# Releasing beta version of gem (naming question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 8:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/releasing-beta-version-of-gem-naming-question/197611 "2010-10-17T08:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dobai-Pataky\_BSSSSl](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/77aa72/32.png) [@Dobai-Pataky\_BSSSSl](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dobai-Pataky_BSSSSl)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 8:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/releasing-beta-version-of-gem-naming-question/197611/1 "2010-10-17T08:42:14Z")
I have a stable release of a gem mygem V1.1.x. I have a new beta-ish version 1.2.0. I’d like to release a gem for 1.2, however, i don’t want it to become the default download until i believe its stable. Is there a norm for this? Do we change the name to mygem-beta or mygem1.2.0-beta and then delete that gem when its stable ? ---
**Author:** ![sentinel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@sentinel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sentinel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/releasing-beta-version-of-gem-naming-question/197611/2 "2010-10-17T09:38:00Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Am 17.10.2010 08:44, schrieb Rahul K.: > I have a stable release of a gem mygem V1.1.x. > I have a new beta-ish version 1.2.0. I’d like to release a gem for 1.2, > however, i don’t want it to become the default download until i believe > its stable. > > Is there a norm for this? Do we change the name to mygem-beta or > mygem1.2.0-beta and then delete that gem when its stable ? This is called a pre-relase gem and to get one you have to name your gem like this: mygem.1.2.0.beta, i.e. a comination of ASCII characters as the last version number (not just “beta” is valid). To install a prerelease gem, you have to pass the --pre option to gem: $ gem install mygem --pre Otherwise RubyGems will download the current stable version. Have a look at the coderay gem ( [coderay | RubyGems.org | your community gem host](http://rubygems.org/gems/coderay) ), it’s maintainer has published some beta gems. Vale, Marvin -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.10 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org/](http://enigmail.mozdev.org/) iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJMuqWqAAoJEGrS0YjAWTKVVywIAIMQHxx1Teo6GTQZiJ/vSOnq 3yHfE/AN2zx6pvXfLRcnzKAw0snkExltZh1WVN+wFroItUmoIFMObIyCTjrThhr7 D5W5OL2qTid9TqFcjnlnfNRjliHoIOjSYh6IvNen74NrKpmzt7TAG11bcY196AEj YGFAAK8b/IoYAoelBmnjG99M0hMkg01fFaxIYQ+YjEDaJLqEd/4BUabvAX95u89W rxOq82CDyttdrd5lvoNe+kb/Ywv9RpMdlZsT7/UhTPI2hoBK0qrjQmoD8kFxqzkO 6uhD4ZySiKVrrWWF5TdIscJHgrkzVpp2h1EWgPvcTOqSpv8ruWWnqMc5p6zGzlw= =pSDK -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---
**Author:** ![sentinel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@sentinel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sentinel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/releasing-beta-version-of-gem-naming-question/197611/3 "2010-10-17T15:57:09Z")
Marvin Gülker wrote in post #954889: > This is called a pre-relase gem and to get one you have to name your gem > like this: mygem.1.2.0.beta, i.e. a comination of ASCII characters as > the last version number (not just “beta” is valid). To install a > prerelease gem, you have to pass the --pre option to gem: > $ gem install mygem --pre > Otherwise RubyGems will download the current stable version. > Have a look at the coderay gem ( [coderay | RubyGems.org | your community gem host](http://rubygems.org/gems/coderay) ), > it’s maintainer has published some beta gems. > > Vale, > Marvin Thanks. Added “.pre” to the version attribute in gemspec (or if using jeweler, then to the VERSION file), does the trick in creating a pre-release.