Are you supposed to include Gemfile.lock in a published gem?

Question

If you publish the source for a ruby gem to github.com, is the Gemfile.lock supposed to included?

Answer 1

This guy has strong opinions.

http://yehudakatz.com/2010/12/16/clarifying-the-roles-of-the-gemspec-and-gemfile/

Namely:

• You should include your Gemfile.lock in version control if you're developing an application
• You should not include your Gemfile.lock in version control if you're developing a gem

I'm not sure if I'm convinced yet. I think that using the Gemfile.lock in my version control is good. But I think that it is too much for that file to be included for others use. The gemfile is enough for an install for others. I think Gemfile.lock is for development, not deployment, contrary to the previously expressed opinion.

Answer 2

No, the Gemfile.lock file is an aid for deployment, not for development.

It is used to recreate an exact replica of your environment on another systems, something that is not (usually) required for development.