In the programming space, there are numerous web development frameworks available. Among these, Ruby on Rails (RoR) and Django are the ones that stand out the most. As a result, their popularity has risen over the years and is likely to continue growing in the future too. Naturally, companies are in a race to hire the best Ruby on Rails and Django developers.
As both frameworks are popular among web and mobile app developers, we have compared them on 11 points of distinction so that you can decide the one you should go for. But, first and foremost, let’s clear the air about what they are.
Table of Contents
What is Ruby on Rails?
Ruby on Rails is a server-side, open-source web framework written under the MIT License. It follows the model-view-controller (MVC) framework. Databases, web services, and pages are well-structured under this framework. This saves a lot of time while writing code.
It is based on two fundamental concepts: DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) and Convention Over Configuration. The former eliminates the need to repeat the same coding task. In contrast, the latter allows for faster, more efficient coding while complying with the platform’s coding standards. The adoption of these eliminates the need to set new programming conventions each time, thereby, making the process a lot easier
What is Django?
Django is a Python-based web framework that was released in 2005 and is a popular choice for Python app development. Its popularity stems from the fact that it is a general-purpose, open-source, and free framework. Django’s features are highly regarded by developers. It was created to make the process of creating complex and database-driven websites easier. Django’s clean and practical design promotes rapid development and hence, there is a great demand for Django developers.
With a clean and practical design, Django promotes rapid development.
Ruby on Rails Vs Django – 11 Differences You Must Know
1. Ruby on Rails vs Django Popularity
Even though Ruby on Rails is nearly 20 years old, many developers continue to use it. It is ideal for small-scale projects, allows for code optimization, and horizontal scalability, and works well with social networking applications. According to Google Trends, the world of IT has consistently shown a consistent interest in Ruby on Rails, which is why companies are always on the lookout for Ruby on Rails developers.
Let’s examine some recent data:
IMG Source – https://keyua.org/
As the data indicates, Ruby is in the top ten in its category, whereas Django is ranked 12th. Rails has been used to build 300,000 more websites than Django.
Despite similar growth and retention rates, Rails currently has a slight advantage in overall popularity.
2. Language
While Django is written in Python, Rails is written in Ruby. Python is a top programming language known for emphasizing code clarity and readability. Ruby, on the other hand, was designed with the goal of “enjoying” writing the language and is known for its attributes such as flexibility, freedom, and understandable syntax.
Though the applications created with either of them will look and function nearly identically, the main difference can be found beneath the surface.
3. User Interface
Since both Django and Ruby on Rails were designed to provide a first-rate customer experience, comparisons of the user interfaces may not yield a clear winner. These web-based frameworks enable the creation of highly functional websites that are rich in add-ons and plugins.
4. Speed and Performance
In the performance and speed comparison of Django vs Ruby on Rails, Rails is found to be 0.7 percent faster. It is because Rails has a rich repository of amazing libraries and plugins to boost the speed and, ultimately, the performance of this framework. On the other hand, Django is slow because it is based on Python, a slower programming language as compared to Ruby. Moreover, its vast array of tools and libraries affect its speed.
5. Stability
Ruby on Rails is capable of juggling both creativity and scalability as it allows users to reuse code to reduce dependencies. Its Convention over Configuration approach relieves coders of any additional work.
Contrary to this, Django follows a more conservative approach toward development which restricts the creativity and flexibility of developers. In fact, Django is known to prevent new implementations.
6. Security
Security is an essential component of any website/application. Django inherits its security from Python, which is termed a secure language. The fact that NASA uses Django for some of its functional elements tells you everything about its security. Rails, too, is not far behind in terms of security as it provides a number of built-in tools that can deal with a lot of the threats.
Overall, both the Django and Ruby on Rails are dependable and secure options as they can protect your website or application from attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS)
7. Installation
In terms of installation, Django has a rather simple process as it takes only about a minute to install.
Rails’ installation process, however, is a little complex as it requires an understanding of ‘Bundle’ and ‘Gem’. These two are required to install Ruby packages and must be installed first. On running the command “gem install rails”, the latest Rails framework is installed.
8. Community support and ecosystem
Django, as an open-source framework, also has an open-source ecosystem, implying that developers have access to a plethora of libraries and tools, both paid and free. Furthermore, the official Django documentation is more than adequate for reference if you need an answer to a problem.
Django has over 11,000 members and over 4,000 readymade packages for developers to use. In contrast, Ruby on Rails has a devoted community of 5,000 people who have already contributed a large number of Gems with reusable code.
9. Use Cases
Ruby on Rails has the ability to handle thousands of users on a large scale. Unsurprisingly, some popular websites such as Shopify, Twitter, Basecamp, and Airbnb have used it.
Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify are just a few examples of well-known brands that have built their websites with Django. Here are a few more examples for your consideration:
10. Learning Curve
Python is widely recognized as one of the easiest programming languages to learn among its competitors, which contributes to Django’s short learning curve. There are numerous resources available both offline and online, making it easier to resolve issues.
Rails, on the other hand, has a very steep learning curve due to the independent concepts that a developer must master to become proficient in Rails.
As a result, it is only recommended for experienced programmers and developers.
11. Scalability
Though Django inherits its scalability from Python, it lags behind Rails slightly. RoR has better scalability as a result of attributes like code freedom and flexibility. They are both heavyweight web development frameworks, so they are both designed with scalability in mind, but Ruby on Rails development takes the win here.
Summary
We have jotted down 11 key differences you must know before you hire Ruby on Rails developers or Django Developers. In conclusion, we would say that no framework is superior to the other, it’s up to you to decide which framework is better suited for your project.
Author’s bio:
Mohit is an Engineer by Education and Tech blogger by profession.
He has been writing continuously on various computer science topics for the last 3 years now. He loves to discuss new technologies and play badminton whenever he has time.
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