Gems - DHH Rails Style

Gems - DHH Rails Style

Core Rails stack:

• turbo-rails, stimulus-rails, importmap-rails
• propshaft (asset pipeline)

Database-backed services (Solid suite):

• solid_queue - background jobs
• solid_cache - caching
• solid_cable - WebSockets/Action Cable

Authentication & Security:

• bcrypt (for any password hashing needed)

Their own gems:

• geared_pagination (cursor-based pagination)
• lexxy (rich text editor)
• mittens (mailer utilities)

Utilities:

• rqrcode (QR code generation)
• redcarpet + rouge (Markdown rendering)
• web-push (push notifications)

Deployment & Operations:

• kamal (Docker deployment)
• thruster (HTTP/2 proxy)
• mission_control-jobs (job monitoring)
• autotuner (GC tuning)

Authentication:

devise → Custom ~150-line auth

Why: Full control, no password liability with magic links, simpler.

Authorization:

pundit/cancancan → Simple role checks in models

Why: Most apps don't need policy objects. A method on the model suffices:

class Board < ApplicationRecord
  def editable_by?(user)
    user.admin? || user == creator
  end
end

Background Jobs:

sidekiq → Solid Queue

Why: Database-backed means no Redis, same transactional guarantees.

Caching:

redis → Solid Cache

Why: Database is already there, simpler infrastructure.

Search:

elasticsearch → Custom sharded search

Why: Built exactly what they need, no external service dependency.

View Layer:

view_component → Standard partials

Why: Partials work fine. ViewComponents add complexity without clear benefit for their use case.

API:

GraphQL → REST with Turbo

Why: REST is sufficient when you control both ends. GraphQL complexity not justified.

Factories:

factory_bot → Fixtures

Why: Fixtures are simpler, faster, and encourage thinking about data relationships upfront.

Service Objects:

Interactor, Trailblazer → Fat models

Why: Business logic stays in models. Methods like card.close instead of CardCloser.call(card).

Form Objects:

Reform, dry-validation → params.expect + model validations

Why: Rails 7.1's params.expect is clean enough. Contextual validations on model.

Decorators:

Draper → View helpers + partials

Why: Helpers and partials are simpler. No decorator indirection.

CSS:

Tailwind, Sass → Native CSS

Why: Modern CSS has nesting, variables, layers. No build step needed.

Frontend:

React, Vue, SPAs → Turbo + Stimulus

Why: Server-rendered HTML with sprinkles of JS. SPA complexity not justified.

Testing:

RSpec → Minitest

Why: Simpler, faster boot, less DSL magic, ships with Rails.

Minitest - simpler, faster:

class CardTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
  test "closing creates closure" do
    card = cards(:one)
    assert_difference -> { Card::Closure.count } do
      card.close
    end
    assert card.closed?
  end
end

Fixtures - loaded once, deterministic:

# test/fixtures/cards.yml
open_card:
  title: Open Card
  board: main
  creator: alice

closed_card:
  title: Closed Card
  board: main
  creator: bob

Dynamic timestamps with ERB:

recent:
  title: Recent
  created_at: <%= 1.hour.ago %>

old:
  title: Old
  created_at: <%= 1.month.ago %>

Time travel for time-dependent tests:

test "expires after 15 minutes" do
  magic_link = MagicLink.create!(user: users(:alice))

  travel 16.minutes

  assert magic_link.expired?
end

VCR for external APIs:

VCR.use_cassette("stripe/charge") do
  charge = Stripe::Charge.create(amount: 1000)
  assert charge.paid
end

Tests ship with features - same commit, not before or after.

Before adding a gem, ask:

1. Can vanilla Rails do this?

   • ActiveRecord can do most things Sequel can
   • ActionMailer handles email fine
   • ActiveJob works for most job needs

2. Is the complexity worth it?

   • 150 lines of custom code vs. 10,000-line gem
   • You'll understand your code better
   • Fewer upgrade headaches

3. Does it add infrastructure?

   • Redis? Consider database-backed alternatives
   • External service? Consider building in-house
   • Simpler infrastructure = fewer failure modes

4. Is it from someone you trust?

   • 37signals gems: battle-tested at scale
   • Well-maintained, focused gems: usually fine
   • Kitchen-sink gems: probably overkill

The philosophy:

"Build solutions before reaching for gems."

Not anti-gem, but pro-understanding. Use gems when they genuinely solve a problem you have, not a problem you might have.

Pagination:

# geared_pagination - cursor-based
class CardsController < ApplicationController
  def index
    @cards = @board.cards.geared(page: params[:page])
  end
end

Markdown:

# redcarpet + rouge
class MarkdownRenderer
  def self.render(text)
    Redcarpet::Markdown.new(
      Redcarpet::Render::HTML.new(filter_html: true),
      autolink: true,
      fenced_code_blocks: true
    ).render(text)
  end
end

Background jobs:

# solid_queue - no Redis
class ApplicationJob < ActiveJob::Base
  queue_as :default
  # Just works, backed by database
end

Caching:

# solid_cache - no Redis
# config/environments/production.rb
config.cache_store = :solid_cache_store