Ruby Vs Ruby on Rails What's the distinction? - (r)

Dec 14, 2023
Illustration representing Ruby and Ruby on Rails development.

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Many people confuse Ruby with Ruby on Rails. In the end, even though there are some fundamental differences the similar names that they have in common and their shared origin continue to confuse even among developers who are relatively new.

This article will help you understand the confusion by exploring the origins of their interconnectedness, and offering the basics on how to program using Ruby or start making your own applications using Ruby with Rails.

Ruby From Ruby Rails Ruby Rails

How do you make Ruby unique in comparison to Ruby on Rails?

Let's go a bit deeper into each.

What is Ruby?

Ruby was created in 1993 by Japanese software developer Yukihiro Matsumoto and is called Matz. The initial version of Ruby, Ruby 0.95, came out on Dec. 21st, 1995.

According Matz Matz the guiding concepts he employed to create Ruby was to create an programming language that was a joy to program and was enjoyable for other developers to use and also one that would reduce the work needed for programming.

We will discuss a few of the most important characteristics of Ruby.

Versatile Programming Language

Ruby is considered to be a pure and object-oriented language. Everything that is written in Ruby includes an element of object. Even the basic types of data such as integers come with methods, instance variables and support for method chaining.

For instance, you can, use two different methods to calculate an integer. Using the dots notation to identify the precise value before raising it up in the order of 3 in a single line. Look at the code below. In this example, abs is used to compute the absolute value of -3. Likewise, pow(3) raises the absolute value of -3 to the power of 3.

value = -3.abs.pow(3)

Ruby is a general-purpose programming software that can be used by developers to develop various kinds of software. It also supports the approach of functional programming, in which programs consist of a variety of instructions that are grouped into similar procedures to functions.

Libraries

Ruby provides a variety of built-in libraries to developers. Additionally, the Ruby library is bundled with an application manager called RubyGems which includes a variety of applications that are known as gems. They created by developers in members of the Ruby community. The gems are able to extend or modify the functionality and capabilities of existing Ruby apps.

Each gem comes with a an appropriate code, instruments for testing, documentation and a gemspec -- the file containing details on the gemstone. The gemspec contains the gemstone's name, description and the dependencies it has to.

For example, consider the well-known K8s client gem. Ruby developers can incorporate this gem in their app and gain access to the Kubernetes client library.

There are gems out there specially designed to be used in specific scenarios such as top stories from NY Times. Like the title suggests, it is possible to include this gem in your app in order to retrieve the most recent headlines taken from the New York Times.

Utilization of Ruby

Some examples include:

  • Ruby on Rails and Padrino Padrino: Web-based application frameworks. In fact, Ruby powers the same framework as the one it's being compared to in this post.
  • Capybara together with Minitest Automating and testing instruments.
  • Chef, Puppet: DevOps platforms.
  • Passenger A web or a server.

Benefits and disadvantages of Ruby

Ruby offers several advantages over other languages of programming. However, it also has certain negatives. Below are a few elements of the advantages Ruby can offer (and disadvantages). Make sure to consider these points in deciding if Ruby is suitable for you or you'd rather utilize a programming language like Python or C#.

Pros

  • Simple to use, and comes with features that are built-in to the system for development.
  • Many third-party libraries were developed by a team comprised from Ruby developers.
  • It is designed to boost productivity while minimizing work- so it boasts quicker development time than many other languages.

Cons

  • Performance can be slow because the high consumption of memory and poor garbage removal.
  • A general purpose language which is better suited for web development - but not as well-suited for other domains such as desktop development.

What is Ruby on Rails?

The directory structure of a Ruby on Rails project.
Framework that is pre-built for an Ruby on Rails project.

Utilizing the MVC architecture, you can utilize Ruby on Rails to create fully-stack apps that extend across both front and back side.

David Heinemeier Hansson released Ruby on Rails as an open source project during the year 2004. Hansson came up with Ruby on Rails while working on the project management tool Basecamp that was created through the firm 37Signals. Ruby on Rails places a significant emphasis on an approach based on the " convention over configuration" (CoC) principle as well as using the " don't repeat yourself" (DRY) principle. CoC can help developers to write down less code and develop fewer configurations, if they adhere to the predefined guidelines. DRY reduces redundancy and the repetition of the same patterns.

As Ruby, Ruby on Rails was the most popular in its initial years, and is now fading as new frameworks emerged. Despite that, it's matured throughout the years and earned a solid reputation. The developers still use Rails because of its conventions of programming, making software simple to learn and also write. Additionally, it speeds up the development process as well as the time it takes to get into market.

Uses to run Ruby on Rails

While Ruby is a versatile framework, it has an array of possibilities, Ruby on Rails is specifically focused. This framework is geared exclusively towards developing web-based apps. Although it has only a limited focus, when you consider the things it can do is extremely efficient. Ruby on Rails has been used to create a variety of the most well-known websites, including GitHub, Twitch, Soundcloud, Shopify, Hulu, Airbnb and BaseCamp.

The advantages and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails

Since it is an open-source framework Ruby on Rails offers several advantages that programmers with a wide range of expertise will benefit from. It's also not with no restrictions. Because choosing a framework may be as important in deciding upon your preferred programming language, you should consider these factors to help make the right call.

Pros

  • Framework that is open source and open source and is free to use.
  • Benefits from Ruby's vast environment.
  • An abundance of gems, or libraries, make Ruby on Rails an extremely productive framework.
  • This allows for faster prototyping. This is an ideal choice for MVPs.

Cons

  • The excessive amount of dependency on gems causes slower boot times, negatively impacting the efficiency of the developers.
  • The predefined structure and the standard components makes it simple to build normal web applications using Ruby on Rails. It also creates a lack of flexibility, which makes it difficult to customize.
  • The faster development time is accompanied by slow performance. It is typically because of problems with the server and database architecture. It is more apparent once an application is extended.

Ruby as well as Ruby Rails Rails The Most Important Differences

In this article, we've reviewed the individual details that make up Ruby along with Ruby on Rails. Now let's look at their fundamental differences.

The Feature Ruby Ruby on Rails
Language vs Framework A programming language written in C. A web development framework written in Ruby. Ruby on Rails does not use its own syntax, as it is based on Ruby as the language for programming. Ruby on Rails is used to enhance the capability of Ruby to build web-based applications.
Security In Ruby the data is an object. This means all data can be encapsulated, which helps to make the language more secure. Ruby on Rails takes security up a notch by securing against cross-site scripting (XSS) as well as preventing SQL injection, protecting from cross-site request fraud (CSRF) and also blocking vulnerabilities in logging.
Principles Ruby is based on the notion of designing user interfaces, with the aim to improve the efficiency of programmers. Ruby on Rails emphasizes using CoC as well as DRY principles to increase developers' productivity as well as reduce duration of work.
Utilization Ruby is a general-purpose programming language that developers can utilize for a wide range of different platforms, such as the web or desktop along with different software tools. Ruby on Rails is solely employed for web development.

Ruby Vs Ruby on Rails How to Get Started First

After we've talked about the differentiators between Ruby as well as Ruby on Rails and Ruby on Rails You might be wondering which one you should know first. It's the language or the framework. Choose the language first. That is If you want to learn Ruby on Rails, first learn Ruby independently. The process of learning Ruby initially isn't necessary for mastering Ruby on Rails.

But, it's the best way to start since you'll have to learn Ruby at some point. It is always wise to master the basics of the programming language which the framework is based before you attempt to learn the framework.

Summary

The article discussed the obvious confusion that arises from the similarly named Ruby and Ruby on Rails. Once we've explored the history and popularity of Ruby and Ruby on Rails and explained the crucial and essential distinctions between them, it's clear that they're not two different things.

The differences were highlighted by describing and listing some of the most popular uses for Ruby as well as Ruby on Rails as well as the advantages and drawbacks in addition to a list of a few well-known websites as well as applications and software tools developed using Ruby or run on Ruby on Rails. Ruby is a part of the Rails framework.

Both languages were created to make programming enjoyable and increase productivity. But the primary difference is the fact that Ruby is a language used for programming, which can be used to create web or desktop-based applications. In contrast, Ruby on Rails is a web-based framework which significantly enhances the capabilities of Ruby.

It is not possible to make use of Ruby on Rails when you are working with having Ruby. Ruby on Rails takes advantage of the security features built into Ruby as well as adds new security functions that make it a secure framework. Additionally, Ruby is based on the notion of designing user interfaces. Ruby on Rails has been developed in accordance with the principles that formed the basis of DRY and CoC.

Steve Bonisteel

Steve Bonisteel is a Technical Editor on the website. His career began in the field of journalism as a newspaper reporter who chased fire trucks. He has been covering internet-related technologies since the mid 1990s.

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