Before developing a new project, choosing the right technology stack is essential. There are many options for Back-End development like Python, Java, PHP, Ruby, and many more.
If you know the advantages and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails and what it is used for then choosing between Ruby on Rails and other frameworks becomes easier.
Like all other technologies, Ruby on Rails has its pluses and minuses. If you don't know this, you can’t make the right decision concerning Ruby on Rails development.
Ruby on Rails has a few beneficial arguments that developers can't ignore. As soon as all of them are combined, they decrease the development time and make the process more efficient.
This back-end framework has a number of advantages for projects:
- Extensive ecosystem
In comparison with many other frameworks, its ecosystem is what makes Ruby on Rails superior. RubyGems, a Ruby community’s gem hosting service, provides access to thousands of many gems, which can take the form of add-ons, libraries, or software snippets. Gems are ready-made solutions for different problems that streamline the development process.
- Ruby on Rails MVC
Another integral part of the Ruby on Rails framework is MVC. It means Model-View-Controller format. The approach divides the app work into three subsystems, each of which is responsible for a set of actions:
- Models handle data and business logic
- Controllers handle the user interface and application
- Views handle graphical user interface objects and presentation
Ruby on Rails MVC lets parallel development and allows programmers to speed up the engineering process three times. Ruby on Rails gives ready-to-use baskets for separation of the app business logic, in such a way a Ruby on Rails web development company can save time through its utilization.
- Consistency and clean code
The implementation of many features can be simplified by the fact that Ruby on Rails developers can utilize the ready-to-use parts of code. In such a way, the application code is clean and has high readability. As you have less code to read and sort through, all future updates are fast and seamless. This makes Ruby on Rails development time and cost efficient.
- DRY
DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) is one more of the principals Ruby on Rails is built on. If you have a repetitive task, in Ruby on Rails development, you can reuse them an unlimited number of times.
- High scalability
One more advantage is its scalability. An app built on RoR can be scaled to process thousands of requests per second sent by multiple users. This means that Ruby on Rails is a great solution for apps that are actively growing their audience.
- Security
Its security is one more benefit. Ruby on Rails has some security-centric features built in that make applications safe from SQL-injections and XSS attacks. Besides, there are a lot of gems that address other security threats.
- Time and cost efficiency
All of the features already mentioned make Ruby on Rails time and cost efficient.
- RAD
Rapid application development (RAD) is one more sphere Ruby on Rails is used for, which streamlines the process of change accommodation.
- Self-documentation
As mentioned above, Ruby code is highly readable and self-documenting (self-describing). It makes the development process quicker because the development team doesn’t have to write out separate documentation. New members in development teams should not have problems with understanding the concept and participating in existing projects.
- Test environment
This back-end framework has three default environments: production, development, and testing. The whole development cycle is optimized and you can test a product that is being developed at every stage. As a result, there are fewer bugs and errors that you should be aware of and debug. This is important to consider when you determine what is Ruby on Rails is used for.
- Convention over configuration
One of the key principles of Ruby on Rails development is convention over configuration. With its help, the time spend on configuring files is reduced. There is a set of rules in Ruby on Rails framework which makes it easier for aspiring Ruby on Rails developers to start using the framework. The code becomes readable and concise while using conventions, besides, it allows for easy navigation inside a Ruby on Rails web application.
Although Ruby on Rails has a lot of advantages, it also has some disadvantages which you need to consider before deciding what Ruby on Rails is used for and whether it is a fit or not:
- Documentation
Sometimes it is really difficult to find documentation with Ruby on Rails framework. This happens because not many developers tend to document everything as the problem is especially ever-present in the use of gems.
- Runtime speed
Runtime speed is usually called the major argument against Ruby on Rails. If you compare the runtime speeds of Ruby on Rails vs Node.JS vs GoLang, Ruby on Rails lags behind. On the other hand, when we take the Java framework Spring, RoR wins this battle.
- Boot speed
Boot speed is often named one of the most frustrating aspects about the Ruby on Rails framework. The number of files and gems utilized influences the amount of time to start the framework. Spring, a Rails application preloader, solved this problem in some way, but there is still some work to be done to resolve the issue completely.
- Website hosting
Ruby on Rails is not supported by some website hosts, because the framework needs many more resources than PHP and low-end hosting providers can’t produce the necessary processing powers.
In conclusion, Ruby on Rails does not serve any particular niche and it can be used to build different types of projects. It offers a wide range of gems that streamline the development process.
Ruby on Rails is developing very quickly. The tool which offers a way, or many ways, to create a new project from scratch in the shortest time possible will only become popular because more and more startups appear on a daily basis.
