October 28, 2009
What is Ruby on Rails Hosting?
Web technology moves and changes so fast that it becomes easy to get lost in the lingo. Even when you think you understand something, chances are, you may not necessary have a handle on the terminology. Take Ruby on Rails for example. Upon hearing the name, it might not be something you relate to the web, but this technology is rapidly changing the way the web itself is being constructed.
The Rails are all around us, frequently deployed in some of today’s most widely used web environments. The popular social networking website LinkedIn is just one example of numerous sites powered by Ruby applications. So what is it? Ruby on Rails is an application framework used to create dynamic, database-driven websites. An open-source framework, it revolves around Ruby, a server-side programming technology similar to PHP and Python. However, it can be used to build powerful web applications that are more robust and faster than when using other programming languages. Due to its efficiency and flexibility, a large number of programmers have crossed over and made Rails their development tool of choice.
The Cons of Rails
When compared to other languages and frameworks, Ruby on Rails is still relatively new to the development space. Even more, Rails was introduced to the market around the same time PHP began to set the benchmark for building small to medium sized web applications. This likely attributes to some of the criticism and reluctance to use it over more established tools. One of the biggest knocks on Rails is its supposed inability to handle large-scale development projects. On the other hand, powering a site as big and busy as LinkedIn should serve as solid proof of its effectiveness. If anything, some of the competitors may be threatened because of Rails’ fast rise to popularity.
Many of the developers that crossed over to Ruby on Rails flocked from PHP and Java. Those lured from Java were frustrated with the existing frameworks and components, while the PHP defectors were attracted to Rails because of its simplified structure and the ability it offered to work more efficiently. One of the mottos of Ruby on Rails is DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself), a mantra based on the principle that developers should never have to perform the same task twice. This is made possible by providing a standardized interface equipped with useful components such as Action Pack, Active Record, Active Resource, Active Support, and Active Mailer. Rails provides a good programming environment that makes working with Ruby a much more user-friendly process.
Considerations for Rails Hosting
While Ruby on Rails is quite advantageous from a productivity and presentation aspect, there are some drawbacks. This mainly relates to the higher price it usually requires to find a reputable host that can actually support the technology properly. Because Rails calls for a more demanding environment, a shared server with a lot of traffic can easily become overloaded and crash, disappointing many customers. For this reason, several developers recommend the use of a dedicated server in order to get the most out of Rails applications.
Categories: Scripting |
Tags: php,
open-source,
LinkedIn,
Java,
database driven website,
web technology,
social networking,
Ruby on Rails hosting,
ruby on rails,
Phython
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