Ruby is an object-oriented programming language (OOP) that's known for its simplicity and ability to quickly build online applications. Ruby on Rails (RoR or Rails) is a web application development framework written in Ruby that's based on the Model View Controller (MVC) architecture. RoR is kown for its speed and ease of use, and is popular with startups and big companies alike.
Here are some ways Ruby and RoR compare:
Ruby
This high-level, general-purpose language was developed in Japan in the mid-1990s by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto. It's dynamically typed and supports multiple programming paradigms, including object-oriented, procedural, and functional programming.
RoR
This open-source framework was developed by David Heinemeier Hansson under the MIT License. It's made up of several components, including Active Record, Action Pack, and Action Mailer, and provides tools for building web apps on both the front and back end. RoR is designed to make programming web applications easier by making assumptions about what developers need to get started, allowing them to write less code while accomplishing more.
What is Ruby on Rails?
Ruby on Rails (or Rails) is an open-source server-side web application framework written in Ruby. In other words, it is a kind of code library that simplifies programming. But how does Ruby on Rails work?
Well, think of it as a collection of pre-written templates you can mix and match to create an email response quickly. Similarly, a web app framework enables a developer to focus on what a function can do instead of how to write it, thus increasing development speed.
Although it doesn’t have “finished” functions like a regular library, it provides the flow and shows the programmer what else should be done to obtain the desired result.
The Ruby on Rails history started in 2003 when Danish programmer David Heinemeier Hansson merged the capabilities of the Ruby language with the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, which is a crucial feature of Rails. Thus, the Rails framework further sped up the development process with Ruby and simplified code maintenance. Ruby, in its turn, extended Rails with even more pre-built features.
The key characteristics of Ruby on Rails are:
- MVC pattern
- Front-end tools support
- Easy developer onboarding
- Integrated testing tools
- Automated deployment.
Hopefully, this post has cleared out the mishmash around Ruby vs. Ruby on Rails and helped you to make an informed decision. Let’s highlight some key points:
Ruby vs. Ruby on Rails is different things:
- Ruby is a simple language to learn and use to build software quickly. Given its database-related performance issues, Ruby is an excellent choice for web servers, DevOps, and data processing and analysis tools.
- Ruby on Rails is a framework used to simplify development further using Ruby;
- Rails enhance some characteristics of Ruby, making it easier to understand and improving flexibility and compatibility with other languages. At the same time, if you want to build desktop applications, you should opt for Ruby alone.
