When it comes to server-side or backend web development, the Ruby on Rails framework ranks among the top. The speed and user-friendliness it provides for web developers are key to its rampant popularity. Leading tech companies globally leverage this programming language to build intuitive, traffic-driven, high-performance websites and web apps. However, organizing and managing the quality of your coding requires the best Ruby on Rails IDEs.
Choosing the best IDE to ace your Ruby on Rails (RoR) project can be time-consuming. That’s why the niche experts at BairesDev, with our proven expertise in Ruby on Rails development, are here to simplify things for you.
In this tutorial article, we’ve comprehensively analyzed 11 of the best IDEs. We will present all the top features and decision factors tailored to your unique development needs.
Why Choosing the Right Integrated Development Environment Is Important
RoR IDEs are software applications that contain three primary components necessary for development:
- The editor is where you key in the code.
- The compiler handles the build automation of your program.
- And the debugger checks for errors in code.
Each IDE comes with feature sets focused on improving the efficiency and convenience of different coding elements. As a developer/organization, selecting the right one immensely helps standardize and speed up your code, along with quality improvements.
You spend a lot of time on the RoR IDE during the entire software development life cycle. That’s why we strongly recommend you read till the end of this article. By doing that, you can select the best IDE to complete the Ruby on Rails project effectively.
Let’s get started!
Text Editor vs. IDE: What’s the Difference
Are text editors and IDEs the same? You use both of them to code, right? But there is much more to it.
A text or code editor is a writing tool with limited capabilities beyond this fundamental objective. In contrast, an IDE offers a lot more. An IDE acts as a single platform combining different coding facets for languages like Ruby on Rails.
Apart from the editing, there is auto-completion of code, syntax highlighting, debugging, and version control, among many other features. We bring the rich vein of software service experience working with the top Ruby on Rails developers across leading companies into this selection process.
How to Choose the Right IDE or Text Editor for Ruby On Rails
Ruby IDEs come with different features and customizations. Their basic intentions, however, remain the same: streamlining the coding, editing, running, and debugging. As a Ruby on Rails developer or a development company, your team spends much time and effort on the IDE.
Some of these tools are lightweight and consume less memory. At the same time, others have a rich and intuitive UI that is best for beginners. Also, we can never ignore the cost factor of these tools. While many have a free base version, the handy features may be included in the paid extensions.
To ensure that the tool’s key features accurately align with your business needs, let’s understand five key factors that’ll aid your Ruby on Rails IDE selection process.
- Platform Support: Does your IDE work on multiple operating systems like Windows, Mac, or Linux? We recommend selecting an IDE with cross-platform compatibility so that your team of developers has that flexibility. Sublime Text, for instance, is versatile in this regard.
- Learning Curve: Are you using this IDE to teach a group of Ruby on Rails students? Or are you looking to kickstart a development project with a team of experts who require extensive coding features? Visual Studio Code has a highly intuitive UI with a smooth learning curve for newbies.
- Integration Capability: While building Ruby applications, your IDE must often integrate with other tools to extend functionalities. For example, if your IDE lacks version control, you need to have the option to integrate it with a third-party tool for this purpose.
- Cost: In general, Ruby IDEs come under three pricing categories – free, paid, or freemium. We strongly suggest you do a cost-feature comparative analysis of the IDEs on your radar. Subsequently, you can make a data-driven decision to zero in on your IDE for Ruby on Rails. RubyMine is a sought-after IDE that comes with a 30-day trial period, after which it is paid.
- Community Support: A mature IDE always comes with comprehensive documentation and a wide online community or discussion forums. This is helpful when you feel stuck in the coding process and need assistance. Community forums provide a healthy platform to ask questions and get effective solutions.
Considering these parameters, you won’t go wrong opting for your Ruby IDE. To make things even more detailed, let’s analyze the key features and pros and cons of some leading IDEs.
The 11 Top IDEs & Text Editors for Ruby Developers
Among the thousands of Ruby on Rails IDEs available in the market, we will look at 11 that deserve mentioning and studying. All of them are easily accessible to developers and enable you to create powerful Ruby applications.
Our team of RoR experts and developers at BairesDev has personally tried and tested these tools so that you get only the best-in-class options. Additionally, if your firm is looking to hire Ruby on Rails developers, our staff augmentation services will end the search for you!
Without any further ado, let’s dive right into the IDE analysis!
RubyMine (Commercial Version Is Best in Class)
Known as “The most intelligent Ruby on Rails IDE,” this IDE from JetBrains offers advanced editing features. From syntax error highlighting to intelligent code completion and code refactoring, it will simplify your work immensely.
The latest versions of the tool take the debugging capabilities to the next level with improved code insights and platform-level enhancements. The intuitive UI makes unit testing a cakewalk. RubyMine allows you to set breakpoints and run tools like Shoulda and MiniTest with utmost convenience.
It is compatible with leading Ruby platforms, including AngularJS RubyMotion, Rails 2.4 and Rails 5, React, and Puppet, among others. The tool integration aspect is also taken care of. Seamlessly integrate with version controllers like Mercurial, SVN, Git, Rail Generator, and a lot more. You can run the entire command set using the built-in terminal available on RubyMine.
Coming to the pricing aspect, this Ruby IDE offers a 30-day trial period to test important features. After this, the paid options begin at $229 on an annual subscription basis per user.
Key Features
- Advanced code editor with documentation capability
- Extensive version control integration
- Supports development best practices via in-depth code inspection
- Docker support and RuboCop support for the latest versions
- Several color schemes and customization options
| Pros | Cons |
| Built-in support for common gems. | Closed-source IDE. |
| Smart autocompletion for fast coding. | The learning curve is steep for beginners. |
| Advanced code analysis for debugging. | Too many features lead to occasional performance drops. |
Aptana Studio (Built-in Deployment Wizard)
This Ruby IDE by Appcelerator is one of the best open-source and free options out there. In addition to supporting Ruby on Rails, Aptana can be used for Python, PHP, JavaScript, or Perl. Aptana is an outcome of RadRails getting merged with the tool. Using Aptana, you can code Ruby on Windows, Linux, or Mac.
Speaking about the stand-out features – advanced debugging, syntax highlighting, and code completion are provided. After coding, you can leverage its deployment wizard, which uses protocols like FTP, SFTP, or Capistrano to deploy your app.
Coming to the learning curve aspect: The UI of Aptana Studio is pretty straightforward but visually appealing. Furthermore, developers can opt for an outline view to access classes based on the operation.
The environment is highly customizable and backed by a large online community that consistently works on upgrades or extensions.
Key Features
- Deployment Wizard supports the automatic publishing of RoR applications
- Built-in terminal to run code
- Comprehensive customizations
- Bug forecasting
- Advanced code inspection for variables, breakpoints, and control execution
| Pros | Cons |
| The code assist feature enables a fast and smooth coding experience. | Aptana may not be compatible with the latest versions of Ruby due to a lack of maintenance. |
| Git integration enabled. | Lacks HTML design window. |
| If you enjoy playing around with themes and color schemes, Aptana has much to offer. | Functionality is limited to creating web applications. |
Sublime Text (Ruby Editor)
Although lightweight, its impeccable interface and superior performance make Sublime Text stand out from the crowd. This leading RoR IDE has a ton of features to offer. You can transform the default functions using a variety of plugins and extensions that are up for grabs.
This cross-platform IDE is a delight for coders who multitask. Why?
- Multi-file panel to refer to different files as you code.
- Simultaneous edit feature to make the same edit in separate files.
- Extensive command palette with shortcuts to open files and switch syntax.
Sublime Text is appropriate for developers of different expertise levels. You can start with the basic light version and add extensions or plugins per your progress or coding needs. Undeniably, this one of the most versatile Ruby IDEs in the market!
And if you’re wondering about the cost, you have the luxury to use this tool free of cost for an unlimited time! However, the frequent popup reminding you to purchase can be a bummer. You can purchase the paid version starting from $80.
Key Features
- Handy multi-panel view for simultaneous editing and file viewing
- Built-in command palette
- Easy search and navigation via the Goto Anything feature
- Balance of features and robust performance
| Pros | Cons |
| A comprehensive set of extension packages that offer stable performance. | The online community is on the thinner side. |
| Unlimited trial period. | Frequent license popups may affect UX. |
| Best Ruby IDE for multitasking. | The default design is plain. |
Atom (Free Ruby IDE)
Top technology companies, including Facebook, use this open-source IDE from GitHub. The fan base and user community for this Ruby IDE have grown exponentially over the last few years. RoR developers can use this tool for personal and commercial development on Windows, Ubuntu, Mac, and Fedora 22+, among others.
From a Ruby on Rails development perspective, you have plenty of plugin options to convert the Atom editor into a Ruby-friendly one. Some key ones include linter-ruby, ruby-test, linter-rubocop, and scss-lint.
Thanks to GitHub support, the coding environment is user-friendly and requires minimum movement of configuration files. Due to this, users can achieve productivity gains by using code snippets. All in all, you can use this free and resourceful IDE for seamless Ruby on Rails development projects.
Key Features
- Github integration for version control
- Supports collaborative coding using the Teletype feature
- Extensive plugins and customizations for RoR developers
- Advanced search and replace features via multi-panel support
- Code snippet usability from Git
| Pros | Cons |
| Free to use available under the MIT license. | Performance drops while handling large files. |
| Fast Ruby coding due to autocompletion and code snippet. | Occasional tool crashes. |
| Plenty of customization options for Ruby developers. | Requires assistance from GitHub for a seamless experience. |
Cloud9 (Best Ruby IDE on Cloud)
Cloud9 by Amazon is the best-in-class Ruby IDE in the browser category. The best part? You get all the essential Ruby tools built-in, eliminating the need for installing additional plugins like other IDEs. Additionally, you get the performance, collaboration, and accessibility of cloud resources with this tool.
The key differentiators do not end with this! You have the option to create serverless applications along with AWS Lambda and testing infrastructure. These benefits contribute to its expanding user base among medium to large businesses including Mozilla, Heroku, and Mailchimp.
The cloud editor is top-notch, along with a file manager, Unix shell, and an intuitive chat engine for team collaborations. The integrated debugger panel with the option for setting breakpoints and checking variables’ status makes troubleshooting amazingly effortless.
Key Features
- Serverless Application Model (SAM) availability
- Git integration that simplifies code updates
- Customizable themes for the Ruby editor
- Built-in integrated panel debugger
- Ruby tools available by default
| Pros | Cons |
| SAM enables optimum resource utilization on cloud. | Internet access is a must-have. |
| Best IDE for collaborative coding. | Picking the right instance for a project can be tricky at times. |
| Simple learning curve. | Lack of sufficient shortcut keys. |
VIM Editor (Best Ruby Editor on Linux)
This terminal-based Ruby IDE is one of the classics; it’s been in the market for ages! Even Facebook’s engineers used this IDE during the company’s initial days. The prolonged popularity mainly stems from the inherent features of this open-source, free-of-cost (under GPL license) IDE. The section of developers who prefer the traditional fast keyboard-only coding still prefers VIM.
You can transform VIM into a well-oiled environment for RoR development using the right plugins – vim-ruby and vim-rails are some key examples. If your OS preference is Linux, VIM is considered the best choice for Ruby IDE. Apart from the installation and setup challenges, this old boy showcases performance levels similar to ultra-modern IDEs available in the market.
Key Features
- Fast movement between files due to the keyboard-only approach
- An abundance of RoR plugins to convert the editor into an IDE
| Pros | Cons |
| Using the terminal alone, you can complete the entire development-related tasks. | Initial setup time is higher compared to other Ruby IDEs. |
| Best editor on Linux with unique features like regex replace, delete inner quotes, etc. | Steep learning curve makes it a non-beginner-friendly choice. |
Emacs (RoR Editor cum IDE)
This is one of the most aesthetically appealing Ruby on Rails text editors you’ll find. Thanks to the immense customization possibilities, this free tool will leave Ruby developers charmed. The wide language support for Unicode is one of the stand-out features.
For Ruby development, you need to install the enhanced-ruby-mode plugin to kickstart your RoR project. It doesn’t end with this. Enhance the feature set with other popular Ruby plugins like rvm, ruby-tools, rake, rbenv, bundler, and many more! Now you know why Emacs ends up being the best free Ruby IDE.
From a platform compatibility perspective, Emacs is supported on Windows, Mac, and BSD, apart from Linux. Emacs’ project management and debugger are also top-notch.
Key Features
- Full support for Unicode among any human scripts
- Enhanced Ruby Mode for RoR developers
- Abundant documentation for ease of project management
- UI customizations are possible using Emacs Lisp or GUI
- Lightweight by default
| Pros | Cons |
| Fast performance. | The steep learning curve can be a challenge for beginners. |
| Top Ruby IDE choice on Ubuntu. | Some of the documentation is outdated. |
| Extensive plugins and editor customizations available. | Not the best IDE for collaborative coding. |
Komodo (Code Intelligence and Platform Compatibility)
This versatile IDE from ActiveState is compatible with almost every web programming language, including Python, Ruby, PHP, Perl, JavaScript, and Node.js, among others. It has a decent learning curve with sufficient syntax highlighting for beginners and intermediates.
Code Profiling and integration with version controllers are some of the main benefits of using Komodo. In addition, the accessibility of documents is extremely convenient. You only need to highlight a particular keyword, and Komodo will trigger the associated document.
The Live Preview feature lets you get real-time feedback instead of continuously switching between the editor and the browser. An ample number of shortcuts adds to user convenience and speed of coding.
From the cost standpoint, Komodo offers a 21-day trial period for you to assess if this Ruby IDE is the right fit for your development needs. After the trial period, you can opt between different licenses including Komodo Personal and Komodo for Teams.
Key Features
- Advanced code completion and highlighting features
- Cross-platform support is impressive
- Visual real-time debugging
- Extensive customizations
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple UI with easy navigation. | Occasional performance lags, especially on desktops with low specifications. |
| Plenty of shortcuts enabling fast coding. | The learning curve is pretty steep for beginners. |
| The free Komodo edit version is sufficient for personal or educational needs. | Startup time is on the higher side. |
MVSC (Microsoft Visual Studio Code for RoR)
Visual Studio Code is known to be a user-friendly and robust IDE for coding in various programming constructs like Python, JavaScript, C++, Dockerfile, and Ruby. You can achieve complete Ruby editing and debugging support from MVSC by installing the vscode-ruby extension.
The feature spectrum possesses all the Ruby IDE fundamentals, from syntax highlighting, code completion via snippets, debugging, and so on. The Intellisense feature elevates this tool above the rest. Apart from simple auto-completion, it also provides developers with additional insights on parameters and member lists. It achieves version control via Git integration.
Ruby developers use this stellar IDE for development on Cloud and Web. For Azure Cloud developers, in particular, MVSC has some special features to offer. Once you install Azure CLI and App Service Packages, you can directly deploy the Ruby application on Azure.
Although there are a lot of plugins available, MVSC ensures there are no performance lags. The extensions run on separate processes without affecting the core ones. Some of the popular Ruby plugins are:
- RuboCop – for text formatting
- Rspec and Cucumber – for unit testing
- Rcodetools – for auto-completion
The best part is you can enjoy all these Ruby features in a free-of-cost version!
Key Features
- Intellisense feature for fast coding
- Built-in performance optimization measures
- An extensive list of Ruby gems
- Top performance on MS Azure Cloud
| Pros | Cons |
| Eliminates the need for copybook processing and dependency resolutions. | Compilers face performance issues when dealing with multi-lingual code. |
| Easy to make the project portable with other machines. | Ruby plugins receive less updates. |
| Helps leverage code snippets via Git integration. | Longer launch time. |
NetBeans (Write Once Run Everywhere IDE)
This free IDE from ApacheStudio is built on the Java framework, supporting code reusability across platforms. You can install it on all major operating systems, and it offers robust performance for Ruby development on desktop, mobile, or web.
The coding environment is visually pleasing, with a smooth learning curve for beginners. You can manage code efficiently using features like collapse and expand, which are useful while writing large code chunks. Code completion is extra convenient in NetBeans thanks to the prioritized suggestions provided to the user. Troubleshooting is easy even for a novice, as NetBeans provides smart hints when you’re about to commit a mistake in code. There are ample shortcuts and key customizations for coding convenience. Search and replace is also easy due to color coding options for different code segments.
In a nutshell, NetBeans is a simple yet efficient Ruby IDE that has a prime focus on user-friendliness and fast coding. This aspect has led to a large fan following for this IDE.
Key Features
- Compact coding experience with collapse and expanded features to hide large code chunks
- Advanced code analysis capability from intelligent summaries
- Superior auto-completion feature with code suggestions
- Strong support for popular tools like Maven
- Fast and efficient troubleshooting
| Pros | Cons |
| Lightweight and easy to install. | Struggles when it comes to legacy application development. |
| One of the best IDEs for Ruby learners. | No Git integration. |
| Provides hints to spot errors quickly. | Presence of bugs causes performance lags. |
Geany (Fast and Lightweight Ruby IDE)
Geany was designed to provide developers with a small and fast IDE with minimal dependencies from external packages. It works using a GTK+ toolkit, and you require only the GTK-associated libraries to run this IDE.
It makes debugging easier with plenty of syntax highlighting. With built-in support for over 50 programming languages including RoR and compatibility on almost all major operating systems, Geany is impeccably versatile.
You can create tidy Ruby code using Geany, leveraging editor features like code folding, auto-closing, and auto-completion of popular constructs.
Key Features
- Calltips
- Auto-completion using code snippets
- Embedded terminal emulation
- Features can be added using plugins
| Pros | Cons |
| One of the most compact and lightweight IDEs for Ruby with minimal dependencies. | Pricing is one the higher side. |
| Superior auto completion features. | Features are not as advanced as the other IDEs in this list. |
| Open source. | Minimal number of available plugins. |
Conclusion
Ruby on Rails is gaining traction among top technology companies across the globe, helping them to create fast, scalable, and versatile applications on the web. However, remember the huge time investment you or your team makes within the IDE. That’s exactly why you need to use the right Ruby on Rails IDE and text editor for your workflow and process streamlining.
The IDE market presents a plethora of options that come with their associated strengths and weaknesses. For instance, RubyMine is the best commercial option. Ruby novices opt for UI-friendly choices like MVSC. Cloud9 is the ultra-modern version preferred for serverless coding leveraging the raw power of cloud servers. Ultimately, the best IDE is subjective, and you’ll need to cross-validate the tool with your business needs.
Whichever Ruby IDE you select, make a consistent attempt to upskill yourself in this sought-after technology. Learn the shortcuts and unique features of your IDE. Leverage online communities and documentation to improve your grasp on RoR. Such measures will increase your market value as a Ruby on Rails developer and provide you with opportunities to work on leading projects for top tech companies.
At a leading software development services company, BairesDev is here to simplify such critical decisions for your enterprise. Keep checking our blog for more insights on Ruby on Rails best practices, tools, and the software market.
