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Ruby on Rails
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The Rails Default Page |
| Developer: |
Rails Core Team |
| Latest release: |
1.2.1 / January 18, 2007 |
| OS: |
Cross-platform |
| Use: |
Web application framework |
| License: |
MIT License |
| Website: |
www.rubyonrails.com |
Ruby on Rails is a web application framework released in 2004 that aims to increase the speed and ease of web development.
Often shortened to Rails, or RoR, it is an open source project written in the Ruby language.
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Contents
- 1 History
- 2 Technical Overview
- 3 Projects using Rails
- 4 See also
- 5 References
- 6 External links
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History
Ruby on Rails was extracted by David Heinemeier Hansson from his work on Basecamp, a project-management tool by the web-design company 37signals.[1] It was first released to the public in July 2004.
In August 2006, it was announced that Apple will ship Ruby on Rails with Mac OS X v10.5 "Leopard," scheduled for release in Spring 2007.[2]
Rise in Popularity
Ruby on Rails has experienced a surge in popularity. [3]
Hansson attributes this to the productivity advantages of such "opinionated software." [4] If they code along the Rails conventions -- largely derived from Hansson's opinion on how software should work -- developers can accomplish their goals with less code. For example, less effort is spent on specifying where data (files, class names, database tables) is located, since Rails knows what to look for.
Technical Overview
Like many contemporary web frameworks, Rails uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture for organizing applications.
Ruby on Rails strives for applications with less code, through guiding principles that include "Don't repeat yourself" (code should never be redundant) and "Convention over configuration" (programmers only need to specify when their setup differs from the norm).
Rails provides out-of-the-box scaffolding, which can quickly construct most of the logic and views needed for a basic website, the WEBrick web server and other helpful development tools.
Rails is also noteworthy for its extensive use of the Javascript libraries Prototype and Script.aculo.us, for Ajax and visual effects.
Projects using Rails
- Basecamp - online project management
- Instiki - wiki software
- Jobster - job search site
- Penny Arcade - geek-humor comic strip
- Revolution Health - a health portal