I need to update a couchdb document, when I and run the following
command in ruby irb

      CouchRest.put('http://localhost:5984/db', {"_id": "1","_rev":
"sdf", "test": "testing"})

I get an error -

RestClient::Request::Unauthorized: 401 Unauthorized:
{"error":"unauthorized","reason":"You are not a server admin."}

While in the same console I am able to successfully run -

      CouchRest.post('http://localhost:5984/db', {"test": "testing"})

Could somebody help with this please.

Cheers!

In your example, you're creating a DB, which you need admin access for.

It looks like you're trying to create a document, which should be more like:
 CouchRest.put('http://localhost:5984/db/1', { "test": "testing"})

Notice the /1 at the end of the URL, which is the _id you specified in your
example.

~Ryan