sudo port install wget
```bash
### Git and Subversion

Every development environment should have some source code management
tools available. We'll install both of these with one command.
```bash
sudo port install git-core +svn
```ruby
This will install git and subversion.

### oh-my-zsh

[Oh My Zsh](http://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh) is the most
amazing thing to happen to shells since... well since I said so. It's
one of my open source projects that I encourage you to give a whirl.
```bash
wget http://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh/raw/master/tools/install.sh -O - | sh
```ruby
That's it. The next time you open up your terminal, you'll be running
zsh with a bunch of stuff available. For more information, visit
<http://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh>.

### Terminal theme (optional)

I never understood why the icon for Terminal has a black background but
when you start it up the default theme is black on white.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-1b92cbx8gtuttqsbdd49qspq7f.jpg)

versus

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-8dnmpswyumfk73h942g6u4fih4.jpg)

Anyhow, I'm a fan of the the dark background. To change this, open up
preferences in Terminal. Select **Pro**, then click on the **Default**
window so that this sticks around.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-mr4q4y5btq7sscuh7ceky3ahgx.jpg)

Let's now open up a new Terminal window..

You should be looking at something like this:

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-psmj7mqsx38j1i2nj75n6hbcg7.jpg)

Much better... let's continue.

## Phase Two

We're now going to start installing everything we need to get this
running.

### Ruby 1.8.7.x

First up, Ruby.

Snow Leopard includes Ruby and Rails already installed, but we're going
to back these up for a rainy day. Just issue these commands:
```bash
$ sudo su -
Password:
:~ root# mv /usr/bin/ruby /usr/bin/ruby.orig
:~ root# mv /usr/bin/gem /usr/bin/gem.orig
:~ root# mv /usr/bin/rails /usr/bin/rails.orig
:~ root# logout
```ruby
![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-b7cxbt8andg3t7ntn17r1wahfg.jpg)

Now we'll go ahead and install a fresh copy of Ruby and RubyGems via
MacPorts.
```bash
sudo port install ruby rb-rubygems
```ruby
You should now see something like this for a bit...

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-n9xxiaqbe6bw72qr88dgurxqdp.jpg)

Let's watch a video about bumble bees.

When it finishes installing, you should check that Ruby is available to
you and installed in `/opt/local/bin`.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-tfc3ifeaau15295r9sfmfhbnm1.jpg)

We'll also take a second to create a symlink for this as some tools seem
to rely on `/usr/bin/ruby` being there.
```bash
sudo ln -s /opt/local/bin/ruby /usr/bin/ruby
```bash
Great, let's move on.

### Passenger (mod_rails)

Now that we have Ruby installed, we're going to take a quick detour to
setup Passenger with the Apache server already available on your
machine. I've been a big fan of using Passenger for your development for
over a year now.
```bash
sudo gem install passenger
```ruby
Once the gem is finished installing, you'll need to install the apache2
module with the following command:

It'll ask you to continue by pressing Enter. At this point, it'll check
that you have all the necessary dependencies and then compile everything
needed for Apache2.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-x4rcmr6m5q44etk7rad2kqpmir.jpg)

Now I'll force you to watch a highlights reel of Fernando Torres... *the
best striker in the world!*

The passenger install will then show you this output, which you'll want
to stop and read for a moment and highlight the following:

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-ms13ub2srx2axk6ti43ifiyut4.jpg)

Then using vi or emacs, you'll want to create a new file with the
following content:
```bash
vi /etc/apache2/other/passenger.conf
```text
Then paste in the following (what you highlighted and copied above.)
```apache
LoadModule passenger_module /opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/passenger-2.2.9/ext/apache2/mod_passenger.so
PassengerRoot /opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/passenger-2.2.9
PassengerRuby /opt/local/bin/ruby
```bash
You'll also want to include the following below what you just pasted.
```apache
# Set the default environment to development
RailsEnv development

# Which directory do you want Apache to be able to look into for projects?
<Directory "/Users/ryangensel/development">
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>
```ruby
You'll want to quickly start up your web sharing, which will start
Apache2 up via your System Preferences.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-ekr2g6f5seb6iif35fteyjfi74.jpg)

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-rm96gmde4d8ffwjbdyqusiqr8f.jpg)

Simple enough... moving forward.

### Passenger Pref Pane

To make things as simple as possible, I'd encourage you to install the
[Passenger Preference
Pane](http://www.fngtps.com/2009/09/new-os-more-pane-passenger-preference-pane-v1-3)
(view this post for a download).

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-ra8p88abxtnxbq3m9711gbpryb.jpg)

### Development directory

I have a directory named `development/` in my home directory, which is
where I end up storing all of my projects. This should match whatever
you put above in the apache configuration
(`<Directory "/Users/ryangensel/development">`).
```bash
mkdir development; cd development;
```ruby
### Installing Ruby on Rails via RubyGems

Now we'll use RubyGems to install the latest version of Ruby on Rails
(and all of it's dependencies).
```bash
sudo gem install rails
```ruby
![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-eyhg4t9sscbeiccs5rxkb5p35.jpg)

While this is installing, you can watch a video from my old band that
ended around the time that business started picking up for [Planet
Argon](http://planetargon.com).

Great, let's test out the install of Rails...

### Test Rails and Passenger

In your development directory, let's quickly a new Rails app...
```bash
rails testapp
```ruby
This will generate a new Rails application in a `testapp/` directory.

Now open up the **Passenger Preferences Pane** and add this directory as
a new application.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-83rjan794eqcmy62e1u4aujtiy.jpg)

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-tms89ssutthhq8rkpjm392qfpb.jpg)

Press Apply...

You should now fire up your browser of choice and head to
`http://testapp.local`. If all has worked, you'll see a, "Welcome
aboard" screen from the Ruby on Rails application.

![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-c9phjdfq8ybcu29uc5k9qiuha9.jpg)

Assuming that this worked for you, let's take a quick break to make some
tea...

## Phase Three

In this last phase, we're going to install a few database servers and
corresponding rubygems so that you can get to work.

### PostgreSQL

At [Planet Argon](http://planetargon.com), we build our web applications
on top of [PostgreSQL](http://postgresql.org). I've been a long-time
advocate of it and hope you consider using it yourself.

At this point in time, the current stable version of PostgreSQL via
MacPorts is 8.4.x. Let's install that now...
```bash
sudo port install postgresql84 postgresql84-server
```text
Once this finishes compiling, you'll need to run the following commands
to setup a new PostgreSQL database.
```bash
sudo mkdir -p /opt/local/var/db/postgresql84/defaultdb
sudo chown postgres:postgres /opt/local/var/db/postgresql84/defaultdb
sudo su postgres -c '/opt/local/lib/postgresql84/bin/initdb -D /opt/local/var/db/postgresql84/defaultdb'
```ruby
Assuming that you want PostgreSQL to always be running, you can run:
```bash
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.macports.postgresql84-server.plist
```ruby
...and to start it right now, run:
```bash
sudo launchctl start org.macports.postgresql84-server
```ruby
Before you can start using it, we'll need to make sure that the
PostgreSQL executables are available in your shell path. Since you're
now using [oh-my-zsh](http://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh), you'll
want to edit `~/.zshrc` with your favorite editor.
```bash
vi ~/.zshrc
```text
Just append this to `export PATH=` line in the file.
```bash
:/opt/local/lib/postgresql84/bin
```ruby
Your PATH might look something like the following now:
```bash
# Customize to your needs... export PATH=/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin:/opt/local/lib/postgresql84/bin
```ruby
#### Setup database user

To setup a new database (with superuser credentials), just run:
```bash
createuser --superuser ryangensel -U postgres
```ruby
We'll now test creating a database:
```bash
createdb test_db
```text
Let's test that we can access it...
```bash
➜  ~  psql test_db
psql (8.4.2)
Type "help" for help.

test_db=# \q
```text
Great, let's drop it now.
```bash
➜  ~  dropdb test_db
➜  ~  psql test_db
psql: FATAL:  database "test_db" does not exist
➜  ~
```ruby
Okay, we'll now install the library that will allow Ruby to talk to
PostgreSQL.

Just run:
```bash
sudo gem install pg
```ruby
![](http://img.skitch.com/20100208-b4cf1pm1utkf2ihd9up432etwm.jpg)

Voila... let's move on to the inferior database...

### MySQL

We're going to run through the installation of MySQL really quickly
because you might need it.
```bash
sudo port install mysql5 mysql5-server
```text
This took ages on my machine... so let's watch a video.

We'll now setup the database and make sure it starts on system boot.
```bash
sudo -u _mysql mysql_install_db5
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.macports.mysql5.plist
sudo launchctl start org.macports.mysql5
```text
Let's test that we can create a database now (and that it's running.)
```bash
➜  ~  mysql5 -u root
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 3
Server version: 5.1.43 Source distribution

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '
```text
Great, now let's install the Ruby library for MySQL.
```bash
sudo gem install mysql -- --with-mysql-dir=/opt/local