How do you configure a web server for Ruby on Rails?

1 What is a web server?

A web server is a software or hardware device that delivers web pages and other resources to clients over the network using the HTTP protocol. A web server can host one or more websites, and each website can have one or more web applications. A web server can also perform other tasks, such as authentication, caching, logging, and load balancing.

2 Why do you need a web server for Ruby on Rails?

Ruby on Rails is a web development framework that follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. This means that your Rails app consists of three layers: the model that handles the data and logic, the view that renders the user interface, and the controller that coordinates the interactions between the model and the view. However, your Rails app cannot communicate directly with the browsers, because it uses a different protocol than HTTP. Therefore, you need a web server that can translate the HTTP requests from the browsers into commands for your Rails app, and vice versa.

3 How to choose a web server for Ruby on Rails?

When it comes to web servers for Ruby on Rails, there are many options available. Apache is a widely used and versatile web server that supports many modules and extensions. Nginx is a fast and lightweight web server that is adept at handling high concurrency and static files. Puma is a Ruby application server that runs Rails apps natively, without the need of a web server. It can also be used behind a web server, such as Nginx or Apache, for improved security and scalability. The decision of which web server to use depends on your preferences, needs, and resources. You should take into account factors like ease of installation and configuration, compatibility with your operating system and environment, performance and reliability, security and encryption, as well as support and documentation.

4 How to install and configure a web server for Ruby on Rails?

Installing and configuring a web server for Ruby on Rails requires a few steps, depending on the web server and operating system chosen. Firstly, you must install Ruby and Rails on your system; RVM, rbenv, or chruby are useful tools for managing multiple versions. Secondly, you need to install the web server of your choice, with any additional dependencies or packages. Thirdly, you must configure the web server to point to your Rails app directory and set up the necessary settings and options. This may involve editing configuration files such as httpd.conf for Apache or nginx.conf for Nginx, or creating symbolic links or virtual hosts. Finally, restart the web server to apply the changes and test your Rails app by accessing it from a browser; any errors or issues should be troubleshot.

5 How to optimize and secure a web server for Ruby on Rails?

Once you have installed and configured a web server for Ruby on Rails, you may want to optimize and secure it to improve its performance and protect it from attacks. To do this, you should enable caching and compression using tools such as Rack::Cache, Memcached, or Redis for your Rails app, and modules such as mod_deflate for Apache, or ngx_http_gzip_module for Nginx, to compress your web server output. Additionally, you should enable SSL/TLS to encrypt the communication between your web server and the browsers using tools such as Let's Encrypt, Certbot, or OpenSSL to generate SSL certificates. It is also important to update your web server and Rails app regularly with tools such as apt-get, yum, or brew to update packages, and tools such as Bundler, Gem, or Rake to update dependencies. Finally, you should monitor your web server and Rails app performance and activity with tools such as New Relic, Scout, or Datadog to monitor metrics, and tools such as Logrotate, Splunk, or Logstash to manage logs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?