Install a beta version of Rails

#Ruby

Sometimes you need to test features in an upcoming Rails release or help with testing pre-release versions. Here’s how to install beta versions of Rails.

Quick Install Latest Pre-release

For the absolute latest pre-release version:

gem install rails --prerelease

Install Specific Beta Version

To install a specific beta version:

gem install rails --version X.X.X.betaX

Helpful Commands

List all available pre-release versions:

gem list rails --remote --prerelease -e

Verify which Rails version you’re about to use:

gem which rails

Tips

  • Use -e flag for exact matches (avoids gems containing “rails” in their name)
  • --remote checks RubyGems.org for available versions
  • -v is a shorthand for --version

References