The web development arena has undergone a massive transformation over the years. Developers are utilizing leading frameworks for creating functional and scalable websites. Ruby on Rails happens to be a worthy inclusion in this list of functional frameworks. With a majority of developers opting for it, Ruby on Rails has long enjoyed great popularity in the tech world.

That brings us to a major point of discussion. Do developers like Ruby on Rails? Or they don’t want to use it? Here are our views on this topic.

Understanding the framework

Ruby on Rails is beneficial in ways more than one. Compared to some of the most popular and widely-used frameworks, Rails seems to be a much better option. Check out the following aspects to know about what makes Ruby-on-Rails so effective.

1.     Mature framework

We all know the importance of a robust framework for a web development project. Ruby-on-Rails is based on reliable, robust, and solid foundations. If you are working on solutions built on strong codes, Ruby-on-Rails will act as the perfect support system.

The mature framework ensures other benefits too. Developers will enjoy access to open-source and powerful freebies that cut down costs to a great extent.

2.     Creating robust and powerful codes

Ruby-on-Rails is a dynamic framework which helps you create strong codes. Unlike PHP, Rails offers a dynamic yet strict coding structure. While making alterations or scaling up the program, developers won’t have to deal with bugs or other issues.

3.     Not-so-easy-to-learn

Now, that’s confusing! When a particular framework is tough to learn, developers won’t like to work on it. However, things are a little different here. Every developer can’t master the art of using Ruby-on-Rails. The ones that can do it successfully are high in demand.

If you are comfortable working on Rails, you will emerge as a highly efficient, skilled, and credible developer. That’s a huge boost to your image and portfolio!

4.     Clean and elegant

Developers like to use Rails as it has a clean, uncomplicated, and elegant coding structure. It is extensible, which is the key to creating scalable codes. If you are working for a client, you can be sure of delivering highly scalable, clean, and extensible codes.

5.     Reduced development time

With reduced development time, developers can execute numerous projects within the shortest time span. You can handle bulk projects at a time, thus delivering quality work to your clients.

6.     A strong community

Ruby-on-Rails receives the best maintenance. A community of skilled and dynamic developers make Ruby on Rails the best framework to work with. With an expressive language, pragmatic framework, and active community, Rails has everything that a developer can wish for.

Final thoughts

There’s no denying the value that Rails provides for your web development project. With numerous users relying on this framework, it is surely heading towards a bright future. As of now, we can say, Ruby-on-Rails is far from being a nightmare. At least, not for developers!

The Ruby community is amazing and there is a lot of positive energy, enthusiasm to support every developer associated with it. This has kept the demand for Ruby and Rails on part of the developers quite high since the platform was first launched. However, Ruby and Rails are quite different aspects of the language and it is important to know how each work to create a successful product.

Ruby on Rails officially stepped into the web space on July 2004 when David Heinemeier created the Basecamp web application – a project management tool. However, the language got its first impetus when Apple recognized the potential and decided to ship it with its Mac OS X v.10.5 “Leopard” on August 2006. Through a series of regular updates and upgrades, Ruby and Rails is believed to be one of the most elegant programming languages today.

Similar to any other web application framework, Ruby on Rails uses Model View Controller (MVC) for its architecture. It brings in tools that make it a whole lot easier to create development functions for websites and applications. Rails, as of today, have been in the news for more than a decade now and for Ruby, the development experience is double. Both languages have created their specific territories. Here we look at the technical and existential challenges and opportunities that each face.

The changing programming environment

The main aim behind Ruby and Rails was to make work easier for the programmer. The simple, easy to use, constantly updated and highly supported frameworks have weaved a success story for both. With Rails, prototyping web apps are a matter of seconds and a striking example of the same can be seen with the Twitter bootstrap module. Several other sites including Hulu and GitHub work on the same principle. Rails, thus remains one of the broadest of practical applications. Even the high demand for Ruby somehow revolves around Rails. Ruby expertise goes hand in hand with JavaScript skills in the job market today.

The above points hint that Rails has been the driving factor for the Ruby business. With more performance improvements coming in, there is certainly a long way to go.

Libraries and scripting

Ruby, like Python, has been highly useful to automate tasks and stitch together various functionalities from across the web. The “Gems” package from Ruby is easy to install and so are third party applications and SDKs. However, Python gets an edge with its specialized computing features, specifically related to maths and science. Ruby addresses the gap with features like SciRuby and both languages bring forward a healthy competition.

However, Libraries and Scripting from Ruby and Rails still have alternatives and this lowers its competitiveness.

Speed, scale and asynchronicity

This is where Ruby and Rails could be said to be on the losing end. Several legacy projects done with Rails are suffering for their poor performance scale. At the same time, the programs are being re-written in competing languages like Go and Node.js. A glaring example of this failure has been Parse, a mobile application outfit that switched from Ruby to Go to achieve better scale. Similarly, Twitter, which was originally a Ruby project, was replaced with Scala and a custom Java-based solution.

While it has been a great experience with Ruby, it needs to be maintained and preserved to continue existing as opposed to bringing/building new tools.

Ruby on Rails is a web application framework designed to be a part of the Ruby programming language. It is important to know that Rails is not the same thing as Ruby. In fact, Ruby on Rails is a smart collection of shortcuts that are written using Ruby and lets developers build websites and web applications really quick. Consequently, it is highly recommended for beginners into the coding industry.

Interestingly, though Ruby on Rails is a small part of the Ruby framework, it alone has been able to create websites like Scribd, Groupon, Kickstarter, SlideShare, Zendesk, Shopify, SoundCloud, Hulu and many more. Ruby on Rails makes it easier and fun to develop entire web ecosystem for brands and is also one of the most in-demand thing if you are looking for a job in the programming / web development industry. Good Ruby on Rails developers are however very hard to find.

Here are some important reasons why every programmer should get acquainted with Ruby on Rails development:

1.       Beginner friendly

Every beginner would love the “cleanliness” of coding that Ruby on Rails offers. It’s easy to pick up, easy to read, easy to review and an effective way of understanding the relationship between front end architecture and back end development. Even experienced programmers use Ruby on Rails to pump out high quality apps in little time.

2.       Suits MVP

For any tech startup, it is not just important to gain customer approval but also being able to provide reasons for it. Ruby on Rails allows programmers to create MVP prototypes quickly that showcase how the startup is going to operate. It is just like creating a blue print before diving into the actual project process. Blueprints / prototypes using Ruby on Rails will allow you to approach and gain the client’s trust.

3.       Keeps investment under limit

Put simply, learning Ruby on Rails is cheap. Regardless of whether you opt for a free online course, a boot camp or a certified part time course, a Ruby on Rails course will be based upon the time that you invest. Programmers of any experience level will be able to create apps that with surprise the audience.

4.       Happy to be a developer

Ruby is object oriented, reflective, highly dynamic and a general purpose programming language. Originally created for “developer happiness” by Matz (Yukihiro Matsumoto) from Japan in the mid 1990s, Ruby on Rails has now become the first language that any developer learns. The coding structure is very easy to follow and will also help you bring out your creative side as opposed to banging your head over complicated scripts for simple functions. In simple words, with Ruby on Rails, you would be investing most of your talent into creating something unique.

5.       A great community

Apart from being easy to learn, Ruby on Rails is backed up an amazing community of developers who are ready to help and answer queries. You get loads of free tutorials and build groups who come together to create originality.