# Ruby-dev and mkmf

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-dev-and-mkmf/183961>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 23, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-dev-and-mkmf/183961 "2010-02-23T04:07:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brianwisti)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-dev-and-mkmf/183961/1 "2010-02-23T04:07:29Z")

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Hi,

I’m new to ruby, I’m trying to clarify some install instructions:

“Don’t forget to install ruby-dev to and mkmf gem.”

are these gems, I can’t seem to find anything about them.

Thanks  
Brian

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brianwisti)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-dev-and-mkmf/183961/2 "2010-02-23T04:15:12Z")

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> I’m new to ruby, I’m trying to clarify some install instructions:
> 
> “Don’t forget to install ruby-dev to and mkmf gem.”
> 
> are these gems, I can’t  seem to find anything about them.

Hi,

Those are packages you should install if your copy of ruby is from a  
package manager (like apt in Ubuntu/Debian, yum in Fedora, etc). If  
you are running on Windows or building from source I don’t think you  
have to worry about those.

-Jonathan N.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@brianwisti](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brianwisti)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-dev-and-mkmf/183961/3 "2010-02-23T04:27:38Z")

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Jonathan N. wrote:

> > I’m new to ruby, I’m trying to clarify some install instructions:
> > 
> > “Don’t forget to install ruby-dev to and mkmf gem.”
> > 
> > are these gems, I can’t  seem to find anything about them.
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Those are packages you should install if your copy of ruby is from a  
> package manager (like apt in Ubuntu/Debian, yum in Fedora, etc). If  
> you are running on Windows or building from source I don’t think you  
> have to worry about those.
> 
> -Jonathan N.

Hi,

I’m doing this on dreamhost, which is a debian system.I listed the  
installed gems, these didn’t come up.

Thanks  
Brian