What is Bundler?
Bundler is a package manager for Ruby applications. It is used to manage all the dependencies and libraries needed for a Ruby project. With Bundler, developers can specify the version of each dependency they need and Bundler will ensure that those versions are installed and available for the application to use. Bundler makes it easy to share an application with other developers and deploy it to multiple environments.
What is a Lockfile?
A lockfile is a file that lists all the dependencies and their specific versions that were installed by Bundler. The lockfile ensures that all developers and deployments use the exact same versions of dependencies, which eliminates the possibility of conflicts and provides consistent behavior across different environments. Each time a developer runs Bundler, it creates or updates the lockfile based on the dependencies and their versions specified in the Gemfile.
What is Bundler 2?
Bundler 2 is the latest version of Bundler, released in 2019. It provides several improvements and new features compared to Bundler 1, including faster installation times, better error messages, and improved security. Bundler 2 also supports multiple platforms, which makes it easier to develop and test Ruby applications on different operating systems.
Why Use Bundler 2 or Greater with This Lockfile?
If you are developing a Ruby application that uses Bundler to manage its dependencies, it is recommended to use Bundler 2 or greater with the lockfile. This is because Bundler 2 is backward-incompatible with Bundler 1, which means that the lockfile generated by Bundler 2 may not work correctly with Bundler 1. If you use Bundler 1 with a lockfile generated by Bundler 2, you may encounter errors or unexpected behavior in your application.
How to Upgrade to Bundler 2?
If you are currently using Bundler 1 and want to upgrade to Bundler 2, you can follow these steps:
- Update Bundler by running
gem update bundler. - Update your Gemfile to specify Bundler 2, by adding
gem 'bundler', '~>2.0'at the top of the file. - Run
bundle installto install the updated version of Bundler and update the lockfile. - Commit the updated Gemfile and lockfile to your version control system.
Bundler 2 Commands
Here are some useful commands that you can use with Bundler 2:
bundle install: installs all the dependencies specified in the Gemfile.bundle update: updates all the dependencies to their latest versions and updates the lockfile.bundle exec: runs a command in the context of the bundle, which ensures that the dependencies are loaded correctly.bundle show: displays the location of a gem in the bundle.bundle outdated: displays a list of outdated gems in the bundle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you are developing a Ruby application that uses Bundler to manage its dependencies, it is important to use Bundler 2 or greater with the lockfile. This ensures that all developers and deployments use the same versions of dependencies and eliminates the possibility of conflicts. Upgrading to Bundler 2 is easy and provides several improvements and new features over Bundler 1. With Bundler 2, you can develop and test Ruby applications more efficiently and with greater confidence.