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Created April 10, 2010 15:56
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= Ruby Packaging Standard
The aim of this document is two-fold. First, to specify a common
structure of how a Ruby package distributed as source (that is, but
not limited to, development directories, version-controlled
repositories, .tar.gz, Gems, ...) should conform to.
Second, to document common and proven ways to structure Ruby packages,
and to point out certain anti-patterns that sneaked into common use.
It is by intent not to innovate.
(See RFC 2119 for use of MUST, SHOULD, SHALL.)
== Library files
Library code MUST reside in lib/.
Libraries SHOULD use a directory as namespace, e.g. lib/foo.rb and lib/foo/**.
Libraries SHOULD NOT require code of the project that are outside of lib/.
Libraries MUST not require 'rubygems' or modify the $LOAD_PATH.
Ruby library files MUST end with .rb.
Library files SHOULD be installed with mode 0644.
== Executables
Executables MUST reside in bin/.
Ruby executables SHOULD have a shebang line using env:
#!/usr/bin/env ruby
Executables SHOULD NOT require code of the project that are outside of lib/.
Executables SHOULD NOT require 'rubygems' or modify the $LOAD_PATH,
unless they are specifically made for doing that (e.g. package managers).
Executable files SHOULD NOT end with .rb.
Executable files SHOULD be installed with mode 0755.
== Extensions
Extensions are directories which contain a extconf.rb.
Extensions SHOULD reside in ext/.
Extensions SHOULD be buildable with "ruby extconf.rb; make".
XXX How to install, how to find out what was built.
== Data files
Data files and resources of the project belong to data/.
XXX Or data/<projectname>?
XXX Where to install to, how to find out that place from the program?
== Tests
Tests SHOULD reside in test/ or spec/.
== History
09apr2010: First initial draft.
10apr2010: Fix binary permissions.
10apr2010: Add data files.
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