If you’ve been exploring web development, you’ve probably heard of Ruby on Rails. Maybe a friend mentioned it, or you saw it in a job posting. Either way, you’re wondering what makes it special.

Here’s the short version: Ruby on Rails, often just called “Rails,” is a web framework that helps you build websites and applications faster. It’s an open-source tool written in the Ruby programming language that takes care of repetitive tasks so you can focus on what makes your project unique.

Modern web applications can be complex, with many layers to manage. Rails simplifies this process by providing a pre-built structure for your code. In this post, we’ll explore what Rails is, its advantages and disadvantages, what it’s used for, and the jobs you can get with this powerful framework.

What is Ruby on Rails?

Ruby on Rails is two things combined: the Ruby language and the Rails framework.

First, there’s Ruby, a programming language known for being readable and friendly. If you are new to coding, Ruby often feels like writing in plain English. It was designed with the goal of making developers happy. Here’s a simple Ruby code snippet that cycles through a list of languages and prints all the entries that start with the letter “r.”

languages = ['Python', 'Ruby', 'JavaScript', 'Rust', 'Go', 'R', 'Java', 'Racket']

languages.each do |language|
  puts language if language.downcase.start_with?('r')
end

Then there’s Rails, a framework built with Ruby. Think of it as a toolkit that comes with everything you need to build a website. It provides default structures for your code, databases, and the web pages your application will serve. Need database connections, user authentication, or file organization? Rails has you covered.

When you use Ruby on Rails, you are using both at once.

Is Ruby on Rails back-end or front-end?

Ruby on Rails is primarily a back-end, or server-side, framework. It handles everything that happens behind the scenes, like managing databases, authenticating users, processing business logic, and sending data to the browser.

For the front-end, which is what users see and interact with, Rails works alongside HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The framework generates the HTML that browsers display and can integrate with modern frontend libraries like React or Vue for more complex user interfaces.

Rails uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern. This is a common and effective way to organize code in web development. The MVC pattern separates an application into three interconnected parts:

• The Model: This holds the application’s data structure and logic.
• The View: This represents the visual part of the web app, creating the web page templates that users see.
• The Controller: This connects the Model and the View, containing the business logic that drives the application.

This pattern makes Rails flexible and useful for a wide range of web applications, from simple sites to complex platforms.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails?

Like any technology, Rails has its own set of strengths and tradeoffs.

The advantages:

One of the biggest benefits is its philosophy of “convention over configuration.” This means Rails makes smart, standard decisions for you, so you don’t have to set up every detail from scratch. This makes development quick and easy, allowing a small team to build and deploy an application rapidly.

Rails also comes with built-in security features. It offers protection against common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting, giving you a head start on keeping your application and its users safe.

Finally, the Rails community is massive and supportive. When you encounter a problem, there’s a good chance someone else has already solved it. You can find “gems” (Rails plugins) for almost any functionality you want to add, from payment processing to file uploads.

The tradeoffs:

Because Rails includes so much functionality, it can sometimes feel heavy for very simple projects. Performance is solid for most applications, but it isn’t the fastest framework available. If your project needs to handle millions of requests per second, you might need to implement significant optimizations or consider a different tool.

There is also a learning curve. Rails performs a lot of “magic” behind the scenes, which is powerful once you understand it. When you are just starting out, it can be a challenge to figure out what is happening and why.

What is Ruby on Rails used for?

Rails powers websites you probably use every day. Companies like GitHub, Shopify, and Airbnb all built their initial platforms with Rails. It is especially well-suited for:

• E-commerce sites that need shopping carts, payment integration, and inventory management.
• Social platforms with user profiles, activity feeds, and messaging.
• Content management systems (CMS) for blogs, news sites, and portfolios.
• Software as a Service (SaaS) products that require subscriptions, user dashboards, and data handling.

The framework excels at managing complex database relationships. If your app needs to connect users to posts, comments, and likes, Rails makes that process straightforward.

Is Ruby on Rails a dying language?

No. Let’s clear this up: Ruby on Rails is not dying, and the Ruby programming language is very much alive. In the most recent Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 5.9% of all respondents said they’ve done extensive development work on Ruby on Rails in the past year.

While new frameworks emerge all the time, Rails remains a stable and reliable choice. Thousands of companies depend on their Rails applications, creating a steady demand for developers to maintain, update, and add new features to them.

The framework also continues to evolve. The latest versions include modern features like real-time updates and better performance, ensuring Rails adapts to the changing web without losing the principles that made it great.

What jobs do you need to know Ruby on Rails for?

Knowing Ruby on Rails opens the door to a variety of well-paying tech roles. Here are a few common roles where you will find Rails:

• Full-Stack Engineer: These developers build both the backend logic and the frontend interface. Rails is a key skill for roles that require handling everything from database design to user-facing features.
• Back-End Engineer: Focused on the server side, these developers work with databases, write business logic, and build APIs. Rails is a perfect fit for these responsibilities.
• Software Engineer: At startups and mid-size companies, Rails is frequently used. These roles are often broad, involving work on new features, bug fixes, performance optimization, and product strategy.

Get started with Ruby on Rails

Ready to get hands-on with Ruby on Rails? Here’s how to start.

You’ll want to learn Ruby first. Our Learn Ruby course teaches you the fundamentals — variables, loops, methods, and everything else you need before diving into Rails.

From there, you can jump into Rails itself:

The best part? You’ll be building real projects the whole time. Not just reading about Rails, but actually creating websites that work.

Pick a simple idea you want to build. A blog, a to-do list, a recipe tracker. Rails gives you the structure and tools. You bring the ideas.

Start with Ruby basics, then move into Rails. You’ll be surprised how quickly you go from complete beginner to building real web applications.

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