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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-28T01:46:17+00:00

I’ve been using the default system ruby version 1.8.7 without RVM for a few

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I’ve been using the default system ruby version 1.8.7 without RVM for a few rails projects and have not run into any problems. I just recently installed RVM, and after running rvm requirements I get this output:

To use an RVM installed Ruby as default, instead of the system ruby:

    rvm install 1.8.7 # installs patch 357: closest supported version
    rvm system ; rvm gemset export system.gems ; rvm 1.8.7 ; rvm gemset import system.gems # migrate your gems
    rvm alias create default 1.8.7

I believe what these commands do are to install the same gems that have already been installed using the system ruby under the RVM installed ruby.

My questions are, am I right in what these commands do? and if I am right, why is it important to do this, because if I wanted to use an RVM installed Ruby of a different version like 1.9.2, wouldn’t it already separate gems in that version from the system’s ruby?

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  1. Editorial Team

    The one thing that springs to mind is, if you use the system Ruby, you’ll use it slightly differently that RVM’s Rubies–for example, you’ll likely need to use sudo to install gems. Furthermore, you won’t be able to use many of RVM’s features, like gemsets, with the system Ruby.

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