# Syntax highlighting in IRB || Script/Console

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/syntax-highlighting-in-irb-script-console/193968>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 27, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/syntax-highlighting-in-irb-script-console/193968 "2010-08-27T10:46:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ceekays](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@ceekays](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ceekays)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/syntax-highlighting-in-irb-script-console/193968/1 "2010-08-27T10:46:08Z")

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Railers,

I would like to know if there is a way of changing colors for IRB  
standard  
input ($stdin). What I am interested in “is having IRB highlighting  
syntax  
as I type”. Among other stuff, I would like to be able to:

- set its background colours
- have differing colours for strings, variables, keywords, e.t.c.

I do use Wirble and Term-ansicolor gems, and they are fine when it comes  
to  
output. But, I am interested in colouring irb && script/console terminal  
input, i.e. I’m looking forward to having something like  
“vim\_animated-irb”.

This might not be a Rails question but some railers may have answers to  
it.

Viva RoR,

* * *

Edmond  
Software Developer | Baobab Health Trust ([http://www.baobabhealth.org/](http://www.baobabhealth.org/))  
|  
Malawi

Cell: +265 999 465 137 | +265 881 234 717

_“Many people doubt open source software and probably don’t realize that  
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