yes, but the OP wanted to see what gem _would_ update, without actually doing the update. It’s a cautious (and IMHO wise) approach to upgrading software rather than just updating and hoping nothing breaks.