In today’s dynamic business environment, where swift software development is imperative, transitioning from a monolithic application to Ruby on Rails microservices can bring a range of benefits.
Ruby on Rails microservices architecture enables faster deployment and improves scalability, maintainability, and adaptability.
This article delves into the benefits of shifting from a monolithic architecture to Ruby on Rails microservices.
After going through this article, you will have the requisite knowledge to make a well-informed decision about implementing a microservices architecture.
What are Microservices in Ruby on Rails?
Ruby on Rails is a framework that employs the Microservices application architecture. This approach involves breaking larger applications into smaller, more manageable services that communicate with each other through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Every service works independently in its own process and interacts with the rest of the system through predetermined interfaces and lightweight mechanisms, often using HTTP APIs.
To implement Ruby on Rails microservices, you can utilize tools such as Docker and message queues like RabbitMQ.
Ruby on Rails is an ideal choice for microservices development, thanks to its vast array of established standards and tools that enable the rapid building and deployment of web applications.
Can the Concept of a “Monolithic” Rails App be Explained?
A monolithic Rails app refers to a single, large application that encompasses all the code, resources, and functionality of an entire web application.
Built on the Ruby on Rails web framework, this application offers an effortless and efficient way to develop and maintain web applications.
Scaling monolithic programs is a challenging task since all of their components are highly interdependent and closely linked.
What’s Better: A Big, Monolithic Rails App or Multiple Small, Independent Ruby on Rails Apps?
When compared to monolithic Rails apps, Ruby on Rails microservices differ significantly in several essential ways:
| Factors | Ruby on Rails Microservices | Monolithic Rails Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Scalability | Microservices make it easier to scale different parts of your application separately. | In a monolithic application, scaling the entire application can be more difficult because all parts of the application are tightly coupled. |
| Architecture | Microservices are divided into smaller, modular services. | Monolithic applications have a single codebase. |
| Deployment | Independent deployment is the key to Microservices. | Monolithic applications are deployed as a single unit. |
| Resilience | Microservices can continue to function if one service fails, resulting in a more resilient system. | If a monolithic application fails, the entire application may fail. |
| Flexibility | Microservices allow for more flexibility by enabling changes to individual services. | It is difficult to make changes to a monolithic application. |
| Reusability | Microservices can be reused in other projects or applications. | Monolithic applications are generally not reusable. |
A Microservices Framework Based on Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails is a comprehensive framework that grants developers access to a plethora of resources, including tools and libraries, to assist in the development of web applications.
Ruby on Rails’ convention-over-configuration approach is a significant advantage in microservices development. The standardization of rules for file names, directory organization, and code style streamlines the process of creating and maintaining microservices.
In addition, Ruby on Rails provides several tools and frameworks that can be utilised for microservices development, including:
ActiveRecord:
A database library that provides an ORM layer for storing and retrieving data.ActionPack:
A suite of resources for building web applications, such as view controllers, view models, and route handlers.ActiveSupport:
A group of classes and methods engineered to simplify the development of Ruby on Rails applications.
A Guide to Implementing Microservices in Ruby on Rails. An Example of Ruby Microservices to Elucidate the Process.
To incorporate Ruby on Rails microservices into your application, follow these steps:
Identify the Components of the Program That Would Benefit from Separation:
The initial move toward embracing microservices is to locate the distinct pieces of a program that can be split into their own services.
Consider a single Rails application that handles everything from product cataloguing to payments. To leverage the advantages of this framework and build streamlined applications, similar to Airbnb, it may be advantageous to divide certain components into their own microservices. You can engage the services of experienced Ruby on Rails developers at reasonable rates to aid in this undertaking.
Map Out the Boundaries of the Microservices:
After identifying the components to be decoupled, determine the inputs, outputs, data, and functionality that each microservice will be responsible for.
For instance, a microservice that manages a customer’s shopping cart could be responsible for adding and retrieving products. Similarly, the payment gateway microservice might handle financial transactions.
Extract the Microservices’ Source Code:
After defining the boundaries of the microservices, it’s feasible to extract the necessary code into new codebases. The process of rearranging the code requires making the modules autonomous and functioning appropriately.
For instance, the code for the shopping cart functionality could be separated into a separate repository, which could then be enhanced to employ an API for communicating with the payment gateway and product catalogue microservices.
Here’s one potential method for decoupling the cart checkout operation into its own microservice:
Establish the Foundations of the Microservices:
To support the microservices, deployment pipelines, monitoring, and logging should all be integrated into the architecture. This involves generating and tailoring unique environments for each service and the fundamental infrastructure.
Testing and Releasing the Microservices:
The next steps involve deploying and testing the services.
This involves creating integration tests to ensure that the services are performing as desired, followed by deploying those services to the production environment.
Designing Microservices
Microservice architecture is a methodology that facilitates the construction and deployment of systems made up of several services. These services communicate with one another through predefined interfaces.
In a microservices-oriented architecture, every service performs a unique function and can be deployed and scaled independently.
Restful API with Ruby on Rails
HTTP facilitates the transmission of Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs, which allows software programs to communicate with one another. REST APIs follow a consistent procedure for sending and receiving requests, making them simple to use and understand.
Ruby on Rails is a widely used web development framework that is frequently employed to build REST APIs. The following are the necessary measures:
Creating a New Rails Application:
To begin, use the ‘rails new’ command to create a new Rails project. This will create a new folder and populate it with all the required files and directories for your project.
API Endpoints need to be defined:
The subsequent phase is to determine the API entry points. To handle the multiple API requests, one or more controllers have to be created.
To manage user administration requests, you can create a UsersController.
Implementing API Logic:
After defining the API endpoints, the logic must be put in place. To accomplish this, the controllers and models will need to execute logic to handle the various requests that your API can process.
Verifying the Functionality of your API:
Once your API has been developed, it is vital to test it to ensure that it is working properly. Use tools like Postman or cURL to send requests to your API and verify that it is responding accurately.
Utilizing Your API:
When you have finished testing and are pleased with the performance of your API, it may be deployed in the production environment. Your customers will only be able to utilize the API once it has been deployed.
Overall, the broad range of tools and frameworks provided by Ruby on Rails simplify the process of building a REST API.
Authenticating between Ruby on Rails Microservices
Thoughtful consideration of authentication and authorization is crucial when implementing a Ruby on Rails microservices architecture. Several methods exist for handling authentication in a Rails-based microservices architecture.
Implementing a Centralized Authentication System:
Storing user credentials in a database and utilizing a framework like Devise can aid in creating the service. Afterward, microservices can send authentication requests to the centralized service.
Utilizing JSON Web Tokens (JWTs):
JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) are self-contained tokens that carry information about a user, like their user ID and permissions. They can be used for authentication in microservices by attaching a JWT to each request and verifying its validity on the server.
Implementing OAuth:
OAuth is a well-known protocol that permits users to provide third-party applications access to their resources without revealing their passwords. After authenticating with a third-party service (like Google or Facebook), users can grant permission for microservices to utilize these services with the assistance of OAuth.
Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Ruby on Rails Microservices
Define Microservices.
Microservices refer to a software architecture that enables breaking down an application into a series of smaller, independent services that communicate via a unified Application Programming Interface (API). Every service performs a unique function and can be created, tested, and put into production on its own without impacting the other services.
Kindly elaborate on the concept of “Microservice Architecture”.
The Microservice Architecture is distinguished by the deployment of several small, separate services that constitute a larger application. Services often interact with each other via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), with each service serving a distinct function.
Breaking down a complex program into smaller, more manageable parts aids in increasing the application’s flexibility, scalability, and maintainability.
What is the advantage of building microservices with Ruby on Rails?
Ruby on Rails is a widely used web development framework suitable for creating microservices owing to its strength and adaptability. Its “convention over configuration” approach ensures that developers can spend less time on repetitive installation duties and a greater focus on coding.
What is the recommended approach for arranging microservices in a Ruby on Rails application?
There are various methods for constructing a Ruby on Rails application with microservices.
One strategy is to create an independent front-end application, such as a single-page website, which uses a Rails API to handle all of the logic and data storage.
The second method entails creating each microservice as a distinct Rails application and utilizing API gateways to handle inter-application connections.
I have created several Ruby on Rails microservices; what are the steps required to deploy them in production?
Various deployment methods are available for Ruby on Rails microservices, including cloud-based platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or containerization tools like Docker. It is crucial to select a deployment technique that is dependable, efficient, and simple to maintain.
What is the best starting point for monitoring and debugging Ruby on Rails microservices?
To monitor and troubleshoot Ruby on Rails microservices, several tools and techniques can be used. Postman and cURL can be utilized to test and debug API calls, and logging and error tracking can be done using Logstash and Sentry. Additionally, setting up monitoring and alerting systems is crucial to receive notifications regarding possible problems.
Can someone elaborate on the benefits of using Ruby on Rails for building microservices?
A lot of web developers prefer Ruby on Rails because of its extensive range of standards and tools, which enable them to create applications rapidly and efficiently.
Here are several advantages of utilizing Ruby on Rails for implementing microservices:
- It is easy to learn and use.
- A large community of contributors actively develops and improves it.
- It offers a wealth of accessible libraries and other resources.
- It comes equipped with debugging and testing tools and libraries, and has support for building APIs.
- It performs efficiently and swiftly, even under high request loads.
Where can I find documentation for testing and debugging Ruby on Rails microservices?
There are numerous tools and modules available for testing and debugging Ruby on Rails microservices. Below are some of the commonly used ones:
RSpec:
A Ruby framework for writing and executing tests to ensure your software is free of bugs.FactoryBot:
A library for generating data to be utilized in software testing.Pry:
A powerful Ruby debugger that enables you to navigate through code line by line and view the current state of your application.Postman:
A tool used for scrutinizing the outcomes of HTTP requests to debug and assess application programming interfaces.
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