IronRuby is a Ruby implementation that compiles Ruby code to .NET Intermediate Language. It allows Ruby code to run on the .NET Common Language Runtime and interoperate with .NET libraries. IronRuby was started by Microsoft but is now an open source project. It enables Ruby developers to build applications that integrate with existing .NET systems and libraries. However, IronRuby is still missing support for some Ruby standards like OpenSSL and has a lower test passing rate than MRI Ruby.

1. Will Green
will@hotgazpacho.org
@hotgazpacho

2.  History
 The DLR
 Why IronRuby?
 The Million Dollar Question
 Rusty Washers
 Getting IronRuby
 Additional Resources

3. Or, how Microsoft learned to stop worrying and love dynamic languages
+ =
Sources:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruby_logo.png
http://dlr.codeplex.com/
http://www.myfreewallpapers.net/cartoons/pages/phineas-and-ferb.shtml

4.  Compiler that translates Ruby source code
into .NET IL (Intermediate Langauage)
 Ran Ruby code on the .NET CLR (Common
Language Runtime)
 Started by Dr. Wayne Kelly and Prof. John
Gough of the Queensland University of
Technology
 Lost relevance around the beginning of 2008

5.  “A high-performance Ruby to .NET bridge
that allows seamless integration of CLR and
Ruby objects in the same Win32 process.”
 Developed by John Lam and Ceasar Larry
 Runs Ruby code on the .NET Common
Language Runtime
 Abandoned when John Lam was hired by
Microsoft

6.  “IronRuby is a Open Source implementation of
the Ruby programming language for .NET,
heavily relying on Microsoft's Dynamic
Language Runtime”
 Microsoft’s implementation of Ruby
 John Lam hired as Program Manager
 Current Program Manager (also for IronPython) is
Jimmy Schementi
 First previewed at MIX 2007
 Version 1.0 released at MIX 2010
 Targets Ruby 1.8.6

7. You got your dynamic in my static!
You got your static in my dynamic!
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25517107@N00/2950954830/

8.  A common runtime for dynamic languages on
the .NET platform
 Provides interop among various dynamic
languages
 Use libraries from multiple languages simultaneously
 Allows hosting dynamic languages in static .NET
assemblies
 New .NET static type: dynamic

9.  IronRuby
 IronPython
 IronScheme
 ClojureCLR
 IronJS (JavaScript)
 Nua (Lua)
JS

10. What is it good for?

11.  Sometimes, you just ‘gotta interop with
“Enterprise” systems written in .NET
 SOAP and COM
 WCF (Windows Communication Foundation)
services
 Access to the BCL == Base Class Library
 Very extensive, rich set of standard libraries
 IronRuby eases the pain

12.  Standardized Packaging System
 Central Repository for hosting packages
 Allows installation and management of
multiple versions of a package
 Allows distribution of binary packages
targeting a specific platform
 Ruby Gems 1.3.7 includes my patch to recognize
universal-dotnet, universal-dotnet-2.0, and
universal-dotnet-4.0 as platforms

13.  Acceptance Testing
 Cucumber
 Unit Testing, BDD style
 RSpec / Shoulda
 Factories instead of Fixtures
 Factory Girl
 Machinist
 Mocking
 RSpec Mocks
 Caricature
▪ Mock .NET types (death to sealed and internal!)
▪ http://github.com/casualjim/caricature

14.  Believe in Magic!
 http://github.com/thbar/magic
 DSL for creating UIs
 Windows Presentation Foundation
▪ Current hotness for client UI development on Windows
 Silverlight
▪ WPF for the Web
 Windows Forms
▪ Traditional battleship-grey Windows apps
 Think Builder for Windows UIs

15. DEMO

16.  <script type=“text/ruby”></script>
 Requires Silverlight, but you get to do this:

17. DEMO

18. Source: http://777denny.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/what-does-the-bible-say-about-money-take-this-quick-quiz-to-
find-out/

19. YES!

20.  YES!
 IronRuby.Rack
 Rack adapter for IIS (HttpHandler)
 Included in IronRuby source on GitHub
 Needs some tweaks*
 ActiveRecord Adapters
 sqlite3-ironruby
 Ironruby-sqlserver

21. DEMO

22. Where does IronRuby fall short?
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92709190@N00/230032831

23.  85.94% pass rate
 vs 97.53% for MRI
 Latest statistics at http://ironruby.info/
 Need RubySpec contributions!
 RubySepc helps ALL Ruby implementations!
 http://rubyspec.org/

24.  OpenSSL
 Needs .NET implementation
 Should not be an issue with .NET crypto APIs
 Putting my money where my mouth is
 If someone will write the RubySpec specs for
OpenSSL, I will implement it for IronRuby

25.  IronRuby doesn’t implement the C API
 However, equivalent libraries with .NET code
can be created (and packaged as Gems!)
 eg. iron-term-ansicolor
▪ My lib for color console output on Windows

26.  Cucumber’s parser, Gherkin, is now Ragel
based
 Ragel does not target C# or .NET
 Work-around:
 Ragel does target Java
 IKVM is Java (the langauge) for .NET
 Use IKVM to create a .NET assembly
 Still has some issues

27.  IronRuby does not support FFI
 FFI = Foreign Function Interface
▪ http://wiki.github.com/ffi/ffi/why-use-ffi
 Perhaps could be implemented via p/Invoke?
 Crazy thought, or craziest thought?

28.  Mono == An open source, cross-platform,
implementation of C# and the CLR that is
binary compatible with Microsoft.NET
 Most active contributors to IronRuby are
‘Softies, so running on Mono is not a priority
 However, running on Mono is something the
team would like

29. Give it to me!
Source: http://new.music.yahoo.com/timbaland/albums/give-it-to-me-4-track-single--193920848

30.  Binary Releases on CodePlex
 http://ironruby.codeplex.com/
 Source is synched from MS internal TFS to
Github
 http://github.com/ironruby/ironruby
 Community contributions accepted, in some areas
of the code, via pulls from forks

31. Get Involved in the Dynamic Revolution!
Source: http://www.macwallpapers.eu/wallpaper/1280x960-Freedom-Ernesto-Che-Guevara/

32.  Mailing List:
http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/ironruby-core
 How to Contribute:
http://wiki.github.com/ironruby/ironruby/
 IronRuby web site:
http://ironruby.net/
 Jimmy Schementi’s blog
http://blog.jimmy.schementi.com/
 IronRuby in the Browser:
http://www.rubyinside.com/ironruby-silverlight-
ruby-in-browser-3192.html

33.  “IronRuby Unleashed” by Shay Friedman
(Sams)
 “IronRuby In Action” by Ivan Porto Carrero
(Manning)

34.  Jimmy Schementi (MS) - @jschementi
 James Deville (MS) - @jredville
 Ivan Porto Carrero (MVP) - @casualjim
 Shay Friedman (MVP) - @ironshay
 Michael Letterle (MVP) - @mletterle
 Ben Hall (MVP) - @Ben_Hall
 Thibaut Barrère - @thibaut_barrere
 Mike Moore - @blowmage
http://twitter.com/casualjim/ironruby-community