What is Ruby on Rails Used For?

The modern development domain offers a wide list of platforms for new software creation. Each solution has its features and specifics. In the last decade, Ruby on Rails has replaced other programming languages in popularity and gained the title of the leading solution for the development of robust backend infrastructures.

It comes as a ready-made platform with tools to ensure smooth software development, like on rails. Basically, Ruby on Rails is a two-part platform, where Ruby is a general-purpose programming language and Rails is a framework for creating websites, apps, and systems. For this reason, modern companies either hire top Ruby developers or stick to outsourcing with an obligatory requirement to master this platform.

Nowadays, Ruby on Rails (RoR) is a powerful and convenient solution to build scalable modern web platforms. A wide range of tools and a convenient framework determine the high demand for Ruby specialists. Today, the number of businesses interested in this technology is higher than ever.

RoR Usage: Common Cases & Successful Applications

To begin with, let’s discuss what Ruby on Rails is used for. Ruby on Rails is a full-stack framework that can be used both for developing the server side and for creating interfaces. For server components, it has models, controllers, and routing, as well as tools for working with databases and processing requests from the client side. For interfaces, Rails has views and templates. Here are the most typical fields of language application:

1. eCommerce platforms. RoR allows for using tons of gems to ensure smooth running, which is beneficial for eCommerce platforms. Moreover, plugins and extensions for adding features like help desks, payment gateways, and email campaigns, are available. It’s possible to build in them without special coding knowledge. These features attracted Shopify developers, so the app uses Ruby on Rails.
2. Social networking apps. The ease of use and availability of reliable features through gems and plugins determine the popularity of the language for social app development. The platform allows for developing top-notch apps and solutions with minimum mental effort.
3. Content Management Systems (CMS). The language is perfect for content-focused websites. Since it has a wide library of diverse gems and ready-to-go features, developers can construct new platforms quickly and easily.

When discussing Ruby on Rails uses, let’s list the most well-known examples of apps that run based on this language. AirBnB, GitHub, Kickstarter, Fiverr, and Twitch are among the apps that use the platform for functioning. Such famous companies as Bloomberg, Crunchbase, Ask.fm, Yellow Pages, and Dribbble.com also use RoR tools and gems, which comes as an additional approval of language success.

Nowadays, it’s not obligatory to hire web developers in your team. Outsourcing is a popular way to get high-quality solutions for your businesses with minimum investment. If you need an advanced solution for your business, it’s enough to address a Ruby on Rails web development company, where skilled software developers will offer suitable solutions for your demands. Clients enjoy an individual approach and get professional consultation. Employees develop new projects, based on clients’ demands and expectations.

The Ruby on Rails Design Philosophy

Ruby is based on the idea of “putting human needs higher than computer needs”, so it is an easy-to-use scripting language. Continuing with this philosophy, Rails is designed to make the development process as simple as possible. This is achieved through two principles of the Rails philosophy:

DRY, or “don’t repeat yourself”

Its observance means that Rails handles the repetitive code common to all applications and allows users to write less code. Here’s what this looks like in practice:

• to be able to reuse and maintain the functionality of controllers, we create services that solve a specific problem and provide the final answer to controllers;
• to keep models reusable, we create containers — extensions of standard modules;
• we write functions so that they can be used in several places;
• we create a common controller that inherits properties from the action controller and is inherited by other controllers.

Because we don’t write the same information over and over again, our Ruby on Rails code is more maintainable, more scalable, and has fewer bugs.

Convention over configuration

This principle states that when developing, you should follow the conventions defined by the framework, rather than changing the platform’s configuration in your own way. Here’s what this looks like in practice:

• if we have a table called “user”, we create a model file called “user.rb” in the model folder;
• if the request goes to a user controller and index function, then the view file will be in the views → users folder, called “index.html.erb” or “index.html.haml”.

Benefits of Using Ruby on Rails

Finally, let’s mention the reasons for RoR popularity. Here’s why most developers prefer this programming language:

1. Cost-Effective. The minimum range of resources is required to use the language and write code. It supports scaling on small budgets.
2. Easy to Learn. The set of included tools and gems is wide. However, they are clear and easy to use, which is why the language is suitable even for newbies.
3. Secure. Advanced algorithms are applied to ensure the highest level of security of stored information and user cyber protection.
4. Readable. The simplicity of code writing contributes to easy and quick reading and understanding.
5. Flexible. A wide library of integrated gems and tools makes the language easily customizable for different types of projects.
6. Scalable. In-built tools allow for scaling projects to clients’ changing needs.
7. Helpful Community. It has a large community of enthusiasts who contribute to the Rails environment.

To draw the line, note that Ruby on Rails is one of the leading programming solutions in the modern digital landscape. The listed advantages explain the high demand for the language. It’s the perfect solution for beginners due to its ease of syntax and simplicity of applied gems. Now, you understand what Ruby on Rails programming language is used for and perfectly realize for what projects you can use it. The number of RoR-based web projects is on the increase, so the industry observes the tendency for RoR engineers. In this regard, more and more specialists master the programming language.