Architecting Multiple Ruby on Rails Applications that Share a - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Nov 22, 2023 432 likes •613 views

Architecting Multiple Ruby on Rails Applications that Share a Common Code Base NOVA Software Architecture Roundtable Gregory Hodum - ghodum@solutionstreet.com Business Problem Client wants you to build another RoR application that is similar

SLIDE 1

Architecting Multiple Ruby

n Rails Applications that

Share a Common Code Base

NOVA Software Architecture Roundtable Gregory Hodum - ghodum@solutionstreet.com

SLIDE 2

Business Problem

Client wants you to build another RoR application that is similar to the one you just developed…

SLIDE 3

Business Problem

…but different…

SLIDE 4

Architecture Goals

Share common functionality
Ideally the full MVC stack
Ability to easily customize/extend common

functionality

Minimize maintenance
Encourage DRY principle

SLIDE 5

Solutions?

All-in-one app
Expose common functionality as separate services communicating

via API

REST, WS, etc.
Code level organization
Re-usable software component(s)
Ruby gem, Rails Engine
Separate code repositories/projects
Others solutions? Thoughts?

SLIDE 6

We decided to use Rails Engines

SLIDE 7

Rails Engines

Ruby gem + MVC stack elements

http://guides.rubyonrails.org/engines.html

SLIDE 8

Rails Engines let applications reuse:
Models / Views / Controllers / Helpers
Assets (JS, CSS, Images)
Routes
Rake tasks
Generators
Initializers
Tests
Migrations and seed data Libraries

SLIDE 9

blorgh

Rails Engine

rainbow

Rails App

unicorn

Rails App

SLIDE 10

Extending Engine Functionality

Overriding/Extending Models and Controllers
Open classing using concerns (Rails

ActiveSupport::Concern)

Override Views
Looks in application first, then Engine

SLIDE 11

Real World Rails Engines

Devise - A flexible authentication solution for Rails
https://github.com/plataformatec/devise
Forem - engine for Rails that aims to be the best little forum system ever
https://github.com/radar/forem
Spree - A complete open source e-commerce solution for Ruby on Rails
https://github.com/spree/spree
RefineryCMS - An open source content management system for Rails
https://github.com/refinery/refinerycms

SLIDE 12

To generate a new Rails Engine: rails plugin new blorgh --mountable

SLIDE 13

Then include as a gem in your application’s Gemfile: gem 'blorgh', path: "/path/to/blorgh"

SLIDE 14

Let’s see the code…

SLIDE 15

Converting an existing app to use Rails Engines so far…

Engine Module/Name-spacing
Be careful with table names, relations, existing app code references to

Engine classes

Refactor common classes into Concerns in the Engine
Include filesystem reference to Engine gem during development
Pull specific versions from git during CI/Test/Deployment builds
Angular UI/Assets
Have not tackled this layer yet, another topic for another time
Testing
Standalone tests (RSpec) for the Engine, validates Engine functionality
App test coverage needs to include Engine functionality that has been
verridden/extended

SLIDE 16

Questions?

Additional Thoughts?

SLIDE 17

References

Code from this presentation:
https://github.com/ghodum/blorgh
https://github.com/ghodum/unicorn
http://guides.rubyonrails.org/engines.html
http://www.slideshare.net/AndyMaleh/rails-engine-patterns
http://hawkins.io/2012/03/defining_plugins_gems_railties_and_engines/
http://blog.pivotal.io/pivotal-labs/labs/migrating-from-a-single-rails-app-to-a-

suite-of-rails-engines#pitfalls

http://www.toptal.com/ruby-on-rails/rails-engines-in-the-wild-real-world-

examples-of-rails-engines-in-action