Rails Guides

Rails Guides

Official Rails documentation for reference during development.

Topic Map

Getting Started

• references/getting_started.md — Rails basics, MVC overview, first app walkthrough
• references/command_line.md — rails command, generators, rake tasks
• references/configuring.md — Environments, initializers, credentials, database.yml
• references/autoloading_and_reloading_constants.md — Zeitwerk, module naming, reload behavior
• references/initialization.md — Rails boot sequence, railties, engines

Active Record

• references/active_record_basics.md — Models, CRUD, conventions, migrations
• references/active_record_querying.md — Finders, scopes, joins, includes, explain
• references/active_record_validations.md — Built-in validators, custom validators, errors
• references/active_record_callbacks.md — Lifecycle hooks, after_commit, skip_callback
• references/association_basics.md — belongs_to, has_many, has_one, HABTM, polymorphic
• references/active_record_migrations.md — Schema changes, reversible migrations, db:migrate
• references/active_record_encryption.md — Encrypting attributes at rest
• references/active_record_composite_primary_keys.md — Multi-column primary keys
• references/active_record_multiple_databases.md — Multi-DB setup, sharding, replicas
• references/active_record_postgresql.md — PostgreSQL-specific features (hstore, jsonb, arrays)
• references/active_model_basics.md — ActiveModel outside ActiveRecord, form objects

Action Controller

• references/action_controller_overview.md — Controllers, params, filters, sessions, cookies
• references/action_controller_advanced_topics.md — Streaming, live, metal, http auth
• references/routing.md — Resources, namespaces, constraints, named routes, URL helpers

Action View

• references/action_view_overview.md — Templates, partials, layouts, formats
• references/action_view_helpers.md — form_with, link_to, tag, content_tag, asset helpers
• references/form_helpers.md — form_with, field helpers, nested forms, uploads
• references/layouts_and_rendering.md — render, redirect_to, respond_to, layout inheritance

Frontend / Hotwire

• references/working_with_javascript_in_rails.md — Import maps, Turbo, Stimulus overview
• references/action_text_overview.md — Rich text with Trix, attachments

Jobs & Mailers

• references/active_job_basics.md — Job classes, queues, retry, test helpers
• references/action_mailer_basics.md — Mailers, templates, deliveries, previews
• references/action_mailbox_basics.md — Incoming email routing and processing

Storage

• references/active_storage_overview.md — File uploads, variants, direct uploads, S3/GCS/Azure

Testing

• references/testing.md — Minitest, fixtures, test types, helpers, assertions

Real-Time

• references/action_cable_overview.md — WebSockets, channels, broadcasting, connections

Security & Performance

• references/security.md — SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, mass assignment, secure headers
• references/caching_with_rails.md — Fragment, action, HTTP caching, cache stores
• references/asset_pipeline.md — Sprockets, Propshaft, precompile, digests
• references/tuning_performance_for_deployment.md — Puma, connection pooling, GC

Internationalization

• references/i18n.md — Translation files, locale, pluralization, date formats

API & Rack

• references/api_app.md — API-only Rails, slim middleware stack
• references/rails_on_rack.md — Middleware stack, Rack integration

Extending Rails

• references/engines.md — Mountable engines, isolated namespaces, hooks, testing
• references/generators.md — Custom generators, templates, overriding defaults
• references/plugins.md — Creating gem-based plugins, core extensions, testing

Advanced

• references/active_support_core_extensions.md — String, Array, Hash, Date extensions
• references/active_support_instrumentation.md — Notifications, log subscribers
• references/association_basics.md — Association options, eager loading strategies
• references/debugging_rails_applications.md — debug gem, logger, web-console, byebug
• references/error_reporting.md — Error::Reporter, Sentry integration
• references/threading_and_code_execution.md — Thread safety, executor, reloader
• references/upgrading_ruby_on_rails.md — Version upgrade paths, deprecation handling