Ruby on Rails® is an open-source web framework that’s optimized
for programmer happiness and sustainable productivity. It lets you
write beautiful code by favoring convention over configuration.
I started using Ruby on Rails at the 2013 end. At this time I had 7 years as Java developer, I was contributor to open source
frameworks like Woko. This strong background in web technologies, plus the huge RoR community help me to switch my
development environment immediately.
I am writing some ruby code every day since 3 years now and I still smile in front of its magic
With my new consultancy activity I need to track my time with precision. I also have the need to be able to report my activity
to all the different people around me.
In a few days I wrote a first working version of TticTtac which handles my primary needs. It’s up on heroku, absolutly
free, give it a try !
We also manage a Trello board, don’t hesitate to drop me an email to be part of it if you want to see someday
your favorites features in TticTtac.
ALCATRA is an application which allows a lessor to characterize the accessibility for the housings, the common areas and the buildings
according to a ranking DPE like (Classes A to F) based on five disabilities: seniors, wheelchair, auditory, visual and cognitive.
The key of this application stands in a mechanism allowing experts to build complex dynamic decision trees.
I am in charge of the whole development process of the application from the conception to the deployment.
The first release has been deployed in Oct. 15th, 2015. I am now focused on the mobile app development (iOS, Android).
Resources
The application is available here: www.alcatra.fr, but only for our customers.
This tutorial assumes that you already have a working installation of an Apache server.
Install Phusion Passenger
Phusion Passenger has been by far the easiest way I’ve found for managing multiple Rails application instances on top of either Apache or Nginx. It comes as a gem and has custom modules for both major web servers.
# Install gem$> gem install passenger
# Install passenger for apache2 (then follow the instructions)$> passenger-install-apache2-module
Then you will need to update your apache configuration (as in the passenger instructions).
First, create a file called /etc/apache2/mods-available/passenger.load and input the following code :
Then, enable the passenger module in Apache and restart the server.
$>sudo a2enmod passenger
$>sudo service apache2 restart
# Check passenger is activated :$> apache2ctl -t-D DUMP_MODULES
PostgreSQL
Last but not least, you will need a DB engine. I mainly use PostgreSQL. Here is the installation process.
# install postgreSQL$>sudo apt-get install postgresql-9.3
# Set the default password$>sudo-u postgres psql postgres
\password
Capistrano
First create and init a new remote on your server
Capistrano needs git to update your code source. You can use any git repository as it is accessible from your server. Sometimes you could have a repository inside your local network and a server outside this network. In this case, your server will not be able to pull your code source. You can still create a git repository on your server, add it as a remote and push to it for capistrano. Here is how :
On server
# Server side# Create a folder with the .git extension$> mkdir myapp.git
# Init a bare git repository$>cd myapp.git
$> git init --bare
On local
# Client side# Note here we call this new remote 'preprod'$> git remote add preprod bob@your.server:/somewhere/myapp.git
# Then push your branch (use to the preprod) to this new repository$> git push preprod master
Capify your application
Add this following code into your Gemfile
group :development do
gem 'capistrano'
end
And then :
$>cd /path/to/your/app
$> bundle
And finally :
$>cd /path/to/your/app
$> cap install
Capistrano settings
Capistrano is very well documented. By following the comments, first edit your /config/deploy.rb and then your specific environments settings in config/deploy/my_env.rb
Setup Apache
You need to create and setup permissions for the folder which will be used to deploy your app.
# Create the folder$> mkdir /var/www/myapp
# Set the group to www-data (the apache group)$>sudo chgrp -R www-data /var/www/myapp
# Set the user to your deployer user$>sudo chown -R yourdeployer /var/www/myapp
# Allow group to update the folder$>sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/myapp
Then you need to create a virtual host to your current folder. Create a new file called myapp.conf in /etc/apache2/site-available
$> touch /etc/apache2/site-available/myapp.conf
$> nano /etc/apache2/site-available/myapp.conf
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName www.yourhost.com
# In case of several virtual host based on path :# ServerName IP# ServerPath /path/
DocumentRoot /var/www/myapp/current/public
<Directory /var/www/myapp/current/public>
# This relaxes Apache security settings.
AllowOverride all
# MultiViews must be turned off.
Options -MultiViews# Uncomment this if you're on Apache >= 2.4:
Require all granted
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>
Don’t forget the .conf extension. Without this extension Apache is not able to treat it.
Finally, you need to activate your site :
$>sudo a2ensite myapp
# And reload apache$> service apache2 reload
rbenv offers some useful command like list or install. Install the ruby version that suits you as simple
as that :
# list all available versions:$> rbenv install -l# install a Ruby version:$> rbenv install 2.1.5
Set the global version of Ruby
$> rbenv global 2.1.5
Installs shims for all Ruby executables known to rbenv (i.e., ~/.rbenv/versions//bin/).
Run this command after you install a new version of Ruby, or install a gem that provides commands.
$> rbenv rehash
Install rails
Now Ruby is installed, you can install rails by typing :
You don’t need to specify --no-ri--no-rdoc every time you install a gem in production: just
add gem: --no-rdoc --no-ri to ~/.gemrc (create that file if it doesn’t already exist) and don’t worry about ri or rdoc again in production.
wy-T-iwyg stands for What You Type is What You Get. This is a basic document sharing platform, built over a powerful markdown editor with a full real-time rendering.
The front-end is entirely managed with AngularJS (giving a try to AngularJS was actually my main motivation for working on this project)
just after the boring registration stuff, while Ruby on Rails takes care of the business model.
I’m thinking about dropping AngularJS and transform this POC in ruby gem for markdown edition.
One objective of this conference will be to show the positive impact of energy efficency wihtin a neighbourhood. In order to achieve
this goal, the CSTB has developed a complete methodology allowing the EcoDistrict evaluation. A web application has
been developed in order to hide the methodology’s complexity and favor its adoption by local collectivities.
I was in charge of the development team. We have constantly focused our energy on improving the user experience. With agility, we developed the application in parallel to the methodoly definition to help experts work on concrete cases. ‘Keep it simple’ and ‘Don’t repeat yourself’ were our key success factors to be able to refactor everywhere anytime.
I’m a huge fan of GitHub : it’s fast, slick, easy and so much more… But for the majority of my customers,
using GitHub to manage the backlog is overkill. These are the two main ideas behind All-U-Track which offers an
issue tracking tool based on the GitHub simplicity.
This app was my first trip with Ruby on Rails, and it was love at first sight !
Prathic-ERP is a platform which references products that meet the needs of disabled people in institutions welcoming visitors. This site was created on an initiative of the Ministerial Delegation for Accessibility. The Information and Advice Centre for Assistive Technology (CEP-CICAT) with its operation by managing memberships manufacturers and organizing the publishing committee. A complex publishing workflow was set up to ensure the quality of the publications and the relevance of the products.
On top of this complex workflow, we built simple interfaces both for manufacturers and visitors. I was deeply involved in every part of the project, from the product definition to the deployment. I managed the development process with agility and lead the development team. Since 2013, we have released three major versions.
IDEAS “Intelligent Neighbourhood Energy Allocation & Supervision” is a R&D project supported by the European Commission,
focused on the development and operation of energy positive neighbourhoods. In addition, IDEAS focuses on the economic
and environmental benefits of doing so.
IDEAS develops and validates different tools and business models needed for demonstrating the cost-effective and
incremental implementation of an energy positive neighbourhood. The neighbourhood energy management tool enables
intelligent energy trading and operation of equipment and buildings along with local energy generation and storage.
My team was in chagre of the development of user interfaces that engage communities and individuals in the operation of
Energy Positive Neighbourhoods. I was responsible for the whole development process from conception to deployment.
