Is mattbrictson rails-template still maintained?

No, it's deprecated. The README directs users to mattbrictson/nextgen, which offers similar features in an interactive, customizable format with ongoing updates.

How to use Vite with this Rails template?

Add the --javascript vite option when running rails new. This sets up Vite in app/frontend with hot reloading, as explained in the template's documentation and linked blog posts.

rails-template vs standard Rails new: what's the difference?

This template adds pre-configured gems for linting, security, and background jobs, plus optional Vite support and production tweaks, while standard Rails new gives a barebones setup without these enhancements.

Can I use this template with Rails 6 or older?

Only through older branches in the repository, as the main branch requires Rails 7.1. You'd need to specify a compatible branch, but support is limited due to deprecation.

How to customize or remove gems in this template?

After generation, edit the Gemfile and configuration files manually. However, since changes are applied during setup, some configurations might need post-hoc adjustments or removal.

Does this template work with MySQL or SQLite?

No, it's designed specifically for PostgreSQL. The template hardcodes PostgreSQL settings, so using other databases would require significant manual modifications.

Open-Awesome

rails-template(mattbrictson)

MITRuby

A Rails 7 application template with best-practices, pre-configured gems, and optional Vite support.

GitHub

1.1k stars221 forks0 contributors

What is rails-template(mattbrictson)?

mattbrictson/rails-template is a Rails application template designed to generate new Rails 7 projects with a curated set of best practices, pre-configured gems, and optional frontend tooling. It solves the problem of repetitive project setup by providing a standardized, production-ready foundation that includes linting, security checks, testing utilities, and deployment configurations.

Target Audience

Rails developers starting new Rails 7 projects who want a streamlined, opinionated setup with modern tooling and conventions without manually configuring common gems and workflows.

Value Proposition

Developers choose this template for its comprehensive, battle-tested defaults that save time on initial project configuration, its adherence to Rails conventions while adding useful enhancements, and its optional integration of Vite for a improved frontend development experience.

Overview

My former app template for Rails 7. All recommendations you see here have been moved to https://github.com/mattbrictson/nextgen

Use Cases

Best For

Quickly bootstrapping new Rails 7 applications with PostgreSQL
Projects wanting integrated code quality tools like RuboCop and ESLint from the start
Teams needing a standardized, production-ready Rails project template
Developers preferring Vite over Webpack for frontend asset management
Applications requiring Sidekiq for background job processing
Ensuring security best practices with Brakeman and bundler-audit pre-configured

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring databases other than PostgreSQL, as the template is hardcoded for it
Teams with strict, pre-existing Rails conventions who prefer to handpick and configure each gem
Quick prototypes or MVPs where the overhead of bundled linting, security, and background job tools is unnecessary
Developers seeking an actively maintained solution, since this project is deprecated in favor of nextgen

Pros & Cons

Pros

Comprehensive Tooling Integration

Bundles essential gems like Sidekiq for jobs, RuboCop for linting, and Brakeman for security, saving setup time and enforcing best practices from the start.

Modern Frontend Option

Offers optional Vite integration with hot reloading, providing a powerful alternative to Webpack, as detailed in the linked blog posts on Vite-Rails plugins.

Production-Ready Configuration

Pre-configures Postmark for email and prompts for git and production server details during generation, streamlining deployment setup.

Enhanced Developer Experience

Includes an improved bin/setup script and auto-opens the browser on server start, making local development smoother and more intuitive.

Cons

Deprecated Project

The README explicitly states it is no longer maintained and redirects to nextgen, meaning no updates or bug fixes for newer Rails versions or dependencies.

Opinionated and Inflexible

Forces specific gems and configurations (e.g., PostgreSQL-only, Postmark for email) that may not align with all projects, requiring manual overrides post-generation.

Complex Initial Setup

Requires specific Ruby 3.1+ and Node 16.14+ versions, and prompts for external details like git URLs during generation, which can hinder quick starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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