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Open-Source Ruby and Rails Apps: A Comprehensive Collection for Developers

asyraffff/Open-Source-Ruby-and-Rails-Apps - Detailed Review#

1. Overview & GitHub Stats#

2. Project Description#

asyraffff/Open-Source-Ruby-and-Rails-Apps is a meticulously curated collection of open-source applications built with Ruby and Ruby on Rails. This repository serves as a valuable resource hub for developers, students, and organizations looking to explore real-world Ruby/Rails implementations. The collection spans various categories including e-commerce platforms, content management systems, project management tools, and social networking applications.

The repository acts as both a learning resource and a practical reference for developers wanting to understand Rails patterns, architecture decisions, and best practices through examining production-ready applications.

3. What Software Does It Replace?#

This collection provides open-source alternatives to various commercial software:

E-commerce Solutions:

  • Shopify (with apps like Solidus/Spree-based implementations)
  • BigCommerce alternatives
  • Custom e-commerce platforms

Content Management:

  • WordPress alternatives (Rails-based CMS solutions)
  • Medium-like publishing platforms
  • Custom blog engines

Project Management:

  • Trello alternatives (Rails-based kanban boards)
  • Basecamp-like project management tools
  • Issue tracking systems

Social Networks:

  • Basic social media platform alternatives
  • Community forum software
  • Discussion platforms

Business Applications:

  • CRM systems
  • ERP solutions
  • Accounting software

4. Core Functionality#

The repository itself doesn’t provide a single application but rather collects various open-source projects with diverse functionalities:

Collection Features:

  • Categorized listing of Ruby/Rails applications
  • Regular updates and new additions
  • Quality filtering and vetting process
  • Detailed project descriptions and links

Included Application Types:

  • Full-stack web applications
  • API-only Rails projects
  • Monolithic applications
  • Microservices architectures
  • Modern Rails 7+ applications with Hotwire/Stimulus
  • Legacy Rails applications for educational purposes

5. Pros and Cons#

Pros#

Comprehensive Collection:

  • Wide variety of application types and complexity levels
  • Regularly updated with new and relevant projects
  • Includes both beginner-friendly and advanced applications

Educational Value:

  • Excellent learning resource for Rails patterns
  • Real-world code examples and architectures
  • Opportunity to study different implementation approaches

Community Driven:

  • Active maintenance and community contributions
  • Quality control through star ratings and community feedback
  • Helpful for finding inspiration and best practices

Practical Utility:

  • Source for finding ready-to-use open-source solutions
  • Base for starting new projects or features
  • Reference for architectural decisions

Cons#

Varied Quality:

  • Application quality and maintenance status varies significantly
  • Some projects may be outdated or abandoned
  • Inconsistent coding standards across different projects

No Unified Installation:

  • Each application has its own setup requirements
  • No standardized deployment process
  • Requires individual evaluation of each project

Maintenance Overhead:

  • Keeping track of updates across multiple projects
  • Potential security concerns with unmaintained projects
  • Documentation quality varies between applications

6. Detailed Installation Guide (Self-host)#

Since this is a collection repository rather than a single application, here’s a general guide for working with Ruby on Rails applications from this collection:

Prerequisites#

System Requirements:

  • Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or newer
  • 2GB RAM minimum (4GB recommended)
  • 20GB free disk space

Required Software:

Terminal window
# Update system
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
# Install essential packages
sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential libssl-dev libreadline-dev zlib1g-dev
# Install Ruby using rbenv
git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
# Install ruby-build plugin
git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git ~/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build
# Install Ruby (latest stable version)
rbenv install 3.2.2
rbenv global 3.2.2
# Install Rails
gem install rails -v 7.0.8
# Install Node.js and Yarn (for asset pipeline)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
npm install -g yarn
# Install PostgreSQL (common database choice)
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-contrib libpq-dev

Application Setup Process#

1. Choose an Application:

Terminal window
# Browse the repository and choose an application
# Clone your selected application
git clone [application-repository-url]
cd [application-directory]

2. Database Setup:

Terminal window
# Create database user (if using PostgreSQL)
sudo -u postgres createuser -s [your_username]
sudo -u postgres psql -c "ALTER USER [your_username] WITH PASSWORD 'your_password';"
# Install dependencies
bundle install
yarn install
# Setup database
rails db:create
rails db:migrate
rails db:seed # if seed data is available

3. Environment Configuration:

Terminal window
# Copy environment template
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env file with your configuration
nano .env

4. Test the Application:

Terminal window
# Run tests (if available)
rails test
# Start development server
rails server

5. Production Deployment (Basic):

Terminal window
# Precompile assets
RAILS_ENV=production rails assets:precompile
# Set production database
RAILS_ENV=production rails db:create db:migrate
# Start production server (using Puma)
RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec puma

Docker Alternative (if available)#

Many modern Rails applications include Docker support:

Terminal window
# If Dockerfile is present
docker build -t rails-app .
docker run -p 3000:3000 rails-app
# Or using docker-compose
docker-compose up

Important Notes#

  • Always check the specific README of each application for unique requirements
  • Review the application’s license before use in production
  • Consider security implications and update dependencies regularly
  • Monitor application logs and performance metrics in production

This collection provides excellent starting points for various projects, but each application requires individual evaluation and customization for production use.

Open-Source Ruby and Rails Apps: A Comprehensive Collection for Developers
https://minixium.com/posts/open-source-crm-asyraffff-open-source-ruby-and-rails-apps/
Author
Minixium
Published at
2025-09-23
License
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0