**Alternative to Ruby-packer: OCRAN** #180
Description
OCRAN (One-Click Ruby Application Next) packages Ruby applications for distribution. It bundles your script, the Ruby interpreter, gems, and native libraries into a single self-contained artifact that runs without requiring Ruby to be installed on the target machine.
OCRAN supports four output formats, all cross-platform:
- Self-extracting executable — bundles everything into a single binary that unpacks and runs transparently, with no Ruby installation required. Produces a .exe on Windows, and a native executable on Linux and macOS.
- macOS app bundle (--macosx-bundle) — wraps the executable in a .app bundle for Finder integration, Dock icons, and code signing.
- Directory (--output-dir) — copies all files into a folder with a ready-to-run launch script (.sh on Linux/macOS, .bat on Windows).
- Zip archive (--output-zip) — same as directory output, packed into a .zip
Now works on Linux and MacOS in addition to Windows!
Maintained and active in 2026