Top 10 Ruby Frameworks

Ruby is an open-source, secure, dynamic and functional language serving the programming world for more than 2 decades. Though it is conferring my benefits to the developers but with the use of a compatible framework, developers can surely enhance its advantages. Many of you probably consider Rails as its framework, but there are many other Ruby frameworks that you must use.

Hence, this article is going to talk about the top Ruby frameworks with their core properties without any delay. Indeed, we also include the most admiring Ruby framework, ‘Ruby on Rails’, in this guide.

What is a Framework?

A framework is a prepackaged combination of artefacts that are used to build different applications smoothly. These backing structures could consist of compilers, APIs, conceptual support, code libraries and modules etc. Indeed, these toolsets aid the coders to focus the core tasks by providing pre-designed app development functionalities.

What is Ruby?

Ruby is a dynamic object-oriented programming language that was originally launched in 1995 by a Japanese computer scientist. This programming language is free to use under its license and very familiar to the server-side languages, including Smalltalk and Python.

Developers are preferring to use Ruby because of its convenient syntax, great database connection support and GUI tools. It has more than 23.7K stacks on StackShare and 18.4K stars on GitHub.

According to StackShare, the top tech companies that are using Ruby are Airbnb, Stripe, Twitch, GitHub and Shopify.

Advantages of Ruby

Ruby is offering several advantages to its users. However, we are discussing the main benefits of Ruby below:

• Time-Efficient

Application development with Ruby is time-efficient, particularly when it comes to a suitable framework, ‘Rails’. The use of Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is also very beneficial for the initial stages of software development. Ruby also follows the Don’t Repeat Yourself rule that helps the developers to avoid coding again and again on distinct steps of app building.

• Open-Source

Another advantage of Ruby is its open-source nature. As an old programming language, it is easy for coders to find Ruby resources and projects. Moreover, developers are also permitted to utilize the available resources for their upcoming projects without any charge or restriction.

• Security

In the same token, Ruby has also been considered a very secure language among the other technologies. When Ruby combines with a powerful framework like Rails, it grants strong security against attacks like CSRF, SQL Injection, XSS and much more.

• Easy to learn

This well-organized programming language is also easy to learn for both novices and seasoned programmers. Yes, its structure is similar to the English language.

• Third Party Libraries

Ruby is packed with third-party libraries that enable it to create applications with great productivity. In addition, it is also seamless to make changes in your Ruby project because it confers great scalability properties.

• Plugins

When developers use Ruby with a good framework like Rails, they also benefit from numerous plugins. These plugins are beneficial to enable data security and eCommerce functionalities.

• Business Logic

To ease the data administration and further business logic operations, the model-view-controller architecture of Ruby also assists the developers.

Limitations of Ruby

With numerous benefits, Ruby also owns some limitations that have been mentioned below:

• Although Ruby has good community support, but it is not as huge as it is for PHP. Similarly, many coders also complain that there are only a few good books available about Ruby programming, especially if we compare Ruby with C#.

• Ruby also takes more time to process. Compared to Java, Ruby is 20% slower in processing.

• It is also challenging to debug a script with Ruby. This Ruby’s drawback also creates errors while runtime and could be very annoying for development teams.

• It is hard to adapt this programming language for other projects because of its fewer flexible features.

Top 10 Ruby Frameworks

Ruby is a popular programming language that has improved its rankings from 15th to 13th in TIOBE Index.

Surely, TIOBE Index listed Ruby among the top 20 programming languages of 2021. However, with a good framework, Ruby developers can definitely enhance the productivity and performance of their projects.

1. Ruby on Rails

Rails is a backend web framework of Ruby that was originally founded in 2004. This is one of the most popular Ruby frameworks that has 49K stars on GitHub. Because of the MVC structure, it is also considered a trustworthy Ruby framework, and around 1,060,553 live websites are using it according to BuiltWith.

Renowned tech companies that are benefiting from Ruby on Rails are Shopify, Zendesk and GitHub.

Features

Simple Testing — It is very straightforward to test different functionalities with this framework. To make the testing process easy for developers, it offers a complete system with the name of ‘RSpec’. It is also seamless for Ruby coders to deal with this testing setup.

MVC Architecture — The best thing about the Rails framework is its view, controllers and model-based pattern. This MVC architecture allows this framework to conduct all coding operations separately.

Active Record — This is basically a library of this framework that permits it to deal with database queries intelligently. It also aids in automatically transforming the query in SQL.

2. Sinatra

If you are in search of a free and open-source alternative to Ruby on Rails, then you must consider Sinatra. It is Ruby’s web library and framework that was released in 2007. Compared to Rails, it doesn’t work on MVC patterns. Yes, it believes in creating web applications spontaneously.

Notable tech giants that are using this cross-platform and small-sized framework are Apple, Stripe and LinkedIn.

Features

Lightweight & Simple — This Ruby framework runs fast and utilizes less memory, making it lightweight among the other frameworks. Concise code and the absence of complicated functions also make it an easy-to-use framework. In this regard, it only takes one file to create an application.

Unbiased — It doesn’t follow complex patterns, whether it is about MVC or ORM. It gives the developers an entire control over building applications with great simplicity.

Proficient — It is surely one of the most proficient web libraries that is not coded like Rails. It usually follows Ruby’s scripting structure that makes it more proficient while creating an application.

Cross-Platform & Open-Source — You can easily utilize this framework on numerous platforms without any difficulty. Its open-source nature also permits the developers to benefit from the available resources. By the way, its friendly community can also guide you on every step of app building.

3. Roda

Roda is another reliable Ruby framework that provides a scalable app development structure and a good range of APIs. It consumes less memory and grants a routing tree web toolkit to its users. It is a fast web-centric framework of Ruby as it consumes less initial memory than Rails, Sinatra and Hanami.

Similarly, it also handles more requests per second compared to the top Ruby frameworks. But unluckily, it is a little less popular among Ruby developers compared to the other frameworks, including Rails, Camping and Sinatra.

Features

Flexible Architecture — It comes with a very flexible architecture that can help developers in making any application.

Readable APIs & Plugins — Roda is famous because of its good range of plugins and APIs. Yes, it can assist you with mail, middleware, request and notification plugins.

Security — All of Roda sessions are encrypted ones. It also confers CSRF tokens in this regard.

4. Camping

If you are looking for the top Ruby frameworks, leaving out the Camping framework is impossible. Being one of the least space-consuming frameworks, it has to be a most admirably remarkable design.

Features

Community Support — The Ruby framework that was launched in 2010 under MIT license has a huge and friendly community. The consistent aid received by those from the community who insist on keeping the structure as up-to-date as possible is definitely commendable.

Efficient — If we mention space efficiency and conservation; Camping has an ideal pattern. Speaking in the manner that though it never occupies more than 4 KBs in size, it is still as resourceful in features as the best frameworks out there.

Structured Development — If you’re familiar with Ruby on Rails, you would definitely adore the structure and organization offered by Camping. The framework allows the coder to save their work-in-progress web designs in a singular folder in the form of CGI scripts.

Rack Requirement — Camping only requires Rack 0.3 as a minimum, and in case you are writing an HTML, the requirement is only Markaby 0.5 or higher. Following the Ruby Framework Conduct, these are both easily obtainable as RubyGems.

Complete Application — Web designs through Camping are perfectly capable of being stand-alone applications as well.

5. Ramaze

For frameworks that involve templating engines, the Ramaze Ruby Framework is a choice to behold, in all honesty. The intricacy with which the program is designed for ease of access makes it the best in the running.

Features

Fast & Bug-Free — Its repute as a bug-free structure surely contributes deftly to its name and reliability. Ramaze software is lightweight software. This makes it prone to processing issues making it faster.

Simple Interface — The framework can be run through JRuby, Rubinius, 1.9 and MRI. The software is best advertised as the most straightforward and simplistic web structure.

Template Engines — The premise of its template engines is as wide as involving Tenjin, Liquid and ERB. There are others to add to the list as well.

WEBrick — Ramaze Ruby Frameworks offers the facility to create an adapter for it. Ramaze is designed with a pre-approved use of WEBrick, and this assists in making the development process even easier for the users.

ORM Compatibility — This framework is compatible with all ORMs, and the developers’ confidence is so tight-knit that they offer a compliant facility for any users experiencing issues. It is set in the manner that it is one of the easiest to use frameworks. This assists users with a consistent learning pace to give them a most comfortable experience. It is one of the highest recommended web frameworks on the internet.

6. Goliath

If you are on the outlook for an asynchronous Ruby Web Framework, your search ends with Goliath. The framework establishes its authority over most frameworks available in the market with its remarkable wide array of features.

Features

Individual Servers — Goliath is a framework that its creators set out to establish with some clear vision and a stronghold. They aimed for bare-metal performance, a high in-demand feature in today’s fast-paced world. The idea is to remove the layers of operators by providing individual servers to each tenant. This removes obstacles and provides direct, uninterrupted service.

Simple Routing — They also have a pre-set Rack API which assists in creating interfaces and makes wrapping HTTP requests and responses a simpler task. Its asynchronous processing isolates all the commands dealing with each one individually to avoid bugs caused by overlapping.

Dedicated Request Channel — All requests to Goliath are processed through their own Ruby Fiber. The structure is designed in such a way that even if the asynchronous operation is suspended, the developer does not need to re-write the code.

Easy Code Understanding — The software is self-sufficient in sustaining and continuing the process from where it was left-off. The overall structural advancements in the software ultimately offer more maintainable and easier to decipher codes.

Secure — A tried and tested feature presented is that the web designs have been saved with the framework for months without any memory leaks. The framework creates an uncanny and unmatchable structure throughout the universe of Ruby Frameworks.

7. Hanami

Designed initially in 2014, Hanami (previously called Lotus) is a remarkable framework that aims towards speed, efficiency and security. This Ruby Web Framework is independently set up with all requirements met. This platform brings back the concept of object-orientation.

Features

Simple Design — Hanami is designed to meet your communique requirements. The use of Content Delivery Networks helps attain a response rate measurable to milliseconds. It also employs fewer DSLs in respect to others, making the framework a simpler use.

Less Memory Consumption — In their research and development, Hanami developers discovered that they use 60% less memory as compared to their other Ruby competitors. They manage to provide over 100 features within this capacity which is nothing less than a marvel.

Secure — Their structure is also a user favourite due to their security assurances. X-Frame headers, automatic escaping and Content Security Policy measures are all deployed to ensure the safety of the frameworks and developments of Hanami users. All developers often cater to basic security threats.

Simple — The software is also very convenient to use. All complex elements are simplified and minimized for the use of all kinds of administrators.

Simple & Easy coding — All written codes are easy to write with consistent assistance and an option to change them in the future as drafts are kept in backup at all times. The conventional yet modern Ruby framework is a marvel at best!

8. Padrino

The most graceful and elegant open-source Web Framework is written in Ruby out there. Padrino might be the Padre of all of them. Based on the Sinatra Web Library, it is set to code advanced applications with ease.

Features

Simple Development — Not unlike Hanami, the framework is also independent in its structure. The Padrino Ruby stack is made with extreme precision to keep each piece independent as well. The steps that are to be taken in the development process are simplified and personalized for the users to build up their own knowledge.

One of the Fastest Frameworks — While all structures promise speed, Padrino has displayed performance benchmarks that assist their development team but also provide a clear picture for the users. Their memory usage and stability statistics are quite promising.

Reliable — The Padrino framework also consists of middleware; a lot of them. They add all possible functionality aids that a user might need. All extensions and middlewares are completely compatible with Padrino; again, adding to their reliability.

Functionally Rich — Padrino Ruby Web Framework extends the functionalities of Sinatra, and this gives every client the opportunity to learn from the easiest framework. The ability to uplift even the most complex web designs and the easiest frameworks give Padrino the greatest edge with its functionality. The blend provides the clients with exactly what they may need if they are dreaming big.

Design Capabilities — The ability to improve on the web design without shifting hosts gives an understood long-term advantage to all clients.

9. NYNY

The NYNY framework, or quite literally the New York, New York framework, is one of the most incredibly small Ruby Web Frameworks. The structures consist of micro–web Frameworks that are used to test applications for their compatibility with today’s browsers.

Features

Smooth Development — The structure we are dealing with through NYNY consists of all the basic functionality requirements of Ruby and is known for its direct commands, which smoothen out the development tasks.

Small Applications — With the confidence of NYNY developers in their self-sufficiency with the micro framework, the clients are often left baffled at how powerful the structure really is. The structure is so minuscule that users are able to build their own applications without complications.

Feature Rich — the structure does require the use of its extension interface to make full use of the features that the NYNY framework has to offer. This crucial element keeps it from beating the Padrino framework in the running.

Easy to Interact — With the welcoming framework that NYNY offers, it is the most suitable if you are looking to dig further into the understanding of the source codes you use and change it according to your developing needs.

Faster Routing — They use Rails’ router, which gives them a lot more power in comparison to Padrino’s Sinatra. To be approximate, 25% faster. However, with the difference in size, the developers of Sinatra have a lot more convenience helpers in comparison to New York, New York.

10. Resque

Resque is a Ruby background job framework that was developed by the CEO and co-founder of GitHub, Chris Wanstrath. The Rides-backed framework is mostly used for creating queues for jobs on hold and it is, in essence, not unlike Delayed Jobs.

Features

Fast Interface — Resque, while simplified to be shown as a background structure, it is merely terms used to make understanding simpler. The Framework is fully equipped to be used independently and does not need a web app. The structure is designed to spider sites and stick data that all developers might need to have crunched later into cues, not unlike a to-do list.

Capable — According to GitHub, Resque is completely capable of building tarballs, ruby gems, and graphs. While it is obvious that all of these are diverse functions that often do not correlate, it is all the more intriguing how such a small software is able to do so much.

Agile and Reactive — With the persistence that is offered by the framework, it is slightly advantageous that all the jobs will collect the most recent version of objects from the DB or cache, keeping the structures most relevant.

Failure Module — Using Redis or other supported backends, Resque compiles all exceptions to the Resque Failure module. This gives home to several ports for the developer and avoids the loss of flawed data.

Easy Configuration — Resque comes with a Redis setter that can be configured in compliance with Redis objects or strings. By using these, if you are using Redis already, Resque will establish through the existing connection.

Conclusion

This guide shares one of the best Ruby frameworks with the essential features. Mainly, if you are only familiar with a single Ruby framework, ‘Rails’, then it is going to be a worth reading guide for you.

With top Ruby frameworks, this article also provides some good stuff about Ruby advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, your decision about picking Ruby with a suitable framework for your forthcoming project is going to be very easy.

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