Ruby on Rails (RoR) is known to have significantly revolutionized the world of software development. The creation of Rails made Ruby gain momentum as a programming language, and generally, many non-developers usually confuse the two terms. Launching Ruby on Rails brought a new approach to building web applications making it possible to create numerous products using this framework. If you have the basic software development skills, the understanding, and you’ve got the experience in using Ruby, you’re good to enter the RoR world.

What is Ruby on Rails?

Ruby is a dynamic, interpreted, and general-purpose language usually used in object-oriented programming projects. It typically resembles English, and the written codes can, to some extent, even be understood by an individual who doesn’t do programming.

Therefore, Ruby on Rails refers to a popular open-source web development framework for application development written in the Ruby programming language. Ruby on Rails offers various components of successful web projects like Object Relational Mapping (ORM) system for routing, application management, and business data and logic.

Ruby on Rails allows a programmer to use ready-made solutions to common problems, which saves them both time and money during the whole process of development.

Why Ruby on Rails is used in software development

You might be wondering what software development technologies to use when building your applications, but you can simply choose Ruby on Rails. Although there are many other widely used frameworks and languages such as Java, PHP, and python when developing your software projects, RoR still stands out. 

There are many reasons for this, but primarily it remains the better choice than the other tools.

Before deciding on using RoR for your project, you must first understand what makes it different from the other frameworks. Here is an overview of the main reasons you may want to use RoR for your software development projects:

1. Sophisticated data protection

RoR offers protection against the ongoing popular web application hacking that has been occurring so often worldwide. Data protection was a priority when Ruby on Rails was being developed. It entails encryption of passwords, information on credit cards, and other personal data of the users. 

2. RoR is simple, clear, and logical.

These aspects make Ruby on Rails recommendable for beginners. When new software specialists join your team, a unified framework allows them to quickly and smoothly join the ongoing project reducing the time and cost of onboarding all the fresh rails developers. Creating software with the least time possible also, in turn, reduces the overall development costs.

3. RoR is fast and easy in software development.

Codes are backed by typical programming conventions instead of using developer-defined configurations when working with the coding by convention approach (convention-over-configuration). This accelerates the software development process and maintains code consistency. Also, the use of MVC (model view controller) speeds up the process, allows you to address defects quickly, and easily make any changes to any customer business requirement. 

4. RoR offers comprehensive and ready-made solutions for developers.

Being an open-source programming framework, Ruby on Rails regularly releases new fixes and updates, which are referred to as gems. For instance, the rails community creates various tools for data storage. They then implement the necessary aspects for the language after knowing that those tools are in high demand. When the framework has a large number of contributors, it will be easier to make improvements or detect and fix bugs quickly. 

5. Database 

RoR typically works with all SQL databases, which allows you to focus on implementing business tasks instead of writing numerous low-level SQL commands over time. You can write similar codes for any supported database if you’re working with databases such as Active Record and Postgresql. 

6. Automated testing

Testing allows you to detect errors at the early stages of your software development. RoR has an integrated testing function that regularly checks the authenticity and quality of the code you’re writing. 

A test directory is created automatically when RoR projects are built. Tests can be done after software development and production. You can just run a single test file or test the whole code at once on the test mode.

In the current fast-paced and overly demanding software development global community, world-class frameworks are like magic bullets for programmers. Building your applications using Ruby on Rails is very easy and fast. It’s simply the perfect choice whether you’re under a tight deadline or budget. With Rails, you will be able to use ready-made elements key in software development. Besides, its unique design will allow any programmer to use ‘The Rails Way’-explicit development practices. Decide to use RoR in your next software development project. It will not only help you bring the best out of this underlying technology but also will give your project an enormous boost!

Also Read: 6 Ruby Programming Tips and Tricks