Deploying a Rails App

Rails (Ruby on Rails) is a popular web application framework written in Ruby. It emphasizes convention over configuration, rapid development, and clean code, making it a top choice for building scalable, maintainable web applications quickly.

This guide explains how to deploy a Rails application to Klutch.sh, both with and without a Dockerfile. It also covers installation and provides sample code to get started.

Prerequisites

• Ruby 3.0+
• Rails installed
• Git and GitHub account
• Klutch.sh account

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Getting Started: Install Rails

1. Install Rails (if not already installed):

   gem install rails

2. Create a new Rails app:

   rails new my-rails-app
   cd my-rails-app

3. Start the development server:

   rails server

   Your app should be running at http://localhost:3000.

Sample Code (config/routes.rb)

Add a simple route to your Rails project:

Rails.application.routes.draw do
  root to: proc { [200, {}, ['Hello from Rails on Klutch.sh!']] }
end

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Deploying Without a Dockerfile

1. Push your Rails app to a GitHub repository.
2. Log in to Klutch.sh.
3. Create a new project and give it a name.
4. Create a new app:
   • Select your Rails GitHub repository and branch
   • Set the port to route traffic (usually 3000 for Rails)
   • Choose region, compute, number of instances, and add any environment variables
5. Add a start command in your app settings:

   rails server -b 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT

   (Klutch.sh will provide the PORT environment variable.)
6. Click “Create” to deploy. Klutch.sh will build and deploy your app automatically.

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Deploying With a Dockerfile

1. Add a Dockerfile to your project root. Example:

   # Use official Ruby image
   FROM ruby:3.2-slim
   
   # Set working directory
   WORKDIR /app
   
   # Install dependencies
   COPY Gemfile Gemfile.lock ./
   RUN bundle install
   
   # Copy app source
   COPY . .
   
   # Precompile assets (if using Rails assets)
   RUN bundle exec rake assets:precompile
   
   # Expose port (match your Rails app)
   EXPOSE 3000
   
   # Start the app
   CMD ["rails", "server", "-b", "0.0.0.0", "-p", "$PORT"]

2. Push your code (with Dockerfile) to GitHub.
3. In Klutch.sh, follow the same steps to create a project and app, but select the Dockerfile option when prompted.
4. Set the service details and environment variables as needed.
5. Click “Create” to deploy. Klutch.sh will build your Docker image and deploy your app.

Note: Your Rails app should always listen on the PORT environment variable as shown above.

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Resources

• Klutch.sh Documentation
• Rails Documentation

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Deploying to Klutch.sh is simple and flexible. Choose the method that best fits your workflow and project requirements.