How to Create a Rails Project without Bundling Gems

Ruby on Rails is a powerful web application framework that allows developers to build robust applications quickly. One of the key features of Rails is its ability to manage dependencies through Bundler, which automatically installs the required gems for your project. However, there may be scenarios where you want to create a Rails project without bundling gems. This article will guide you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you have a clear understanding of how to achieve this.

Why Create a Rails Project without Bundling Gems?

There are several reasons why you might want to create a Rails project without bundling gems:

Custom Gem Management: You may want to manage your gems manually or use a different dependency management system.
Minimalist Approach: For small projects or prototypes, you might want to avoid the overhead of Bundler.
Compatibility Issues: Sometimes, specific gems may conflict with each other, and you may want to avoid automatic resolution.
Learning Experience: Understanding how Rails works without Bundler can deepen your knowledge of the framework.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into creating a Rails project without bundling gems, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

Ruby: Make sure you have Ruby installed on your machine. You can check this by running ruby -v in your terminal.
Rails: You should have Rails installed. Check your Rails version with rails -v.
Node.js: Rails uses a JavaScript runtime, so having Node.js installed is beneficial.
Database: Ensure you have a database system installed (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite).

Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Rails Project without Bundling Gems

Step 1: Create a New Rails Application

To create a new Rails application, you typically use the following command:

rails new myapp

However, to skip the Bundler step, you can use the --skip-bundle option:

rails new myapp --skip-bundle

This command will create a new Rails application named "myapp" without running Bundler to install the gems.

Step 2: Navigate to Your Project Directory

Once the application is created, navigate into your project directory:

cd myapp

Step 3: Manually Manage Your Gems

Since you skipped the Bundler step, you will need to manage your gems manually. Open the Gemfile located in the root of your project directory. This file lists all the gems your application will use. You can add the gems you need by editing this file. For example:

source 'https://rubygems.org'

gem 'rails', '~> 6.1.0'
gem 'sqlite3'
gem 'puma'
gem 'sass-rails', '>= 6'
gem 'webpacker', '~> 5.0'
gem 'turbolinks', '~> 5'
gem 'jbuilder', '~> 2.7'

After adding the necessary gems, you can install them manually using the following command:

gem install rails sqlite3 puma sass-rails webpacker turbolinks jbuilder

Step 4: Create the Database

Next, you need to create the database for your application. You can do this by running the following command:

rails db:create

This command will create the database specified in your config/database.yml file.

Step 5: Generate Your First Scaffold

Now that your application is set up, you can generate your first scaffold. A scaffold in Rails creates a basic structure for a resource, including the model, views, and controller. For example, to create a scaffold for a Post resource, run:

rails generate scaffold Post title:string body:text

After generating the scaffold, run the migration to create the corresponding database table:

rails db:migrate

Step 6: Start the Rails Server

With everything set up, you can start the Rails server to see your application in action:

rails server

Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000/posts to see the scaffolded Post resource.

Managing Gems Manually

When you create a Rails project without bundling gems, you take on the responsibility of managing your gems manually. Here are some tips to help you manage your gems effectively:

Keep Your Gemfile Updated: Regularly update your Gemfile to include any new gems you need for your project.
Check for Updates: Use gem outdated to check for outdated gems and update them as necessary.
Use Version Control: Keep your Gemfile and Gemfile.lock under version control to track changes over time.
Test Your Application: After adding or updating gems, always run your test suite to ensure everything works as expected.

Conclusion

Creating a Rails project without bundling gems can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to have more control over your application's dependencies. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set up a Rails application tailored to your needs. Remember to manage your gems carefully and keep your application updated. Happy coding!