rails

rails

A Ruby web framework that supplies what you need to build database-backed applications with the Model-View-Controller pattern. For developers who write web apps in Ruby.

Made by rails on GitHub. These notes are Mindket's, written from its README; the project's own files and license are in its repository.

About

What it is: Rails is a web framework for Ruby that supplies what you need to build applications backed by a database. It organizes an application with the Model-View-Controller pattern, known as MVC, which splits the work into three layers.

Who it suits: Ruby developers who build web applications that store their data in a database, and learners who want to understand how MVC fits together.

Industry | Who uses it | How they use it | Example
Software | Web developers | Build database-backed applications on the MVC pattern | An application with accounts, products and posts
Business software | Product teams | Keep business rules inside the model layer | Rules for a Product kept in its model class
Education | Web development students | Learn how MVC divides an application | Studying how a Model, a View and a Controller differ

Anyone who does not write Ruby can skip it.

Where to use it:

• Web applications whose data lives in a database
• Ruby code, including models that are plain Ruby classes
• HTML pages written as templates with embedded Ruby

Use case | Who | What they get back
Database-backed models | Application developers | Database rows presented as objects that carry business logic methods
Plain Ruby models | Developers with no database need | Models built on ordinary Ruby classes or the Active Model interfaces
View templates | Developers of the page layer | HTML pages with Ruby embedded in ERB files

For newcomers and experts: If you are new, start with MVC. The project says it is the key to understanding Rails. Model, View and Controller each have a specific job, and a first small step is to picture a model such as Account or Post as the Ruby side of a database record.

If you know the field, the Model layer is where the detail sits. Database-backed models derive from ActiveRecord::Base, and Active Record turns rows into objects you extend with your own methods. A model does not need a database, since a plain Ruby class or one that implements Active Model interfaces also works. Views are mostly HTML templates with embedded Ruby.

Models hold domain data and business logic
Active Record turns database rows into objects
Views render HTML with embedded Ruby

Good to know:

• Models: a database usually sits behind them, though a plain Ruby class works too.
• License: MIT.
• Cost to run: none named.
• Data it reaches: a database, for models that use one.

On GitHub, 7 November 2026

• Stars: 59,032 (142 that day)
• Forks: 23,832
• Watching: 2,354
• Open issues and pull requests: 1,761
• Language: Ruby
• License: MIT
• Topics: activejob, activerecord, framework, html, mvc, rails, ruby
• Trending: #3 repository of the day on GitHub trending (7 November 2026)

Links

• Code: https://github.com/rails/rails
• Website: https://rubyonrails.org/
• Releases: https://github.com/rails/rails/releases
• Issues: https://github.com/rails/rails/issues
• Star history: https://www.star-history.com/#rails/rails&Date

Get the code

git clone https://github.com/rails/rails.git

Then follow the setup in its README. Nothing in this kit runs by itself.