seniorRuby

How does Bundler manage dependency resolution in Ruby applications?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

Bundler resolves gem dependencies into a locked dependency graph using Gemfile.lock.

Deep explanation

Bundler builds a dependency graph of all gems specified in Gemfile, resolves version conflicts using a SAT-like solver, and locks the resolved versions in Gemfile.lock. At runtime, it ensures only compatible gem versions are activated in the load path.

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