Rails is a powerful and human-friendly framework. Its guiding principles place a strong emphasis on convention over configuration, allowing new Rails applications to be up and running in a fraction of the time required for applications written in many languages.&nbsp;However, the ease of use that Rails provides can be a detriment, and not only for newbies devs. In this article, we'll look at a few of the most common Rails development mistakes and provide advice on how to avoid them in your own coding adventures, so let's get started!<h2>Mistake #1: Are you following a Proper Naming Convention?&nbsp;</h2>You definitely know that but let’s set up a quick reminder about this one. Keep the following points in mind when developing Rails projects to avoid future problems:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>The model's name should be&nbsp;singular.</li><li>To automatically map your model and table, ensure that all available tables are plural.</li><li>You should&nbsp;not reserve&nbsp;names for your class.</li><li>To avoid complexity, always take the default restful routes.</li></ul>Let’s look on a simple example, which states that model names should be singular and&nbsp;clear.<pre><code class="language-ruby"># Bad
class Pay
end

# Good
class Payment
end</code></pre>We won't be stopped on this more. Let’s go further.<hr><h2>Mistake #2: Keep It Clean, remember?&nbsp;</h2>Cleaning up your code, also known as refactoring, means improving the quality of your code without changing its behavior. Code styles can differ among developers, in addition to being easier to read and maintain. By adhering to a few stylistic guidelines, you can keep development moving when bringing on new developers to your project.&nbsp;Top stylistic guidelines are as follows:<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Space Indentations</li></ul>Using two space indentations instead of four space indentations is one of the simplest and most widely accepted Ruby on Rails best practices. Furthermore, most Ruby on Rails developers agree that tabs should never be used, including mixing tabs and spaces. Long strings of code will be easier to read and maintain as a result.<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Use question marks to define predicate methods</li></ul>Using a&nbsp;'?' to define predicate methods is one of the best Ruby on Rails tips for keeping your code readable. Predicate methods always return one of two values:&nbsp;true or&nbsp;false. Predicate methods in Ruby on Rails are named with a question mark at the end.To put this into practice, if you have a class called&nbsp;'invoice' and want to write an instance method that returns whether or not the invoice has been paid, you would call it&nbsp;'paid?'&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Use 'Unless' instead of '!if' In Conditional Statements&nbsp;</li></ul>One of the best Ruby on Rails tips for writing conditional statements with a negative condition is to use&nbsp;'Unless' instead of 'If'. 'Unless' is unique in Ruby on Rails and helps to create readable code. Let’s look on example below:&nbsp;Usually, you might use it:<pre><code class="language-ruby">if !true
 do_this
end</code></pre>But let’s change it to “Unless”. See the difference - much proficient, isn’t it?&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">unless true
 do_this
end</code></pre><hr><h2>Mistake #3: Putting too much logic in models</h2>Developers overwhelm models with logic such as email notifications, data conversion from one format to another, and so on. Because this core functionality can be handled by services such as plain Ruby objects, it can be removed from&nbsp;ActiveRecord.What should you do?<ul style="list-style-type:square;"><li>Use configuration (i.e., relations and validations)</li><li>Simple mutation methods for updating a few attributes and saving them in the database</li><li>Access wrappers are used to conceal internal model information.</li><li>You should never use the method or any other query building outside the model class in sophisticated queries.</li><li>Be sure you store your business logic in service objects.&nbsp;</li></ul><hr><h2>Mistake #4: Using an excessive number of gems</h2>Ruby and Rails are both supported by a robust ecosystem of&nbsp;RubyGems that provide developers with nearly any capability they can imagine. While this is an excellent resource for quickly building a complex application, it can result in many bloated applications due to an excessive number of gems in the application's&nbsp;Gemfile.Excessive use of gems may cause a Rails process to be larger than necessary. As a result,&nbsp;application performance may suffer in the production environment, and other runtime issues may arise. As a Ruby developer, you should consider each gem carefully before incorporating it into your code.<hr><h2>Mistake #5: Missing scopes</h2>You can use scopes to hide the database implementation and uniqualize the code. Furthermore, the code becomes much more readable because it reveals the developer's intentions rather than the database structure.Bad:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">def index
 @lessons = Course.lessons.order(position: :asc)
end</code></pre>Good:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">class Lesson &lt; ActiveRecord: :Base
 Belongs_to :course
 
 scope :by_position, -&gt; { order(position: :asc) }
end

def index
 @lessons = course.lessons.by_position
end</code></pre><hr><h2>Mistake #6: Keep Your credentials.yml Encrypted</h2>Your application may use external services such as Google Calendar, Stripe Payment, or AWS, and the API keys or credentials for these services are stored in the&nbsp;credentials.yml or&nbsp;secrets.yml files.When the file is accidentally checked into the source code repository with the rest of your application, anyone with access to the repository can now easily compromise all users of your application.<hr><h2>Mistake #7: Not Setting Default Fields In Migrations</h2>If a field model must have a default value, it should be installed via the database. It’s simply described by this example:&nbsp;Don’t do this:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">clas Article
 after_initialize :set_default_status
 
 def set_default_status
 self.status = 'pending'
 end
end</code></pre>Do this instead:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">clas MyMigration
 def up
 change_column :article, status :string, default: 'pending'
 end
 
 def down
 change_column :article, status :string
 end
end</code></pre><hr><h2>Mistake #8: Not using memoization</h2>Memoization is a technique for increasing your assessor's speed during Ruby on Rails development by caching the results of time-consuming methods or variable initialization.Memory uses the ||=&nbsp;operator for some parameter value and then initializes the cache variables.Let’s take a look on example below:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">def google_calendar_event
 @event||=GoogleCalendarEvent.fing_by(event_id:params[:event_id]}
end</code></pre><hr><h2>Mistake #9: Avoid Blocking on Calls</h2>It is simple to integrate APIs using third-party Rails application providers, but it can be slow at times. Instead of calling services from your Rails application, move some code to the background job to avoid call blocking.The two most popular Rubygems for application development for this purpose are&nbsp;Delayed Job and&nbsp;Sidekiq.When a new user creates an account and provides a phone number, for example, your application may use a third-party service to authenticate the multi-factor confirmation code.When using the send authentication code method, the following code snippet is used:<pre><code class="language-ruby">def send_authentication_code(number, code)
 account_sid = "ACXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
 auth_token = "your_auth_token"
 
 @client = Twilio::REST::Client.new account_sid, auth_token
 massage = @client.messages.create(
 body: code
 to: number,
 from: ENV['TWILIO_NUMBER'])
 
 puts message.sid
end</code></pre>When the third-party service request is executed, you put your application at risk by calling send authentication code.Integrate a job system that can store and implement work BTS in your main application threads to avoid this risk.<hr><h2>Mistake #10: Use Enums With Caution</h2>Using enums strategically is one of the best Ruby on Rails tips developers can use. Assume you have a&nbsp;'Invoice' model and a&nbsp;column/field where you want to store the status of whether it's pending, overdue, or paid. You could do something like this:<pre><code class="language-ruby">if invoice.status == "pending"
Do_something
elsif invoice.status == "overdue"
Do_something
elsif invoice.status == "paid"
Do_something
end</code></pre>Or maybe this:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">if invoice.status == 0 #pending
Do_something
elsif invoice.status == 1 #overdue
Do_something
elsif invoice.status == 2 #paid
Do_something
end</code></pre>Let's look at the same model with&nbsp;enums now. Remember that you want to define the status of a column with an integer, not null, and define the default value of your model's status after you've created it (i.e.&nbsp;default: 0). Enums in your model can be defined as follows:<pre><code class="language-ruby">enum status: { pending: 0, overdue: 1, paid: 2 }</code></pre>You can now rewrite this code as:&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-ruby">if invoice.pending?
Do_something
elsif invoice.overdue?
Do_something
elsif invoice.paid?
Do_something
end</code></pre>Gorgeous, isn’t it? If another developer joins your team, they will immediately recognize the predicate methods with names. It also provides methods for switching between defined statuses.<h2>Mistake #11: Lack of automated tests</h2>Ruby on Rails is a powerful and intuitive application framework that includes automated testing by default. Rails developers write practical tests in a variety of styles, such as&nbsp;BDD and&nbsp;TDD, to make the test frameworks even more powerful.There are numerous debates about how thorough your testing should be, demonstrating the importance of automated testing for every application.Your application must include at least&nbsp;one high-level integration test written for your controllers to edit and modify the code of your Ruby on Rails version, as well as a clear delineation of the Ruby application's entire set of functionality.<h3>🚀 And don’t forget:&nbsp;Keep Your Code DRY&nbsp;</h3><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/INTEGU_No_Comments_For_Clean_Code_b637f9bd63.jpg" alt="INTEGU-No-Comments-For-Clean-Code.jpg"></figure>You should be aware of issues that can make your application less secure, less reliable, and perform worse.&nbsp;If you are already familiar with this list of mistakes and already knew about these ones, that’s great : 👉Dev’s League is waiting for you. Keep it rockin and don't stop improving your hard skills (and don’t forget about&nbsp;<a href="https://devler.io/blog/work-life-balance">work-life balance</a>) Become a Devler: <a href="https://t.me/DevlerBot">text us on Telegram</a> and explore the opportunities to be a successful software engineer.

If you are tending to be a strong Ruby on Rails engineer then you definitely should know how to avoid some common mistakes like syntax errors, architecture issues and others, highlining in the article below: 

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Don't do this! Top mistakes you should avoid as a strong Ruby on Rails Developer. 

List of software languages and frameworks that Devlers use are not strict and can be expanded any time. Still, Ruby and Rails framework, JavaScript and its React, Angular, Node and Swift for &nbsp;iOS development are not only trendy and popular technologies but have a lot of pros to use in projects thanks to their flexibility and maintenance later. So what are the other main benefits of using such technologies and frameworks? Or it should be better to include another ones in our tech stack?<h2>Top programming languages in 2022</h2>Before we start, let’s look at some stats. According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/793628/worldwide-developer-survey-most-used-languages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Statista research</a> we can see that such languages as JavaScript, Ruby, Swift didn't lose their positions. For entrepreneurs and business owners it would be good to know that some languages are great for some specific needs. For example, JavaScript, TypeScript, React and Angular are great for creating a front-end part: interfaces and their interactions between. Ruby and its framework Ruby on Rails are the best for backend development, building difficult systems.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:center;">Most used programming languages among developers worldwide, as of 2021</h3><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/statistics_24466573c0.png" alt="statistics.png">Whenever you are a developer who are considering to switch your career way or become a full-stack one or you are a founder who are on the way to hire professionals to bring your idea to life it should be useful to look over some brief information about popular languages technologies:&nbsp;<hr><h3>Ruby on Rails&nbsp;</h3>Let’s begin with Ruby itself - it’s an interpreted and fully object-oriented language with human-friendly syntax. Ruby on Rails (RoR) is a framework implemented in Ruby. Ruby and framework are always on the rise among developers and on the <a href="https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2021#technology-top-paying-technologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">6th top-paying languages</a>.Thanks to efficiency and scalability Ruby on Rails allows writing rich functionality with much less code lines compared to Java, for example. Ruby on Rails is a great choice when it comes to building a web application (both front and back sides) or MVP and CMS development and it’s perfect match for tech needs in such areas as eCommerce, Healthcare, Retail and FinTech.&nbsp;Sure, you heard about companies Twitch, Shopify, Tumblr, Starbucks - their apps built using Ruby on Rails.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/rails_0c81f7ec8e.png" alt="rails.png"></figure>Features:<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Safe &amp; Secure</li><li>Cost-Effective</li><li>Easy to Maintain</li><li>Improves Productivity</li><li>Automated Tested</li><li>Full Stack Framework</li></ul>What Can Be Built?&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>FinTech Startup</li><li>Ecommerce App</li><li>Healthcare Application</li><li>Communication-Oriented App</li></ul><hr><h3>ReactJS</h3>React is an amazing JavaScript library which makes the whole development process much easier and allows to build efficient online applications. Most of the big and middle companies such as Netflix, Uber, Airbnb are leveraging ReactJS development services to design their web interfaces. Meta, formerly Facebook, initially created and maintained ReactJS.&nbsp;ReactJS is one of the top popular frameworks to learn and work with due to the fact that it can be easily used to create aesthetically pleasing and interactive user experiences and increases developer productivity.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:44.53%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/react_60349b2f18.png" alt="react.png"></figure>Features:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>SEO friendly</li><li>Better performance</li><li>Component reusability&nbsp;</li><li>Extremely fast&nbsp;</li><li>Proficient data building&nbsp;</li></ul>What Can Be Built?&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Data Dashboards</li><li>Messaging App</li><li>Social Networks</li><li>eCommerce</li><li>Enterprise Web Apps</li></ul><hr><h3>React Native</h3>React Native is a JavaScript framework and commonly it is associated with ReactJS. However, there are two significant differences between React Native and ReactJS. The last one is a library and React Native is a framework. The second one, React Native is mostly used for mobile development, both Android and iOS.&nbsp;Instagram, Skype and Uber Eats applications are built with React Native and this list is not ending. Now many companies adopt React Native in their apps so learning this framework could not only just make your salary bigger but be in a strong position on the service market.&nbsp;Features:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Nativeness&nbsp;</li><li>High performance&nbsp;</li><li>Cost-efficiency&nbsp;</li><li>Faster development&nbsp;</li></ul><hr><h3>Angular</h3>Angular is an open source framework based on JavaScript which was created by Google.&nbsp;It is a powerful resource that will aid you in creating flexible user interfaces to access the full power of your cloud-based product, single page websites or mobile applications. Moreover, AngularJS is supported by multiple systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;Such companies as Samsung, PayPal, Delta Airlines use AngularJS to build their applications.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/angular_7e0567cde9.png" alt="angular.png"></figure>Features:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Two-way data binding&nbsp;</li><li>Dependency injection&nbsp;</li><li>Not browser specific&nbsp;</li><li>Full front-end package&nbsp;</li><li>Additional Modules&nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul>What Can Be Built?&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Single Page Applications (SPA)</li><li>Enterprise Web Apps</li><li>Progressive Web Applications (PWA)</li><li>Server-side rendered apps (SSR)&nbsp;</li></ul><hr><h3>NodeJS</h3>NodeJS is a server-side JavaScript environment that is used to develop a wide range of web applications. NodeJS makes it easy to build fast and scalable products, which is ideal for growing companies. This platform has recently gained popularity among both developers and companies. Developers like to work with NodeJS because it makes use of an efficient and straightforward input-output model that is ideal for real-time and data-based applications.&nbsp;For companies using NodeJS is perfect when it comes to building dynamic websites and apps. NodeJS used for creating Trello, Walmart's app, Twitter, LinkedIn and eBay.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/NODE_017f147564.png" alt="NODE.png"></figure>Features:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Scalability&nbsp;</li><li>Cross-platform compatibility&nbsp;</li><li>Facilitates quick deployment</li><li>Additional functionality of NPM &nbsp;</li></ul>What Can Be Built?&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:circle;"><li>Ridesharing Apps</li><li>Internet of Things</li><li>Streaming services</li><li>Remote collaboration tools</li><li>Online payment services&nbsp;</li></ul><hr><h3>Swift</h3>Swift is a programming language released by Apple. It allows you to build apps for Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch and the iPad so most apps on the Apple App Store today were written on Swift. Furthermore, Apple made Swift available to Windows and Linux so its become cross-platform language. If you are a developer you should know that Swift is one of the most in-demand and popular languages companies seek.&nbsp; Moreover, it’s the only dynamic language with an integrated development environment which is specifically designed for iOS development.&nbsp;Except Apple, Swift is used by Coursera, Eventbrite, Khan Academy and Kickstarter. So companies choose Swift because this language is fast, robust and expressive.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://blog.devler.io/uploads/Group_28423781_a9735c82a6.png" alt="Group 28423781.png"></figure>Features:&nbsp;<ul><li>Generics simple to use</li><li>Rapid development</li><li>Scalable&nbsp;</li><li>Fast and concise iteration over a range or collection</li><li>Full-stack potential&nbsp;</li></ul>What Can Be Built?&nbsp;<ul><li>Messaging App</li><li>Social Networks&nbsp;</li><li>Extensions</li><li>Streaming Services&nbsp;</li></ul><hr>Wrapping things up, it’s no no longer a question why software engineers at Devler.io are using exactly the languages and frameworks mentioned above. All of them have their own features which allow to build fast, trendy and easy maintenance apps.&nbsp;Whenever you are a beginner in your journey to become a developer or you are a qualified one you know you are on the right path and what will always be in high positions in the service market.&nbsp;If you are a company, sometimes it’s hard to understand the right tech stack to develop your product. We are here to help! Devler.io is a platform where you can find vetted software developers from Eastern Europe and who are masters in what they do. You can be sure you have a deal with a professional developer if you work with Devler.io.&nbsp;Hire developers with Devler.io&nbsp;- it’s easy: fill out a <a href="https://devler.io/hire">contact form</a>.&nbsp;

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Don't do this! Top mistakes you should avoid as a strong Ruby on Rails Developer.

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