Ruby is a high-level, interpreted programming language that was first released in 1995 by Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto. It is designed to be easy to use and understand, with a simple and flexible syntax that makes it popular among developers.

Ruby is a dynamic language, meaning that variables do not need to be declared before they are used, and the type of a variable can change at runtime. It also includes a number of modern language features, such as garbage collection, first-class functions, and metaprogramming.

One of the key features of Ruby is its focus on developer productivity. The language includes a number of built-in features and libraries that make it easy to perform common tasks, such as string manipulation, file I/O, and regular expressions. Ruby also includes a powerful object-oriented programming model, which allows developers to easily build complex applications with reusable code.

Ruby is commonly used in web development, with popular frameworks such as Ruby on Rails and Sinatra. It is also used in automation and scripting, and many system administrators use Ruby to write scripts to automate routine tasks.

Ruby has a large and active community of developers, and there are many resources available to help developers learn the language and develop applications. The community has developed a large number of open-source libraries and frameworks, which makes it easy to build complex applications with Ruby.

In summary, Ruby is a high-level, interpreted programming language that is designed to be easy to use and understand. Its focus on developer productivity and flexible syntax make it popular among developers, particularly in the web development community. Its dynamic features and powerful object-oriented programming model make it well-suited for building complex applications, and its active community and many resources make it easy to learn and use.