OS Manuals

/usr/bin/irb

the Ruby programming language

From ruby-3.1 3.1.7-r4 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running irb --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage:  irb.rb [options] [programfile] [arguments]
  -f                Suppress read of ~/.irbrc
  -d                Set $DEBUG to true (same as `ruby -d')
  -r load-module    Same as `ruby -r'
  -I path           Specify $LOAD_PATH directory
  -U                Same as `ruby -U`
  -E enc            Same as `ruby -E`
  -w                Same as `ruby -w`
  -W[level=2]       Same as `ruby -W`
  --context-mode n  Set n[0-4] to method to create Binding Object,
                    when new workspace was created
  --extra-doc-dir   Add an extra doc dir for the doc dialog
  --echo            Show result (default)
  --noecho          Don't show result
  --echo-on-assignment
                    Show result on assignment
  --noecho-on-assignment
                    Don't show result on assignment
  --truncate-echo-on-assignment
                    Show truncated result on assignment (default)
  --inspect         Use `inspect' for output
  --noinspect       Don't use inspect for output
  --multiline       Use multiline editor module
  --nomultiline     Don't use multiline editor module
  --singleline      Use singleline editor module
  --nosingleline    Don't use singleline editor module
  --colorize        Use colorization
  --nocolorize      Don't use colorization
  --autocomplete    Use autocompletion
  --noautocomplete  Don't use autocompletion
  --prompt prompt-mode/--prompt-mode prompt-mode
                    Switch prompt mode. Pre-defined prompt modes are
                    `default', `simple', `xmp' and `inf-ruby'
  --inf-ruby-mode   Use prompt appropriate for inf-ruby-mode on emacs.
                    Suppresses --multiline and --singleline.
  --sample-book-mode/--simple-prompt
                    Simple prompt mode
  --noprompt        No prompt mode
  --single-irb      Share self with sub-irb.
  --tracer          Display trace for each execution of commands.
  --back-trace-limit n
                    Display backtrace top n and tail n. The default
                    value is 16.
  --verbose         Show details
  --noverbose       Don't show details
  -v, --version	    Print the version of irb
  -h, --help        Print help
  --                Separate options of irb from the list of command-line args
Options (34)
OptionDescriptionSource
-fSuppress read of ~/.irbrchelp
-dSet $DEBUG to true (same as `ruby -d')help
-r load-moduleSame as `ruby -r'help
-I pathSpecify $LOAD_PATH directoryhelp
-USame as `ruby -U`help
-E encSame as `ruby -E`help
-wSame as `ruby -w`help
-W level=2Same as `ruby -W`help
--context-mode nSet n[0-4] to method to create Binding Object, when new workspace was createdhelp
--extra-doc-dirAdd an extra doc dir for the doc dialoghelp
--echoShow result (default)help
--noechoDon't show resulthelp
--echo-on-assignmentShow result on assignmenthelp
--noecho-on-assignmentDon't show result on assignmenthelp
--truncate-echo-on-assignmentShow truncated result on assignment (default)help
--inspectUse `inspect' for outputhelp
--noinspectDon't use inspect for outputhelp
--multilineUse multiline editor modulehelp
--nomultilineDon't use multiline editor modulehelp
--singlelineUse singleline editor modulehelp
--nosinglelineDon't use singleline editor modulehelp
--colorizeUse colorizationhelp
--nocolorizeDon't use colorizationhelp
--autocompleteUse autocompletionhelp
--noautocompleteDon't use autocompletionhelp
--inf-ruby-modeUse prompt appropriate for inf-ruby-mode on emacs.help
--nopromptNo prompt modehelp
--single-irbShare self with sub-irb.help
--tracerDisplay trace for each execution of commands.help
--back-trace-limit nDisplay backtrace top n and tail n.help
--verboseShow detailshelp
--noverboseDon't show detailshelp
-v, --versionPrint the version of irbhelp
-h, --helpPrint helphelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.