Side by side
rbenv vs tenv
Both stand on runtime version managers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMac
Choose rbenv if you want Ruby version selection tied to project directories, with global and shell-level options as well. Its free, open-source approach and plugin support are useful for customizing version selection. Look elsewhere if you need the core tool itself to install Ruby; that task requires ruby-build.
Visit rbenv Free plan LinuxMacWindows
tenv provides broad version selection and HCL-based detection for several infrastructure tools. Its verification coverage differs by tool, and the Docker image has a stated CI limitation.
Visit tenvThe facts
| rbenv | tenv | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Not published |
| Plans published | 1 | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | rbenv.org | tofuutils.github.io |
| On runtime version managers | #21 of 30 | #25 of 30 |
rbenv: what it does well
- Automatically switches versions based on a project's `.ruby-version` file.
- Supports global, per-project, and shell-session version selection.
- Shims route Ruby executable commands to the selected version.
- Plugins can hook into or override much of the default behavior.
- Free and open source under the MIT license.
What to know first
- Installing Ruby requires the separate ruby-build plugin.
- New Ruby releases may require upgrading ruby-build first.
- The installer is intended for casual use on a user's own development machine.
tenv: what it does well
- Manages five infrastructure tools
- Parses HCL version constraints
- Supports exact and prerelease versions
- Cross-platform support
- Free Apache 2.0 project
What to know first
- Verification varies by tool
- Some releases lack signatures
- Docker image not intended for CI pipelines
- GitHub downloads may need token configuration