Lunarpages - The Disadvantages of Ruby on Rails Web Hosting

The Disadvantages of Ruby on Rails Web Hosting

As with any new technology, there are advantages and disadvantages with running Ruby on Rails (RoR). Because RoR has been gaining a great deal of popularity, it has been in the limelight since its inception into the programming world, so many of the reviews you’ll find will be positive. It’s up to you to compare the strengths against the weaknesses to determine if Ruby on Rails is really for you.

So what are the disadvantages to using Ruby on Rails?

It’s New

New technologies are inconsistent and immature. While this might not necessarily be the case with Ruby, adjusting to this new technology can be a hassle. You may not be able to find a web host who understand Ruby on Rails, as many customers have suffered from. Luckily, Lunarpages provides Ruby on Rails Web Hosting and Support 24/7, so finding the perfect web host is the easy part.

Because RoR is new, developing a project with it could mean extensive re-writes and major components being adjusted several times as the years wear on. While this is true of any new programming language, older languages like JSP or ASP have standard practices and many tutorials for assistance online, so if you get stuck it’s easy to find a way to fix it, while with Ruby on Rails, you may have to wait on a solution.

Adjustments to Existing Data

If you already have an existing database, you may have to completely abandon the work you’ve put in in favor of starting fresh with Ruby on Rails. Because RoR can build the same kind of application quickly, this might not be a huge problem, but to some, these kinds of adjustments to existing data can be tiresome and may not even be worth the time it takes to incorporate the new changes.

Less Control

While it is not proven that the Ruby on Rails framework offers less control, it has definitely been argued several times by prominent Rails enthusiasts and especially those who prefer older languages like PHP. Because Ruby on Rails allows you to write less code, many have said the quicker you get the work accomplished, the less control you may have over the final solution. Less code, in other words, doesn’t mean a better product – it just means you are using existing code or framework to accomplish the task faster.

Learning Curve

Ruby on Rails is said to be the cleanest and most functional code out there. When choosing between the various programming languages, you’ll see that some require a deep understanding of various codes, architectures, and frame types. Ruby on Rails is, unfortunately, no exception. To master RoR, you need to have a comprehensive knowledge of programming, objects, methods, controllers, and more, whereas with PHP and other languages, you aren’t required to know all of these things.

So take a look at the many advantages and the different websites and applications built with Ruby on Rails before you make any decisions. There are many Ruby on Rails tutorials and screencasts that may help you figure out if Ruby on Rails is right for your next web application.