Understanding Ruby on Rails
August 26, 2008 – 10:40 pm
Perhaps you are familiar with the term “Ruby on Rails”” and maybe you’re not. The fact is that more web hosting providers are offering support for this dynamic feature. It is also highly probable that you have come in contact with web-based applications built with this technology. Those with no experience in web development are likely to be completely in the dark regarding this subject. While it has become increasingly popular, you will find that comprehensive descriptions of this technology are rather scarce on the web. For those of you are not familiar, this article will shed light on both Ruby and Rails and explain their relationship in the web hosting environment.
Ruby itself is a merely a programming language similar to that of CGI or PHP. It was introduced in 1995 by Yukihiro Matsumoto. According to many of it’s supporters, Ruby’s popularity is contributed to the focus of making web programming faster, easier and more efficient for developers.
What is Ruby on Rails?
Ruby on Rails, more commonly referred to as Rails, is a framework for web applications scripted in the Ruby programming language. In this sense, the framework is simply a collection of building blocks that compose a type of support structure for a web-based application. Many applications employ basic pieces of code that can be repeatedly used throughout the base application. They enable functions such as querying an SQL database and returning data that can be used by the remainder of the application.
According to David Heinemeir Hansson, the creator of Rails, the framework was actually designed from the creation of generic parts. He made the prescripted libraries as Rails, creating a website and making the framework available for download at www.rubyonrails.org Many developers have stated that Ruby on Rails is highly extensible and suitable for creating any type of application while offering the benefits of simplicity and convenience.
Ruby on Rails includes a number of useful features. There are functions designed for the validating of form data, program templates, distributing and receiving email, formatting the date and time, managing cookies and sessions and much more. It also include supports support for AJAX which enables the creation and implementation of interactive features. AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) describes the combined use of Javascript, the Document Object Model and XML to assemble web content via web browsers directly from a remote server.
All in all, Ruby on Rails offers a simple and effective platform for web development. It employs some of the latest and best technology that aid tremendously in the creation of dynamic content. For this reason, Ruby on Rails has quickly become a popular choice for developers of many different experience levels. It is highly likely that this technology will remain prevalent in the area of application building far into the future.
Web Host Support for Ruby on Rails
Due to an significant increase in usage, several web hosting providers have introduced support for Ruby on Rails. As more companies catch on and learn the benefits of this amazing technology, it may be safe to assume that Ruby on Rails will eventually become standardized as a key element of efficient web development.
