Ruby on Rails vs Django

In the programming world, there are many web development frameworks available to developers but as we all know, Ruby on Rails vs Django work best. They are emerging as popular web frameworks and this popularity is suspected to continue till coming time .

Ruby on Rails Vs Django , Both are the right frameworks for web development — but how do you choose one over the other?

What they have in common extends from programming language similarities (Ruby for Rails and Python for Django): both of which are object-oriented and dynamically typed and their performance is specific to each project.

If you are trying to decide between the two, both Django and Rails are good choices. Here are some things to think about that will help you make the right choice.

What is Django?

Django was released in 2005 , is a Python-based web framework and a primary choice for Python app development as well. What makes it so popular is that it is a general, open-source and free framework which makes it easily accessible. Features at Django are very famous by developers. It was designed to simplify the process of creating complex and database-driven websites. This framework encourages rapid development with a stylish and pragmatic design.

Pros of Django Framework

Scalable
Mature Software with numerous Plug-ins
Highly Customize
Effective Admin Panel
Django has the Representational State Transfer (REST) framework
Adopts Battery-included approach
Supports MVC programming
High compatibility with databases and operating systems

Cons of Django Framework

Lacks the capability to handle multiple requests simultaneously
Highly reliable on ORM system
Makes web app components tightly-coupled
Too Monolithic

What is Ruby on Rails?

Written under MIT license, Ruby on Rails, abbreviated as RoR is a server-side, open-source web app framework. Rails is a model-view-controller and provides fantastic standard structures for a database, web services and pages. It is considered as a time-saving method for developers to write code.

This framework works mainly on two principles — DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) and Convention Over Configuration. The former is self-explanatory , eliminating the need to perform the same task of coding over and over while the latter means that the environment you work in, such as systems, libraries, languages and more allows many logical situations by default. This means that you can adapt to them instead of creating your own rules every time which makes the whole programming process much easier.

Pros of Ruby on Rails

Easy to modify and migrate
High-speed development
Diverse tools and presets
Superior testing environment
Active RoR community
The component structure is based on Plugins and Gems — enabling high functionality with less coding

Cons of Ruby on Rails

Tricky to create API
Varying quality and standard of documentation
Low run time speed
Lack of flexibility

The difference between Django and Rails Framework

Language: While Django uses Python, Rails is developed with Ruby was introduced in 1995. Python is one of the best programming languages and is known for emphasizing the code\’s clarity and readability while Ruby is known for its attributes such as flexibility along with freedom and also for its understandable syntax.

In addition, Python is the easiest programming language to learn and write quickly. There are different types of applications that can be developed with Python.

On the other side of the table, Ruby was designed with the emphasis on “enjoying” writing the language, so it\’s basically fun. Although the applications built with any of them will look and work almost exactly the same, the biggest difference can be seen under the covers.

Architecture

One thing that both web development frameworks have in common is that both have adopted Model-View-Controller (MVC). For Django, however, it is called Model View Template. Both MVC and MVT are broadly similar and differ ever so slightly.

In Django, the model represents the database that describes the data structure. View is the common expression-based URL Dispatcher that controls what users see. Last but not least, a template means a web template system merged with Django Template Language (DLT). The controller part here is managed by Django itself.

With regard to Ruby on Rails, the model specifies the database data such as comments, images, posts , etc. All this is taken care of by Active Record. Here the view covers the data in the HTML template and then sends it to the Controller which is later managed by Active View. Now Action Controller is the one to connect the model, view and manage requests while taking care of sending responses to the web browser.

User interface

When you make Django vs Ruby on Rails comparison based on the user interface, they are both absolute winners. That’s because both are created to offer a high-quality experience. These web-centric frameworks allow any app development agency to develop highly functional websites loaded with impeccable plugins and add-ons.

Speed and performance

In the battle of Ruby on Rails Vs Django, it is observed that Rails is 0.7% faster. That\’s because Rails has the advantage of a rich archive of fantastic libraries and plugins to improve the speed and eventually the performance of this framework also. Still, Django encourages equally fast development processes and is an incredible choice for a web framework.

Django REST framework provides convenience in the form of authentication modules, JSON series / deserializers, etc. When comparing Django to RoR, we can say that Django can have an advantage because REST is one of the prominent advantages of Django.

Nevertheless, the performance of Django vs. Rails is high for both as they utilize modern programming languages while providing the tools to optimize the code

Stability

Creativity and stability are two parallel elements necessary for development. We can consider the winner as the one which can handle both effectively. Ruby on Rails has the ability to juggle both as it allows users to reuse the code to minimize dependencies. It also uses the convention of configuration modes and frees the coders from any further efforts.

On the other side of the table, Python practices a more conventional approach by adhering to all tried and tested methods to solve current problems and provide stability.

Installation

Comparing Django vs Ruby on Rails based on the installation process is not a difficult nut to crack. Django\’s installation process is very simple and therefore it only takes about a minute to get fully installed.

But the same cannot be said about Ruby on Rails. You must first understand what packages and gems are , as they are needed to install the packages for Ruby. These two are first installed and then, run Command Gem Installs Rails to finally install the latest version of the Rail\’s framework

Security

In Django vs Rails comparison, we had to include the security factor as it is an indispensable part of any website or app for that part.

Django has definitely got this feature from Python. In fact, NASA also uses Django frameworks which in itself is enough fact that advocates how safe it is. Django is supported by medium goods while Rails is supported with active records. Django has tools that protect your Django app from SQL injection, cross-site scripting, etc., and so does Rails.

Overall, both web development frameworks are reliable alternatives and can be trusted for security.

Scalability

Although the Django web framework has inherited scalability from Python, it is still a bit behind in comparison to Rails. It has better scalability which is the result of its attributes such as freedom and flexibility in code. They both are frameworks used for heavy web developments so , they are both designed for scalability but the Ruby on Rails development here takes the winning title.

Syntax

It is a known fact that Ruby\’s syntax is very flexible. The benefits of Ruby on Rails may not always be associated. This can cause problems and make it more difficult to pass the project on to other team members as the feature can be achieved in many different ways and create confusion.

While Python advocates that there should be only one obvious way to do something which makes the code easier to troubleshoot and read.

Principles of Development

Principles are like the glue that holds the entire development process together. Django has two prominent principles that are remarkable — DRY and “Explicit is better than Implicit”. This principle allows developers to create applications that are easy to understand and maintained by many people.

Ruby on Rails is also not short on development principles. It also uses DRY and Convention over Configuration, which advocates that in order to be productive, you must follow conventions instead of creating your own configurations. Doing so increases speed and efficiency.

Documentation of framework

To be simple, it is a link between Django vs Rails development framework in this regard. Both frameworks are well documented, making it easy to find the most popular FAQs and answers to the questions. The language in the documentation for both is very simple, understandable and simple, without putting the reader into the state of mayhem.

The maturity of the platform

Django was first introduced in 2005 and has since worked its way up the list of the best web development frameworks. Its latest version was released in April 2019 with many new features and better functionality.

Ruby on Rails was first introduced in 2003 but was officially declared an open-source framework in 2004. It is also regularly updated, as the latest version of it was launched in August 2018

HTML Templating

Although both Ruby on Rails & Django frameworks have the template as the main feature. Django uses a simple template language to allow developers to create templates with minimal programming and HTML skills. By contrast, Rails\’ views (individual page templates) seem more complex.

Usage

If you are looking for a framework that helps develop complex websites based on databases and web applications in less time with efficiency in systems administration, scientific programming, data analysis and manipulation, then Django is the way to go.

On the other hand, Rails also helps developing database-backed web applications by providing better usability and freedom for programmers. Because Ruby is flexible in nature, it is an ideal choice for meta programming and the creation of pleasant codes.

Web Servers

For Django, the most important web servers are NGINX with WSGI, Apache, Gunicorn and Cherokee. The database servers for Django are PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite and Oracle.

While for Ruby on Rails, web frameworks use NGINX, Apache and WEBrick as prominent servers. Database servers for Rails include PostgreSQL and MySQL.

Community support and ecosystems

Django is an open-source framework and also has an open-source system which means that there is a set of libraries and tools, both paid and free, available to developers. Also, the official Django documentation is more than enough for reference if you need answers to any problem.

The Django community has over 11,000 people with more than 4,000 developers ready to use. Ruby on Rails, on the other hand, also has a very active community with 5,000 people dedicated to those who have already contributed a lot of Gems with reusable code

Learning To curve

It is widely known that Python is a very easy programming language to learn from its challenges, which also makes the learning curve for Django small. There are various resources available offline as well as online which makes it easier to solve questions.

On the contrary, Rails has a very steep learning curve due to independent concepts which a developer needs to hone in order to become proficient in Rails. So, it is only recommended for experienced programmers and developers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Which is Better Ruby on Rails or Django?

It is difficult to answer this question in one sentence. There are many similarities between Django and Rails along with their differences. Both are effective in different tasks. They both give a tough competition to each other in terms of performance, speed, community support, scalability, security and others.

Question: Is Django faster than rails?

Yes. To be exact, Ruby on Rails is 0.7% faster than Django.

Question: Is Ruby on Rails worth learning in 2019?

Absolutely. Ruby on Rails is one of the preferred choices for developers and programmers to create websites and web applications. In fact, Ruby on Rails popularity is expected to continue in 2020, making it necessary for you to learn it.

Question: What apps still use Ruby on Rails?

Applications and websites like Hulu, Instagram, Airbnb, Crunchbase, etc., are developed with Ruby on Rails.

Ruby on Rails vs Django – Which framework is best for 2020