How to run a simple ruby script in any web server (Apache or Mongrel or any thing else)

Question

It seems very funny to me that when I search something related ruby, all ruby on rails related results popped up. So nobody using raw ruby anymore?

However, I am new to

Answer 1

Sinatra is probably your best bet for getting a Ruby script running from a web server without Rails.

Take a look here: http://www.sinatrarb.com

From the Sinatra docs:

require 'sinatra'

get '/hi' do
  "Hello World!"
end

Then, just run:

$ gem install sinatra
$ ruby -rubygems hi.rb
== Sinatra has taken the stage ...
>> Listening on 0.0.0.0:4567

Just go to http://0.0.0.0:4567 in your browser and you should find your "Hello World"

...

To add on to this, since you also ask about running in Apache or other web servers, you may want to check out these tutorials about deploying your new Sinatra-based application to Apache or Nginx:

Apache: http://www.pastbedti.me/2009/11/deploying-a-sinatra-app-with-apache-and-phusion-passenger-a-k-a-mod_rack/ and http://www.giantflyingsaucer.com/blog/?p=1716

Nginx: http://tommy.chheng.com/2009/06/09/deploying-a-sinatra-app-on-nginx-passenger-with-capistrano-and-git/

Note both tutorials cover running Sinatra via Passenger (http://www.modrails.com/ -- don't be put off by the "modrails" name :) ), which I have had good luck with in deploying apps under Apache and Nginx.