by The Computing Australia Group | Wondering why your developer is adamant about building your blog with ruby on rails? Ruby on Rails is an incredibly flexible platform for web applications. Rails has many advantages that make it among the top ten web application development frameworks. Before we see what makes it so popular with app developers in Perth and other parts of the world, let us quickly recap what Ruby on Rails (or Rails) is.
What is Ruby on Rails?
Rails is a very productive web application framework written in Ruby. It is open-source and full-stack – it has everything you need to build a fantastic application. Three things mainly contribute to making it the platform of choice among developers.Model-View-Controller (MVC)
In the MVC architecture, a web app has three layers.- Model contains the codes for the application data and rules to manipulate it.
- View contains the HTML files that determine how users interact with the application.
- Controller is the communicator between Model and View. It instructs Model how to process requests, and View on how to display the result to the user.
Rails allows for well-defined divisions between layers and better decoupling and testing.
Convention-over-Configuration (CoC)
You already have everything you need in the default set of conventions. So, a developer needs to configure only the unconventional aspects of the application – which means less coding and fast development.
Don’t-Repeat-Yourself (DRY)
A developer does not need to repeat code for similar or related elements – DRY reduces repetition of information and patterns. This makes the code more maintainable and less prone to errors
These principles make Rails the go-to framework for developers. So, how do these convert into advantages for businesses?
Advantages of Ruby on Rails
Simple to use
Ruby on Rails’ syntax uses simple language that is intuitive and logical, whichallows developers to write clean and maintainable code quickly. Theframework’s reliance on set standards means less code is needed, speeding updevelopment. Rails’ set standards and patterns mean less coding for developers.Cost-effective
Rails’ is open-source – you can avoid the licensing costs of other frameworks. It runs well on Linux (which again is open-source) and works quite efficiently with most free web servers. Its extensive libraries (gems) and rapid development time further reduce overallproject costs, making it an ideal choice for businesses working within tight budgets.Quality
With Rails you can avoid boilerplate codes, that is, you don’t need to write a lot of code for minimal jobs. This helps developers to spend time and effort on understanding and developing business-specific applications. Built-in testing helps to makes testing easier and ensures quality. With the addition of features like Hotwire and Stimulus for modern webdevelopment, Rails enables faster prototyping and iterations.Fast development
Rails’ development time is about 25-50% faster than other frameworks. Ready to use functionalities, open-source code, large number of free libraries, lean code base all contribute to faster development using Rails.Easy Maintenance and Updates
Rails’ Convention over Configuration and Don’t Repeat Yourself principlesmake it easier to modify and update applications. This, combined with Rails’strong community support, ensures long-term maintainability.Secure
Rails provides security against many threats, including cross-site request forgery, SQL injection, and forceful browsing. The large and active Railscommunity contributes to a growing ecosystem of gems and updates, keeping theframework secure and adaptable in 2024.Supportive Community
Rails has a highly active and supportive community. Libraries and new features are regularly updated. The large community means that developers can get a speedy solution to any query.Rails is suitable for most industries and business purposes within organizations. The Computing Australia Group, the software development team in Perth works with Rails as part of our Rapid Application Development. We have developed over 400 commercial applications using Rails. Talk to our experts today or email us at sales@computingaustralia.group to find how Rails can convert your requirements into a custom app.
Jargon Buster
Ruby on Rails, often referred to as Rails, is an open-source web application framework written in the Ruby programming language. It follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, which helps in organizing application programming.SQL injection (SQLi)is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to interfere with the queries that an application makes to its database. This can enable the attacker to view, modify, or delete data that they are not normally authorized to access.
Hotwire is a modern front-end framework for Ruby on Rails applications, introduced with Rails 7. It stands for HTML Over The Wire and is designed to create fast, dynamic web applications without writing much JavaScript”
Stimulus is a lightweight JavaScript framework that is part of the Hotwire suite, designed to enhance the interactivity of your Ruby on Rails applications without the need for heavy JavaScript.
Boilerplate codes – sections of codes where you are repeating the same or similar codes in many places with little or no alteration
Syntax – structure of statements in a computer language
