Introduction
In the fast-moving world of startups, speed can make or break your product’s success. That’s why choosing the right tech stack is crucial. Ruby on Rails has long been a favorite for building scalable applications quickly—and with the release of Rails 8, it’s even more powerful.
Ruby on Rails 8 introduces a range of hidden features that dramatically reduce development time while improving performance and flexibility. Whether you’re launching a minimum viable product (MVP) or scaling an existing app, Rails 8 provides the tools startups need to build fast and build smart.
Some of the world’s most successful companies—like Airbnb, GitHub, and Shopify—chose Ruby on Rails for its balance of simplicity and power. Its “convention over configuration” philosophy helps developers focus on what matters, while over 3,000 gems offer plug-and-play solutions for common challenges.
In this post, we’ll dive into the most impactful hidden features in Rails 8 and show how they can give your startup a serious edge.
Rails 8 Core Features That Boost Development Speed
Ruby on Rails 8 brings a host of new features designed to make web development faster and more efficient. From frontend performance improvements to streamlined app deployment and built-in user authentication, Rails 8 empowers startups and developers to build scalable web applications with ease.
Hotwire 2.0: Frontend Development Up to 40% Faster
Hotwire 2.0 is one of Rails 8’s most impressive upgrades. This integrated frontend solution allows developers to build dynamic, real-time features with minimal JavaScript.
At the heart of Hotwire is Turbo, which includes:
1.- Turbo Drive: Captures link clicks and handles page transitions without full reloads.
2.- Turbo Frames: Updates specific sections of a page independently.
3.- Turbo Streams: Pushes live updates via WebSocket connections using simple ActiveRecord configurations.
With Turbo Streams now fully built into Rails, real-time features like chat apps or notifications can be built faster and with much less code. For example, broadcasting a message to all users requires just a few lines.
Rails 8 also simplifies real-time development by supporting WebSockets with just SQLite—no Redis or additional infrastructure needed. This makes high interactivity more accessible, even on lightweight setups.
Propshaft: A Modern Asset Pipeline
The outdated Sprockets system has been replaced by Propshaft, a faster, simpler asset pipeline. It focuses on two key tasks:
– Managing asset load paths
– Adding digests to enable far-future caching
Propshaft pairs seamlessly with modern browsers, all of which now support ES6 by default. It’s lightweight and ideal for today’s frontend workflows.
Improved Database Performance
Rails 8 enhances ActiveRecord with better execution speed, native multithreading, and asynchronous processing. These updates reduce memory usage and improve performance across the boardespecially important for startups that need efficient scaling.
One-Command Deployment with Kamal 2
Rails 8 includes native integration with Kamal 2, a zero downtime deployment solution. With an optimized Dockerfile and simple CLI commands, you can turn a new Linux server into a live application in minutes.
Key Kamal features include:
– Zero-downtime deployments.
– Auto-generated SSL certificates via Let’s Encrypt.
– Support for hosting multiple apps on a single server.
Solid Queue: Built-In Job Management
Solid Queue is a new, high-performance background job system now included in Rails. It runs either as a Puma plugin or through the new bin/jobs command and is battle-tested—handling over 20 million jobs daily at 37signals.
Built-In Authentication System
Rails 8 now includes a simple, customizable authentication system out of the box. A single command—bin/rails generate authentication—creates:
– Session and User models
– A mailer and controller
– A complete Authentication concern
This built-in solution removes the need for third-party plugins and gives you full control over user authentication logic.
Reduced Need for Third-Party Services
Thanks to features like Solid Cable, Solid Cache, and Solid Queue, Rails 8 minimizes the need for external services. These components are optimized to run on modern hardware like SSDs and NVMe drives, delivering performance that previously required in-memory solutions like Redis or Memcached.
Conclusion
Rails 8 is more than just a framework update, it’s a productivity powerhouse built for modern web development. With tools like Hotwire 2.0, Kamal 2, and built-in authentication, it empowers startups to launch faster without sacrificing scalability or performance.
By reducing complexity and cutting reliance on third-party services, Rails 8 helps you do more with less. If your startup is looking for a tech stack that lets you move fast and grow confidently, Rails 8 is well worth your attention.
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