Ruby on Rails is an open source web application framework coded in Ruby that follows the Model View Controller (MVC) architecture. Ruby is an object oriented scripting language. Rails is a Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework based on Ruby and used for developing web applications.The Rails framework supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, DB2 and Oracle databases.
Ruby on Rails is an open source web application framework for the Ruby programming language. It is often referred to as "Rails" or "RoR". It is intended to be used with an Agile development methodology, which is often utilized by web developers for its suitability for short, client-driven projects.
Technical overview
Like many contemporary web frameworks, Rails uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture for organizing application programming.
Ruby on Rails features several tools intended to make commonplace development tasks easier "out of the box". Rails provides scaffolding which can automatically construct some of the models and views needed for a basic website. A simple ruby web server (WEBrick) and Rake build system are also included. By including these common tools with the Rails system, a basic development environment is in effect provided with all versions of the software.
Rails is also noteworthy for its extensive use of the JavaScript libraries Prototype and Script.aculo.us for Ajax. Rails initially utilized lightweight SOAP for web services; this was later replaced by RESTful web services.
Framework structure
Ruby on Rails is separated into various packages, namely ActiveRecord, ActiveResource, ActionPack, ActiveSupport and ActionMailer. Prior to version 2.0, Rails also included the Action Web Service package which is now replaced by Active Resource. Apart from standard packages, developers can make plugins to extend existing packages.
Philosophy and Design
Ruby on Rails is intended to emphasize Convention over Configuration (CoC), and the agile programming principle of Don't repeat yourself (DRY).
"Convention over Configuration" means a developer only needs to specify unconventional aspects of the application. For example, if there is a class Sale in the model, the corresponding table in the database is called sales by default. It is only if one deviates from this convention, such as calling the table "products sold", that the developer needs to write code regarding these names. In general, this leads to less code.
"Don't repeat yourself" means that information is located in a single, unambiguous place. For example, using the ActiveRecord module of Rails, the developer does not need to specify database column names in class definitions. Instead, Ruby on Rails can retrieve this information from the database.
