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

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There are many people who confuse Ruby with Ruby on Rails. In the end, even though there are some fundamental differences the similar names they share and their shared origin continue to confuse even among the newest developers.

This article is going to clear that confusion, exploring the history of their interconnectedness and offering the basics on how you can code using Ruby or jump straight into developing with Ruby with Rails.

From Ruby From Ruby Rails

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

Let's go a bit deeper into each.

What exactly is Ruby?

Ruby was developed in 1993 by Japanese software programmer Yukihiro Matsumoto who is also referred to as Matz. The first version of Ruby, Ruby 0.95, was released on Dec. 21st, 1995.

According Matz Matz the guiding principles that he used when creating Ruby were to design a programming language that he loved to program in, that was fun for other developers to use as well as a language that minimized the amount of work required for programming.

Let us discuss some of the most important features in Ruby.

Versatile Programming Language

Ruby is considered a pure, object-oriented language. Everything in Ruby has an element of object. Even the simplest data types such as integers come with methods, instance variables, as well as support for method chaining.

You can, for instance, use two different methods on an integer, using the dot notation to find the exact value, and then raise it to the power of three within one line. Take a look at the code below. In this example, abs can be used to calculate the value absolute of -3, and pow(3) raises the absolute value of -3 to the power of 3.

value = -3.abs.pow(3)

Ruby is an all-purpose programming language developers can utilize to build different types of applications. It also supports the functional programming approach, where programs are an array of instructions that are grouped into functions-like procedures.

Libraries

Ruby has a broad range of libraries built-in for developers. Also, the Ruby library comes with the package manager RubyGems which includes an array of programs that are called gems and were developed by developers from the Ruby community. The gems are able to build upon or change the capabilities and functionalities of current Ruby apps.

Every gem has code, the appropriate testing tools, documentation, and a gemspec -- a file containing information about the gemstone. The gemspec features the gem name, description and the dependencies it has to.

For example, consider the popular K8s-client gem. Ruby developers are able to add this gem to their application and gain accessibility to Kubernetes client library.

There are gems available that are specifically designed for specific use scenarios, like top_stories from the NY Times. As the name implies it is possible to include this gem in your app in order to retrieve the most recent headlines taken from New York Times.

Utilization of Ruby

Some examples include:

• Ruby on Rails and Padrino Padrino: Web-based application frameworks. Indeed, Ruby powers the same framework that it's comparing to in this article.
• Capybara along with Minitest: Automation and testing tools.
• Chef, Puppet: DevOps platforms.
• Passenger An internet or application server.

Benefits and disadvantages of Ruby

Ruby offers many advantages over other programming languages. However, it also has certain negatives. The lists below highlight some aspects of the advantages Ruby has (and disadvantages). Be aware of these aspects when deciding whether Ruby is suitable for you or whether you'd instead use a language like Python or C#.

Pros

• Simple to use, and provides out-of-the-box features for development.
• Lots of third-party libraries created by a group composed of Ruby developers.
• Designed to increase productivity while minimizing work- so it boasts quicker development time than many other languages.

Cons

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

What is Ruby on Rails?

Using the MVC architecture, you can make use of Ruby on Rails to create fully-stack apps that extend across both the back and front end.

David Heinemeier Hansson released Ruby on Rails as an open source project in the year 2004. Hansson developed Ruby on Rails while working on the project management tool Basecamp, which was developed by the company 37Signals. Ruby on Rails places a lot of importance on using the " convention over configuration" (CoC) principle and the " don't repeat yourself" (DRY) principle. CoC is a way for developers to write less codes and create less configurations when they adhere to the predefined rules. DRY reduces redundancy as well as the repeatability of the same software pattern.

As Ruby, Ruby on Rails was more prominent during its initial years, and has taken a step back as new frameworks emerged. Despite that, it's matured over the years and has built a loyal popularity. Developers still choose Rails due to its the conventions of programming, making software easy to understand as well as write. It also speeds up the development process and time to market.

Uses for Ruby on Rails

While Ruby is a versatile framework with a wide range of uses, Ruby on Rails is specifically focused. It's a framework that is geared exclusively towards developing web applications. While it may have a narrow focus, what it is capable of, it performs extremely well. Ruby on Rails has been employed to develop several of the most popular web-based applications like GitHub, Twitch, Soundcloud, Shopify, Hulu, Airbnb and BaseCamp.

Benefits and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails

Since it is an open source framework, Ruby on Rails offers several benefits that developers who have a wide range of expertise can appreciate. But, it doesn't come without a set of limitations. As choosing a framework can be as important as deciding on your programming language, consider these points to help you make the right call.

Pros

• A framework that is open source and open source and free to make use of.
• Profits from the Ruby's extensive environment.
• An abundance of gems, or libraries that make Ruby on Rails an extremely productive framework.
• This allows faster prototyping. It is an excellent choice for MVPs.

Cons

• The high volume of gem dependencies results in slower boot times, negatively impacting productivity of developers.
• Predefined structures and standard components makes it simple to build regular web apps by using Ruby on Rails. But, it results in a lack of flexibility that creates a challenge for customization.
• The faster development time is accompanied by slow performance. This is usually due to database and server architecture issues. This becomes more obvious when the application is scaled up.

Ruby and Ruby on Rails The Key Differences

So, we've looked at the individual details that make up Ruby and Ruby on Rails. Now let's look at the fundamental differences between them.

Ruby Vs Ruby on Rails: What to Learn First

Now that we have discussed the differences among Ruby as well as Ruby on Rails and Ruby on Rails, you might be wondering which one to master first which is the language or framework. Choose the language first. In other words, if you wish to master Ruby on Rails, first study Ruby independently. Learning Ruby first is not required to master Ruby on Rails.

But, it's the best method to get started as you'll need to study Ruby eventually. It's always best to learn the fundamentals of the programming language upon which the framework is based prior to attempting to master the framework.

Summary

This article addressed the logical confusion that comes 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 important and fundamental differences between the two It's evident that they're not the same thing.

The distinctions were highlighted by listing and explaining several of the most common use cases for Ruby or Ruby on Rails as well as their advantages and disadvantages as well as by listing a few well-known websites, applications, and other tools that are developed in Ruby or that use Ruby on Rails. Ruby on Rails framework.

Both languages were created to help make programming fun and boost productivity. However, the main difference is that Ruby is a language for programming you can use to build desktop or web-based applications. However, Ruby on Rails is a framework for web-based applications that significantly enhances Ruby's remarkable capabilities.

You can not use Ruby on Rails in conjunction with having Ruby. Ruby on Rails takes advantage of the security that is already in place within Ruby and also adds additional security features that make it a secure framework. Furthermore, Ruby is based on the concept of design for user interfaces, and Ruby on Rails was developed on the principle that was the basis of DRY as well as CoC.

Steve Bonisteel

Steve Bonisteel is a Technical Editor for the site. He began his career in writing as a print journalist who chased ambulances and fire trucks. The journalist has covered Internet-related technology since the late 1990s.