# Ruby syntax coloring in emacs

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-syntax-coloring-in-emacs/81901>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 16, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-syntax-coloring-in-emacs/81901 "2007-01-16T03:49:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/colinbm)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-syntax-coloring-in-emacs/81901/1 "2007-01-16T03:49:04Z")

</div>

Hi. Could someone please explain how to get ruby syntax coloring in  
emacs? I’m running Mac OS X and I’m sort of new to emacs in general (I  
know how to use a few emacs key bindings, but I don’t really know  
anything about elisp files). Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/colinbm)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 5:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-syntax-coloring-in-emacs/81901/2 "2007-01-16T05:02:05Z")

</div>

On 1/15/07, Colin B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Hi. Could someone please explain how to get ruby syntax coloring in  
> emacs? I’m running Mac OS X and I’m sort of new to emacs in general (I  
> know how to use a few emacs key bindings, but I don’t really know  
> anything about elisp files). Thanks!

Probably [http://www.rubygarden.org/ruby?InstallingEmacsExtensions](http://www.rubygarden.org/ruby?InstallingEmacsExtensions) ,  
except  
the site is loading slowly right now. Maybe check google for a cached  
copy.

/Nick

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@colinbm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/colinbm)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-syntax-coloring-in-emacs/81901/3 "2007-01-16T09:50:55Z")

</div>

Colin B. wrote:

> Hi. Could someone please explain how to get ruby syntax coloring in  
> emacs? I’m running Mac OS X and I’m sort of new to emacs in general (I  
> know how to use a few emacs key bindings, but I don’t really know  
> anything about elisp files). Thanks!

I think Carbon Emacs and AquaMacs both bundle the ruby-mode. So you  
should get syntax highlighting out of the box. You might need :  
(global-font-lock-mode t)

in your .emacs (or set using M-x customize-variable RET  
global-font-lock-mode ).

Regards,

Chris