# Ruby on Rails

Generated on 18 Dec 2025 from [the Ruby on Rails catalog page](https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/ruby-on-rails)

Ruby on Rails with Docker on Ubuntu 24.04 provides a modern, containerized development environment for building web applications. This one-click application includes the latest Rails framework, PostgreSQL database, and Nginx reverse proxy, all pre-configured and ready to use.

## Features

- **Ruby on Rails** - Latest stable version with modern features
- **Ruby 3.4.7** - Current stable Ruby version optimized for performance
- **PostgreSQL 15** - Robust relational database with advanced features
- **Docker & Docker Compose** - Containerized environment for consistency and portability
- **Nginx Reverse Proxy** - High-performance web server with SSL support
- **Multi-database Configuration** - Separate databases for cache, queue, and cable operations
- **Automatic SSL/TLS Setup** - Ready for HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt integration
- **SystemD Integration** - Auto-start on boot with system service management
- **UFW Firewall** - Pre-configured security with essential ports open
- **Loading Page UX** - Professional loading interface during initial setup

## Software Included

| Package | Version | License |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby | [3.4.7](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2022/12/25/ruby-3-2-0-released/) | [2-clause BSD License](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/about/license.txt) |
| Rails | [8.1.1](https://rubygems.org/gems/rails) | [MIT](http://37signals.com/rails/wiki/License.html) |
| Puma | [6.0.2](https://rubygems.org/gems/puma) | [Custom](https://github.com/puma/puma/blob/master/LICENSE) |
| Postgres | [15](https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal/postgresql) | [Postgres SQL](https://opensource.org/licenses/postgresql) |
| Nginx | [1.17.10](https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal/nginx) | [Custom](http://nginx.org/LICENSE) |
| Certbot | [0.40.0](https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal/certbot) | [Apache 2](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/blob/master/LICENSE.txt) |

## Creating an App using the Control Panel

Click the **Deploy to DigitalOcean** button to create a Droplet based on this 1-Click App. If you aren’t logged in, this link will prompt you to log in with your DigitalOcean account.

[![Deploy to DO](https://www.deploytodo.com/do-btn-blue.svg)](https://cloud.digitalocean.com/droplets/new?image=rubyonrails-20-04)

## Creating an App using the API

In addition to creating a Droplet from the Ruby on Rails 1-Click App using the control panel, you can also use the [DigitalOcean API](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api). As an example, to create a 4GB Ruby on Rails Droplet in the SFO2 region, you can use the following `curl` command. You need to either save your [API access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) to an environment variable or substitute it in the command below.

```shell
curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
         -H 'Authorization: Bearer '$TOKEN'' -d \
        '{"name":"choose_a_name","region":"sfo2","size":"s-2vcpu-4gb","image":"rubyonrails-20-04"}' \
        "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets"
```

## Getting Started After Deploying Ruby on Rails

### Initial Setup

1. **Create your Droplet** with the Ruby on Rails one-click application
2. **Wait 2-3 minutes** for the automatic setup to complete
3. **Visit your droplet’s IP address** in a web browser
4. **You’ll see a loading page** while the application initializes
5. **Once ready**, you’ll be redirected to the Rails welcome page

### Accessing Your Application

- **Web Interface**: `http://your-droplet-ip/`
- **Direct Rails Access**: `http://your-droplet-ip:3000/` (if needed)
- **SSH Access**: `ssh root@your-droplet-ip`

### Management Commands

All management scripts are located in `/opt/rails-app/`:

```
# Application management
/opt/rails-app/start.sh      # Start the application
/opt/rails-app/stop.sh       # Stop the application
/opt/rails-app/restart.sh    # Restart the application
/opt/rails-app/update.sh     # Update and rebuild containers
/opt/rails-app/logs.sh       # View application logs
```

### Development Workflow

```
# Access the Rails container
cd /opt/rails-app
docker-compose exec web bash

# Generate new Rails components
docker-compose exec web bundle exec rails generate controller Welcome
docker-compose exec web bundle exec rails generate model User name:string

# Run database migrations
docker-compose exec web bundle exec rails db:migrate

# Access Rails console
docker-compose exec web bundle exec rails console
```

## Technical Specifications

### Software Stack

- **Operating System**: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- **Ruby Version**: 3.4.7
- **Rails Version**: 8.1.1
- **Database**: PostgreSQL 15
- **Web Server**: Nginx (reverse proxy) + Puma (application server)
- **Containerization**: Docker 24.x + Docker Compose

### Architecture

```
┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│     Nginx       │───▶│   Rails App     │───▶│   PostgreSQL    │
│  (Port 80/443)  │    │   (Port 3000)   │    │   (Port 5432)   │
│  Reverse Proxy  │    │  Puma Server    │    │    Database     │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘
```

### Service Configuration

- **Web Service**: Rails application running on Puma
- **Database Service**: PostgreSQL with persistent storage
- **Proxy Service**: Nginx handling HTTP/HTTPS traffic
- **System Service**: Automatic startup via systemd

### Security Features

- **UFW Firewall**: Configured with essential ports only
- **SSH Rate Limiting**: Protection against brute force attacks
- **Container Isolation**: Services run in separate Docker containers
- **User Permissions**: Non-root user for Rails application
- **SSL Ready**: Pre-configured for HTTPS with certificate automation