A History of Compiling Ruby

Explore the fascinating history of Ruby compilers in this 32-minute conference talk from RubyConf 2021. Delve into the world of Ruby compilation as Chris Seaton reveals that at least sixteen attempts have been made to build a compiler from Ruby to machine code. Discover the reasons behind these numerous attempts, the ideas and context surrounding each compiler, and their similarities and differences. Gain valuable insights into compilers and Ruby by examining these various projects. Follow the major advances in compiler research over the past couple of decades through the lens of Ruby. Learn about different compilers such as Rubinus and JRuby, and explore themes in compiler research. This comprehensive overview provides a unique perspective on the evolution of Ruby compilation and its impact on the programming language landscape.

Introduction
What is a Ruby Compiler
Why is it worth looking at compilers
The 25 compilers
The timeline
The space
Hotstats
Rubinius
JRuby
Compiler Research
Themes
Outro