Twitter, Basecamp, and Rails, Oh My!
What do Twitter, Basecamp, Hulu, and CrunchBase have in common?
They, and many other popular websites, were built using a web application framework called Ruby on Rails (RoR). Ruby as a programming language has been around since the mid-1990s. However, Ruby on Rails is just starting to gain momentum as a corporate platform, thanks to Basecamp developer David Heinemeier Hansson and 37signals, who released it in 2005. Most commonly, Rails 3 (the most recent version) is being chosen over PHP to develop corporate applications like:
- Web-facing apps like Basecamp, Twitter, etc.
- Inventory management systems
- Work flow management tools, scheduling systems and other solutions to automate business processes
Benefits of Ruby on Rails vs PHP
Ruby on Rails applications offer a variety of benefits over those built in PHP. Some of the perks of Ruby on Rails include:
- Clearer support for best practices – In general, the Rails community has more clearly defined best practices than other open source application development platforms.
- More expressive code – Ruby on Rails code is more expressive, which allows developers to easily understand what it is supposed to do. Considering that developers typically spend up to 5 times more time modifying existing code than writing new code, working in an expressive platform can save real money on software projects and make those projects easier to support in the future.
- Performance stability for sites with heavy traffic – Having been designed to handle some of the most visited sites on the web, Ruby on Rails comes with built-in support for common performance monitoring and web site scaling tools like memcached and New Relic RPM©.
- Support of Agile developers – Most Ruby on Rails developers use the Agile development methodology, which helps bring your product to market much faster.
- Better tools – Features like enhanced automatic testing make it easier for Ruby on Rails developers to test and debug code.
Ruby on Rails Code - Such a Gem!
The best thing about Ruby on Rails is that it provides for smoother code with fewer bugs. In addition to better automatic testing, the Ruby on Rails community offers developers an entire library of pre-written, reusable code snippets for common functions called gems. These gems ensure your application runs smoothly and does what it’s supposed to, as well as:
- Reduce development time – Instead of writing code from scratch, developers can modify pre-written gems. This allows for faster development, and often, reduces the cost associated with business application development.
- Provide consistency and ease of use – The use of Ruby on Rails gem code provides consistency across your site, and throughout the entire community.
- Improve reliability – Gems are produced and tested across the Ruby on Rails community, which means that you can count on it to be smooth, reliable code because it’s already been tested and debugged.
Is A Ruby on Rails Application Right For My Business?
Ruby on Rails applications typically work best in situations where an organization needs to solve a business problem quickly and effectively, without breaking the bank. If you have a specific application in mind, and would like to know if Rails would be a good solution, send us an email. One of our technical experts will help you determine if Ruby on Rails, or another framework, best suits your needs.
You can also learn more about Ruby on Rails, and how you can use it in your organization to improve business processes and grow your organization, in this free webinar from Stone Crossing Solutions.