Updating Ruby for a Mastodon Server

This tutorial focuses on updating Ruby to version 2.4.2 for Mastodon, but it's important to consult the Mastodon documentation and release notes to determine the appropriate version for your use.

Preparing for the Upgrade

It's important to make sure that your system is ready for the upgrade before getting into the details of updating Ruby on your Mastodon server. As part of getting ready, you should back up your Mastodon instance so that you don't lose any data during the upgrade. It is better to be safe than sorry!

Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrade Ruby

1. Stop Mastodon Services

Before updating Ruby, you need to ensure that all Mastodon services are stopped to prevent any data corruption or loss.

   systemctl stop mastodon-*

2. Switch to the Mastodon User

It's important to perform the update as the Mastodon user to avoid any permission issues during the installation.

   sudo su - mastodon

3. Update rbenv and ruby-build

Mastodon uses rbenv to manage Ruby versions, so you'll need to update rbenv and its ruby-build plugin before installing the new Ruby version.

   cd ~/.rbenv
   git pull
   cd ~/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build
   git pull

4. Install Ruby 2.4.2

Now that rbenv is up to date, you can proceed with the installation of Ruby 2.4.2.

   cd ~/.rbenv
   rbenv install 2.4.2
   rbenv global 2.4.2
   rbenv rehash

Verifying the Installation

After the installation, it's a good practice to verify that the correct version of Ruby has been installed. You can check the installed Ruby version using:

ruby -v

This command should output ruby 2.4.2 if the installation was successful.

Restarting Mastodon Services

With Ruby successfully updated, the next step is to restart all Mastodon services to apply the changes:

systemctl start mastodon-*

Conclusion

It might seem hard to update Ruby on Mastodon, but if you plan ahead and follow these steps, you can make sure the switch to Ruby 2.4.2 goes smoothly. To keep your system safe and running smoothly, you need to keep the software on it up to date with the latest versions.

Have fun tooting with your new Ruby environment!