Bootstrapping a Rails application can be a tedious task. It requires several steps, such as generating a Rails skeleton, creating models, validations, adding gems for development, and generating test data. Depending on the size of the app and the developer’s experience, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours before you can start implementing the business domain logic.
To help speed up this process, I created the Rails Formation library. It allows you to bootstrap your Rails application based on templates written in JSON format, called “formations”. You can create and manage these templates using the free UI at https://railsformation.com. The library works similarly to the way AWS CloudFormation does for cloud infrastructure.
Though it may seem easier to skip the planning step and jump straight into coding, there are numerous benefits to planning ahead. This includes spending less time thinking about how to structure the data, having a comprehensive view of the application, and generating test data automatically. With Rails Formation, you can plan an application with your team or client and be one command away from generating a fully working skeleton.
If you’re interested in learning more about Rails Formation, check out the official website to discover all of the features and how it can help save time on your upcoming projects.