How to create a new Rails app with a specific version of Rails
September 23, 2023
Imagine you want to try out a new Ruby on Rails version, or have to use an old version for some strange reason.
Here’s how to install an old version of Rails and create a new project with it:
- Install your chosen version of version of Rails
Take a look at https://github.com/rails/rails/releases for all versions, copy the tag name exactly, and add it as the --version argument of gem install rails
$ gem install rails --version 7.1.0.beta1
- Create a new app with the newly installed rails version:
You do to this by providing the Rails version after rails and before new, with an underscore in front and after the version. This will look for a railties gem with a matching version and executable rails binary, e.g:
$ rails _7.1.0.beta1_ new my_app
And that’s it, your new app awaits.