# RubyGems API

> RubyGems returns gem versions, release dates, downloads, authors, licenses, and dependencies as a workflow and API.

RubyGems returns a gem’s latest version, release date, description, downloads, authors, license, links, and runtime dependencies. Get gem needs a gem name or RubyGems gem page link.

- Page: https://fous.com/workflows/rubygems
- Handle: `@rubygems`
- Category: [Developer tools](https://fous.com/workflows/category/developer-tools)
- Source website: https://rubygems.org
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026
- Fous is not affiliated with RubyGems.

## Methods

### Get gem

Operation `get_gem`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Get a Ruby gem’s latest version, release date, description, downloads, authors, license, links, and runtime dependencies from its name or RubyGems link.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `gem` | string | yes | `"https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"` | Gem name or RubyGems gem page link, such as rails or https://rubygems.org/gems/rails. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "gem"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "gem": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Gem name or RubyGems gem page link, such as rails or https://rubygems.org/gems/rails.",
      "examples": [
        "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake",
        "rails"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "gem": "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"
    },
    {
      "gem": "rails"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `name` | string | `"rake"` | Gem name. |
| `authors` | array |  | Gem authors. |
| `license` | string or null | `"MIT"` | Declared license or licenses. |
| `description` | string or null | `"Ruby on Rails is a full-stack web framework optimized for programmer happiness and sustainable productivity. It encoura` | Gem summary. |
| `release_date` | string or null | `"2026-04-16"` | Release date of the latest version, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `homepage_link` | string or null | `"https://github.com/ruby/rake"` | Project homepage link. |
| `rubygems_link` | string | `"https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"` | RubyGems gem page link. |
| `latest_version` | string | `"13.4.2"` | Latest version. |
| `total_downloads` | integer | `1423548422` | Downloads across all versions. |
| `source_code_link` | string or null | `"https://github.com/ruby/rake"` | Source code link. |
| `runtime_dependencies` | array |  | Runtime dependencies and version requirements. |
| `runtime_dependencies[].name` | string | `"actioncable"` |  |
| `runtime_dependencies[].version_requirement` | string | `"= 8.1.4"` |  |
| `latest_version_downloads` | integer | `67888244` | Downloads for the latest version. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "gem": "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "name": "rake",
  "authors": [
    "Hiroshi SHIBATA",
    "Eric Hodel",
    "Jim Weirich"
  ],
  "license": "MIT",
  "description": "Rake is a Make-like program implemented in Ruby. Tasks and dependencies are\nspecified in standard Ruby syntax.\nRake has the following features:\n  * Rakefiles (rake's version of Makefiles) are complete…",
  "release_date": "2026-04-16",
  "homepage_link": "https://github.com/ruby/rake",
  "rubygems_link": "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake",
  "latest_version": "13.4.2",
  "total_downloads": 1423548422,
  "source_code_link": "https://github.com/ruby/rake",
  "runtime_dependencies": [],
  "latest_version_downloads": 67888244
}
```

## Quick start

Call the API with a Fous API key (`FOUS_API_KEY`). To create one, turn on Developer mode in Fous Studio, then open Keys & connections → API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys).

```bash
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@rubygems",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_gem",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "gem": "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
import json
import os
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = os.environ.get("FOUS_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise RuntimeError("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example")

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@rubygems\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_gem\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"gem\": \"https://rubygems.org/gems/rake\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=120) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
// First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
const apiKey = process.env.FOUS_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example");

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@rubygems",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_gem",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "gem": "https://rubygems.org/gems/rake"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

Or describe the data in plain language: send `{"api":"@rubygems","prompt":"Describe the data you need, with every detail"}` to the same URL. Fous fills in the input, runs the method that fits and returns only the fields you asked for; `data.route.calls[].request` is the exact call it made. Routing is free; the run costs the same.

## Use cases

- Compare gem downloads across projects
- Check the latest version before upgrading
- Review a gem’s runtime dependencies
- Find gem authors, license, and project links

## FAQ

### Is Fous affiliated with RubyGems?

No. Fous is not affiliated with RubyGems. This workflow reads the public rubygems.org website and returns its data.

### How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a RubyGems account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from rubygems.org when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.

### What is a gem’s latest version?

Use Get gem to retrieve the latest version and its release date.

### How many downloads does a gem have?

Use Get gem to see total downloads across all versions and downloads for the latest version.

### Which runtime dependencies does a gem require?

Use Get gem to retrieve runtime dependencies and their version requirements.

## Related

- [npm API](https://fous.com/workflows/npm.md): npm provides package details, search results and latest versions, plus weekly download and publish data; daily and historical download counts may lag by a day or more.
- [PyPI API](https://fous.com/workflows/pypi.md): PyPI provides package metadata, links, and current/latest plus 10 recent versions; release dates reflect first file uploads, and keyword searches return up to 100 packages.
- [NuGet API](https://fous.com/workflows/nuget.md): The .NET package gallery for discovering and sharing packages.
- [crates.io API](https://fous.com/workflows/crates-io.md): crates.io is the Rust community package registry, returning current crate details and recent releases or up to 100 keyword-matched crates with version, download, and update information.
- [Docker Hub API](https://fous.com/workflows/docker-hub.md): Docker Hub helps find and publish container images, search public images, and view image details and recently updated tags; pull totals may lag or be unavailable.
- [GitHub API](https://fous.com/workflows/github.md): GitHub returns public repository matches and details, up to 25 trending projects, issues, pull requests, and newest-first published releases; release or commit dates may be unavailable.
- [Maven Central API](https://fous.com/workflows/maven-central.md): Find Java libraries, releases, and dependency coordinates on Maven Central.
- [WordPress.org API](https://fous.com/workflows/wordpress-org.md): WordPress.org’s public plugin directory returns up to 100 ranked search matches with ratings, installations, compatibility and links, plus best-match details and the latest-version changelog when available.
- [All Developer tools workflows](https://fous.com/workflows/category/developer-tools)