# Re: What is the difference between ir and iirb? **URL:** \ **Category:** IronRuby\ **Created:** [October 9, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-what-is-the-difference-between-ir-and-iirb/177002 "2009-10-09T16:09:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![raker\_t](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@raker\_t](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/raker_t)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-what-is-the-difference-between-ir-and-iirb/177002/1 "2009-10-09T16:09:38Z")
Iirb is actually a library and has more features. Iirb: - can set the prompt in a .irbrc file - can be nested (you can start a new irb session from within irb, even giving it a new target object to use as self) - as a library, irb can be incorporated into other projects Irb is the REPL for MRI, it just happens that the current design of the DLR gives a REPL pretty easily, so ir.exe is also a REPL. JD * * * From: Shay F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Sent: October 09, 2009 1:54 AM To: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Subject: [Ironruby-core] What is the difference between ir and iirb? When no arguments are passed, they both start a REPL console only that iirb shows the time of each operation. Are there more differences? Thanks, Shay. ---
**Author:** ![raker\_t](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@raker\_t](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/raker_t)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-what-is-the-difference-between-ir-and-iirb/177002/2 "2009-10-16T01:59:38Z")
IRB actually doesn’t show the time by default, it shows what “self” is, along with the line number and nested line number. Also, ir.exe’s REPL does not set the TOPLEVEL\_BINDING constant, though running a file or a snippet with ir.exe does: $\>ir.exe IronRuby 0.9.1.0 on .NET 2.0.50727.4927 Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. > > > TOPLEVEL\_BINDING > > > c:\dev\vsl1s\Merlin\Main\Languages\Ruby\Libraries.LCA\_RESTRICTED\Builtins\ModuleOps.cs:805:in > > > `const > > > \_missing’: uninitialized constant Object::TOPLEVEL\_BINDING (NameError) > > > from :0 $\>iirb irb(main):001:0\> TOPLEVEL\_BINDING =\> IronRuby.Builtins.Binding $\>ruby -e “puts TOPLEVEL\_BINDING” #Binding:0x3030acc $\>rbd -e “puts TOPLEVEL\_BINDING” IronRuby.Builtins.Binding From: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] On Behalf Of Jim D. Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 7:05 AM To: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid Subject: Re: [Ironruby-core] What is the difference between ir and iirb? Iirb is actually a library and has more features. Iirb: - can set the prompt in a .irbrc file - can be nested (you can start a new irb session from within irb, even giving it a new target object to use as self) - as a library, irb can be incorporated into other projects Irb is the REPL for MRI, it just happens that the current design of the DLR gives a REPL pretty easily, so ir.exe is also a REPL. JD * * * From: Shay F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Sent: October 09, 2009 1:54 AM To: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Subject: [Ironruby-core] What is the difference between ir and iirb? When no arguments are passed, they both start a REPL console only that iirb shows the time of each operation. Are there more differences? Thanks, Shay.