FreeRIDE

FreeRIDE is a pure Ruby Integrated Development Environment that offers a range of key features for developers. Users can edit multiple files in a tabbed edit panel with Ruby syntax highlighting and auto-indenting, and navigate within a source file using the Source Browser, which presents a tree-style parsing of code, showing all modules, classes, methods, etc.

Additionally, FreeRIDE allows users to run and/or debug code using the integrated debugger, browse files, access online Ruby documentation for Ruby standard libraries, and use an embedded interactive shell. The software also includes code refactoring (experimental), basic project support, and preferences settings for the debugger, the script runner, and the editor.

For FreeRIDE developers, the software provides a visual inspection of the state of the internal FreeBASE databus (plugin architecture). However, to use FreeRIDE, users must have Ruby, Fox, FXRuby, and FXscintilla pre-installed.

The preferred way to install FreeRIDE is to use the FreeRIDE installers provided by the team. Installers are available for Windows and Linux. A MacOS X installer is currently in preparation. The advantage of using the installers is that users don't have to download, compile, and install all the components needed by FreeRIDE (Fox, FXRuby, FXscintilla...).

The latest release of FreeRIDE includes several critical fixes and improvements. For example, the software has fixed the problem of the terminal not coming up under Windows, added a step in the loading of a project where all listed files are checked, and fixed a bug on Windows when creating a new directory.

Moreover, the software now automatically restarts IRB when it exits normally or after a syntax error, preventing crashes in the system. The source parser has also been updated to cache source structures based on modification-times. The software also provides a bug fix in the RI module, which now correctly prints the doc header.

Overall, FreeRIDE delivers a range of features that make it a favourite among developers who work with Ruby. It provides a sophisticated environment for editing and debugging code, and with its integrated debugger and code refactoring features, it can help users identify and resolve problems in their codebase with ease.