Ruby on Rails (Rails) is a popular open-source web application framework that simplifies building dynamic websites. Installing Rails on a Linux server requires Ruby, Node.js, Yarn, and a database system. This guide covers everything for Debian, Ubuntu, and CentOS.

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites

2. Step 1: Update Your System

3. Step 2: Install Dependencies

4. Step 3: Install Ruby

5. Step 4: Install Node.js and Yarn

6. Step 5: Install Rails

7. Step 6: Install Database (MySQL/PostgreSQL)

8. Step 7: Create a New Rails Application

9. Step 8: Configure Rails Database

10. Step 9: Start Rails Server

11. Step 10: Access Your Rails Application

12. Conclusion

Prerequisites

Before installing Rails, ensure you have:

• A server running Debian 12/Ubuntu 22.04/CentOS 9

• Root or sudo privileges

• At least 2GB RAM (4GB recommended for production)

• Basic knowledge of command-line operations

Rails requires Ruby 3.x, Node.js, Yarn, and a database like MySQL or PostgreSQL.

Step 1: Update Your System

Update system packages:

Debian/Ubuntu:

CentOS:

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Install essential libraries:

Debian/Ubuntu:

CentOS:

Step 3: Install Ruby

Install Ruby using rbenv (recommended for managing Ruby versions):

Step 4: Install Node.js and Yarn

Rails requires a JavaScript runtime:

Debian/Ubuntu:

CentOS:

Verify installations:

Step 5: Install Rails

Install Rails via gem:

Step 6: Install Database (MySQL/PostgreSQL)

MySQL (Debian/Ubuntu):

PostgreSQL (Debian/Ubuntu):

For CentOS, replace apt install with dnf install and service names accordingly.

Step 7: Create a New Rails Application

Create a new Rails project with a MySQL database:

Step 8: Configure Rails Database

Edit config/database.yml with your database credentials:

Create the database:

Step 9: Start Rails Server

Start the Rails server:

Step 10: Access Your Rails Application

Open your browser and navigate to:

You should see the Rails welcome page.

Conclusion

Congratulations! Ruby on Rails is now installed on Debian, Ubuntu, or CentOS. You can now:

• Build web applications quickly

• Integrate with databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL

• Deploy Rails applications to production servers