# Rubygem dependencies autoremoval

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rubygem-dependencies-autoremoval/192644>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [August 3, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rubygem-dependencies-autoremoval/192644 "2010-08-03T16:27:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![botp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@botp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/botp)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rubygem-dependencies-autoremoval/192644/1 "2010-08-03T16:27:08Z")

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Hi all, this is rubygems specific question. apology in advance.

if i install a gem, eg, say ruport

$ gem install ruport  
Successfully installed fastercsv-1.5.3  
Successfully installed color-1.4.1  
Successfully installed json\_pure-1.4.3  
Successfully installed rubyforge-2.0.4  
Successfully installed hoe-2.6.1  
Successfully installed transaction-simple-1.4.0  
Successfully installed pdf-writer-1.1.8  
Successfully installed ruport-1.6.3  
8 gems installed  
…

later, i uninstall ruport

$ gem uninstall ruport  
Successfully uninstalled ruport-1.6.3

but the dependencies are still there and not removed.

$ gem list

\*\*\* LOCAL GEMS \*\*\*  
color (1.4.1)  
fastercsv (1.5.3)  
hoe (2.6.1)  
json\_pure (1.4.3)  
pdf-writer (1.1.8)

now i have to remove them one by one too…

it would be a lot helpful if rubygem also remove them similar to what  
debian’s apt does.  
i hope this is in rubygems roadmap.

best regards -botp

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![botp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@botp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/botp)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rubygem-dependencies-autoremoval/192644/2 "2010-08-03T18:52:20Z")

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On Aug 3, 2010, at 7:26 AM, botp wrote:

> \*\*\* LOCAL GEMS \*\*\*  
> color (1.4.1)  
> fastercsv (1.5.3)  
> hoe (2.6.1)  
> json\_pure (1.4.3)  
> pdf-writer (1.1.8)
> 
> now i have to remove them one by one too…

We don’t track the difference between an explicitly installed gem and a  
gem installed via a dependency. Patches welcome, but it’s not a high  
priority, and a more unpleasant dev task than it seems at first glance.  
☹

~ j.