Introduction

Ruby on Rails is an excellent framework for developing web applications with powerful features that help to accelerate your web app development using an MVC pattern. It is designed in such a way that it can be easily extended by utilizing the most popular Ruby gems provided by the Rails community.

Ruby on Rails is well-known for its numerous ready-made solutions that enable rapid software development. This speed is primarily achieved by utilizing Ruby on Rails gems, which are libraries with explicit functionalities that allow you to extend and customize your Rails application. From authorization and authentication to testing and payment processing, Rails has a gem for every need. Let’s learn about Ruby on Rails and its feature-rich gems as this blog takes you to the best ruby gems.

What is Ruby Gem Used For?

(RoR) is a server-side application framework written in Ruby and distributed under the MIT License. Here you can see all gems apps and even use some of the gems to create fully functional apps. Rails is an MVC framework that includes default configurations for a web service, database, and web service. It provides assurance and simplifies the use of web standards such as XML or JSON for data transfer and CSS, JavaScript, and HTML for user interaction.

Rails emphasises the use of other popular software engineering designs and paradigms, such as the active record pattern, don’t repeat yourself (DRY), and convention over configuration, in addition to the MVC pattern (CoC). 

Some of the popular companies that use Ruby on Rails are –

1. Shopify
2. GitHub
3. Netflix
4. Hulu
5. Airbnb
6. Groupon

25 Top Ruby on Rails Gems to Use in 2022

1. Pry

While writing code, developers frequently encounter library integration issues or problems binding these Ruby gems. They must transact with numerous errors at that time. As a result, it is preferable to hire RoR developers with extensive experience. Pry is thought to be an excellent choice for eliminating these concerns and debugging the errors.

This gem enables its developers to set breakpoints and gradually debug code. Pry has a unique set of characteristics, including runtime invocation, syntax highlighting, exotic object support, command shell integration, and a flexible and influential command scheme.

GitHub: 6.5k Stars

2. Draper

The Draper gem is used by developers to create decorators based on the model. Drapers present attributes and methods for the object.

With this gem, the view can be prepared more easily, and developers can easily describe a decorator without having to transcribe the helpers.

GitHub: 5.1k stars

3. ActiveRecord Import

ActiveRecord Import, another great Rails gem, can be used to quickly insert almost all of the records. It operates in accordance with ActiveRecord associations, producing marginal SQL insert statements as needed. If you use this gem, a dedicated Ruby on Rails developer with sufficient knowledge will not have to deal with the N+1 insert issue. 

ActiveRecord is an excellent choice for uploading ten records. Uploading multiple records with this Rails gem can be a daunting task. However, it is extremely useful for the import of external data. ActiveRecord Import significantly reduces transformation time.

GitHub: 8.2k Stars

4. Figaro

Figaro is a Heroku-based and one of the best Rails gems apps arrangements that is one of the most popular RoR gems. Developers prefer to use these gems apps because it helps to elevate the functionality of web apps. For the secure configuration of Rails-based web applications, we require a YAML and an Environment Variables (ENV) record.

This gem has a show, which is probably enough to keep the arranged data and SCM separated from one another. It parses the YAML file and stores the results in the ENV.

GitHub: 3.7k Stars

5. RSpec Rails

When it comes to trancribing unit test cases, developers prefer the RSpec Rails gem because it allows them to incorporate the RSpec framework into a Rails assignment.

This well-known Ruby gem is used in test-driven web application development and behavior-driven development environments, and it features descriptive and well-organized syntax.

GitHub: 4.8k Stars

6. Ahoy

Ahoy, an analytics platform, is used to track events and visits in native applications such as Ruby and JavaScript.

Ahoy is considered a Ruby instrument rather than a Ruby gem, and is responsible for creating visit tickets that include client device information, traffic source, and location. Users can also investigate the UTM parameters of site visits.

GitHub: 3.6k Stars

7. Devise

Devise is one of the best Ruby on Rails gems available in 2019. It simplifies and expedites the work. Database Authenticatable, Omniauthable, Confirmable, Registrable, Trackable, Lockable, Recoverable, Rememberable, Timeoutable, Validatable, and FriendlyId are the ten modules considered by Devise.

The main key (database ID) of each module easily recognises the resource URLs. Nonetheless, Rails developers may be forced to work with the web page’s non-optimized URL. FriendlyId simply converts the URL to a more memorable and responsive web page URL.

GitHub: 22.5k Stars

8. Delayed Job

Delayed Job is one of the best Rails gems for taking care of the more strained out consecutive activities for background tasks. It could very well be extracted from Shopify, where the job table takes into account several errands.

When it comes to managing extensive running activities, Delayed Job pearl is one of the best Ruby diamonds of 2019. Delayed Job’s new features include sending a large number of newsletters, image resizing, spam checks, group imports, updating smart collections, and HTTP downloads.

GitHub: 4.7k Stars

9. Paperclips

Working with file attachments can be a difficult task because it takes a lot of effort and time for the developers to make secure use of the assignment.

This is where Paperclip gems come in handy. It keeps a close eye on the entire procedure in Ruby applications. It can also convert images into thumbnails for use in the development of custom Rails applications.

10. Cancancan

Cancancan is ideal for creating complex applications. It allows clients to have multiple rules, but developers must restrict access for specific users. This gem demonstrates the ease of setting up user access boundaries, and the entirety of this can be supervised in a single location.

Cancancan’s ‘Approvals definition library’ module allows developers to create strategies for clients. Similarly, it provides the assistants with the ease of access to an infinite number of objects, given that they must first examine those permissions.

GitHub: 5.1k Stars

11. Kaminari

Kaminari ranks first in the list of most popular Rails Gems, with over 5 million downloads. Using this gem, you can paginate everything.

Using an easy-to-use scope-based application programming interface, such pagination can be performed from ActiveRecord imports to simpler arrays (API).

GitHub: 8.2k Stars

12. Active Merchant

Shopify owns and maintains this Ruby gem. The primary goal of Active Merchant is to provide users with an integrated API that provides access to numerous payment gateways via various internal APIs.

Active Merchant, though designed specifically for RoR web applications, can also be used as a plugin. It is also used as a self-contained library.

GitHub: 4.4k Stars

13. Active Admin

This framework creates management-style interfaces. Active Admin extracts business application designs and makes it simple for software engineers to create beautiful and rich interfaces with minimal effort.

Scopes, user authentication, global navigation, action items, filters, sidebar sections, downloads, APIs, and index styles are among its many features.

GitHub: 9.2k Stars

14. Webpacker

Webpacker is specifically mentioned in this Ruby on rails gems list for serving JavaScript. It includes CSS, textual styles, and images that are recognised by the component-oriented JavaScript.

Webpacker can also be used for all of the assets of Rails web applications. In general, it provides an excellent response for Rail application progression.

GitHub: 5.3k Stars

15. Bullet

The Bullet is designed to simplify the operation of an application by reducing the number of inquiries. It keeps a close eye on the inquiries during the web app development process.

This Ruby gem alerts users when (N+1) inquiries are required. Users are also notified when the counter cache is to be used.

GitHub: 6.5k Stars

16. Slim

There are numerous format frameworks on the market. The Ruby format framework is used by Ruby on Rails. It is something that users frequently choose to replace.

Slim is a unique replacement because it allows you to keep a simple-to-scrutinize arrangement due to its simple linguistic construction while maintaining quick compilation times.

GitHub: 5.1k Stars

17. Pundit

It is critical to distinguish between authorization and authentication. The device approves users and examines their characteristics, whereas authorization ensures that the client is permitted to perform any movement or access the features.

Pundit works with this entire cycle by teaching a direct method of portraying approved frameworks using only Ruby classes.

GitHub: 7.6k Stars

18. Friendlyld

The resource URL is typically found using their primary key, which is typically their database ID. This can result in non-optimized page URLs that are difficult to understand.

FriendlyId can certainly change your URL to be a lot more friendly and easy-to-remember URL for almost no-code changes in your web application.

19. Sidekiq

Sidekiq is one of Ruby on Rails’ most popular background processing tools.

This is why its API is so simple, and it even has a better ascending capability than the other background processors.

GitHub: 11.8k Stars

20. Cells

Several components of your application will be reused frequently. Partitions are commonly used for this type of behaviour, but you must ensure that all of your controllers call the partials and have congruent behaviour.

Cells allow you to replicate parts of your controller into their miniature controller. This helps you keep your code clean and avoid the long helper, partial, or filter mess.

GitHub: 3k Stars

21. RuboCop

RuboCop, one of the most popular Ruby Gems for analysing code quality, is a favourite of nearly every dedicated RoR developer. It ensures that the code in the web application adheres to the Ruby Style Guide for writing the best programme.

The style issues are reported in the command line, leaving no room for error in Ruby code writing style. One of the best features of RuboCop is that it automatically fixes simple errors such as line breaks, syntax, gaps, and much more.

GitHub: 11.8k Stars

22. Dot-env

Dot-env is becoming increasingly popular. Dot-env is a useful RubyGem for saving email credentials, API keys, or authentication. One of the top ten Rails gems, developers can hide sensitive data during Ruby on Rails development by creating a .env file before uploading the information to the git repository.

Private data is stored in the form of environment variables. The file, however, should never be stored in public repositories.

23. Rails_best_practices

The Rails best practices gem is one of the most distinctive RubyGems among the most popular Rails Gems. While it does not detect bugs in the rails code, it does identify lines that may result in future errors in code execution.

It provides useful suggestions for improving code quality, such as model annotation, and much more. Nowadays you will find different types of Ruby frameworks for web development and these frameworks ease the development process. The Rails best practices gem allows you to share test results with other developers and track the progress of your code improvement over time in the Ruby on Rails app.

24. Overcommit

The overcommit ruby on rails gem is a Git hook manager for your rails project. It supports a variety of hooks and allows you to define your own hooks for use across repositories.

GitHub: 3.7k Stars

25. Bundler Audit

Bundler audit, which runs on top of Bundler, assists you in keeping track of potential vulnerabilities in your application. You can save a lot of time with the Bundler audit’s help and assistance. You do not need to check each gem in your rail applications because the Bundler audit effectively reviews and checks your rail applications in the gemfile.lock. It recognizes your gem versions and prevents the collection of untrustworthy gems.

GitHub: 2.5k Stars

Conclusion

When developing Ruby on Rails web apps, it is common practice to use Ruby on Rails gems. The gems mentioned above are powerful enough to solve any common problem in Rails app development. These can easily resolve upload, file testing, authentication, and authorization issues. Furthermore, these gems eliminate the need to reinvent the wheel for each app.

However, the gems will not solve all of your application development problems. When you hire dedicated ROR developer, he or she will need to work on them to create custom RoR web applications.

As a custom website development company, Tagline has experienced developers who are proficient in Ruby on Rails development. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with one of our RoR experts and discuss your needs.

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