Overview
Is Ruby on Rails dead?
The short answer: Absolutely not. Despite occasional doubts about its relevance, Ruby on Rails remains a vibrant, powerful framework that continues to drive some of the world's largest tech platforms. With over 667,000 companies using Rails globally and major success stories like Shopify processing $11.5 billion in sales during Black Friday 2024, Rails proves it's far from dead, it's thriving.
Introduction
“Ruby on Rails is outdated.”
“Startups don’t use Rails anymore.”
“Rails can’t scale.”
You’ve probably come across these statements.
In the fast-paced world of web development, where new frameworks emerge seemingly every month, it's natural to question if Ruby on Rails is dead. This question seems to resurface like clockwork, popping up in developer forums, tech Twitter threads, and watercooler conversations with surprising regularity. But if you've actually been working with Ruby on Rails in 2025, you know the truth is far more vibrant.
Ruby on Rails continues to power some of the most successful companies worldwide, from e-commerce giants handling billions in transactions to developer platforms serving millions of users daily. The framework has evolved significantly, adapting to modern development practices while maintaining the developer happiness and productivity that made it famous.
In this blog, we’ll see why Rails remains a top choice for developers and businesses, featuring insights from RailsFactory’s own experts, real-world examples like Shopify’s record-breaking performance, and a breakdown of why Rails is still a smart bet for 2025 and beyond.
Voices from RailsFactory
Sivamanikandan: Our Solutions Architect, Innovating the Future of Rails
Sivamanikandan isn’t just a senior Ruby on Rails developer, he’s an innovator who thrives on pushing boundaries. With over a decade of experience, his work spans complex enterprise applications, performance optimization, and open-source contributions. His recent creations include two powerful Redmine plugins. The railscodeauditor gem, created by him is an AI-powered audit tool that leverages Meta’s LLaMA 3 for advanced, intelligent code analysis.
“People who think Ruby on Rails is dead clearly haven’t been paying attention to what we’re building”
Sivamanikandan says. “When I developed the railscodeauditor gem, I wasn’t just creating another tool, I was merging Rails with Meta’s LLaMA 3 to solve real-world developer challenges. The fact that we can seamlessly combine a mature framework like Rails with the latest AI models proves just how adaptable and modern Rails really is. If Rails were truly dead, would we be seeing this level of innovation?”
In an industry where trends change quickly, Sivamanikandan continues to demonstrate that Ruby on Rails is not only alive but evolving and that developers willing to think beyond convention can still lead the way in shaping its future.
Chaitali Khangar: Our Technical Architect and Rails Influencer
Chaitali Khangar, a Team Lead and Ruby on Rails influencer at RailsFactory, echoes this enthusiasm.
“I’ve worked on tons of projects with Rails, and it’s still one of the best frameworks out there.” Chaitali explains,
“What makes it special is how it lets you focus on solving business problems instead of wrestling with technical details. The ‘convention over configuration’ approach means you write less code and get more done. Plus, the community is amazing, there’s always a gem or resource to tackle any challenge.”
“Dead technologies don't have thriving communities, regular updates, and companies fighting to hire Rails developers. Rails isn't dead, it's battle-tested and better than ever. For startups or businesses wanting to launch fast and maintain easily, Rails is unbeatable. It’s not just about coding, it’s about coding with joy.” adds Chaitali.
These insights from RailsFactory’s experts gives the answer to the question “Is Ruby on Rails dead?” but let’s reinforce the argument with some compelling statistics.
Companies Proving Rails’ Scalability
If you think Ruby on Rails can’t handle heavy-duty applications, think again. Some of the world’s biggest companies rely on Rails to power their platforms, and their success stories are hard to ignore.
Shopify’s Black Friday Sale 2024
Shopify, a global leader in e-commerce, is built on Ruby on Rails and continues to demonstrate its scalability. During the 2024 Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, Shopify merchants shattered records, generating $11.5 billion in sales, a 24% increase from the previous year. Here’s a closer look at the numbers:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Sales | $11.5 billion |
| Customers Worldwide | Over 76 million |
| Peak Sales (per minute) | $4.6 million at 12:01 PM EST |
| Merchants with Highest-Ever Sales Day | Over 67,000 |
| Cross-Border Orders | 16% of global orders |
| Average Cart Value | $108.56 |
Source - Shopify BFCM 2024 Recap
This performance is staggering. Shopify’s platform handled 284 million requests per minute at peak times and processed 57.3 petabytes of data, nearly double the previous year’s volume. Over 67,000 merchants achieved their highest-ever sales day, and cross-border orders from countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Germany accounted for a significant portion of sales.
These figures prove that Ruby on Rails can handle the intense demands of global e-commerce, debunking myths about its scalability. Shopify’s success is a shining example of how Rails powers modern, high-traffic applications with ease.
Other Major Players
Shopify isn’t alone. Companies like GitHub, Basecamp, and Airbnb also rely on Ruby on Rails. GitHub, for instance, uses Rails to manage millions of users and repositories, showcasing its ability to handle complex, large-scale systems. Basecamp, a project management tool, has been a Rails stalwart since its inception, proving the framework’s reliability for long-term projects. These companies demonstrate that Rails is not only viable but a preferred choice for businesses needing robust, scalable solutions.
What Ruby on Rails Really Is (And Why It Matters)
At its core, Ruby on Rails is a server-side web application framework written in Ruby. But reducing it to just a technical definition misses the point of why it continues to thrive after nearly two decades.
Rails is a philosophy of development centered around:
- Convention over Configuration: Rails provides sensible defaults, reducing the number of decisions developers need to make and allowing them to focus on business logic rather than setup
- Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY): Rails encourages code that is maintainable and reduces duplication
- Active Record Pattern: Simplifies database interactions and promotes good data modeling practices
- Built-in Best Practices: Security features, testing frameworks, and architectural patterns are baked in from the start
For businesses, this translates to:
-Faster Time to Market: Rails' opinionated structure and rich ecosystem of gems mean you can build functionality quickly without reinventing the wheel
-Lower Development Costs: With Rails' emphasis on developer productivity, you get more features per development hour
-Built-in Security: Rails includes protections against common vulnerabilities out of the box
-Maintainable Code: The framework's conventions lead to consistent, readable code that's easier to maintain as your team grows
-Mature Ecosystem: With over 180,000 gems available, chances are someone has already solved the problem you're facing
Key Statistics
Rails maintains a strong market position with significant adoption across industries:
- 667,503 companies actively use Ruby on Rails
- 21.99% market share in the web framework category
- Over 3.6 million websites have been built using Rails
- 39% of customers are based in the United States, with significant global presence
The framework continues to attract both startups and established enterprises, with 30% more global merchants joining Shopify (a Rails-powered platform) in the first half of 2024 alone.
Why the Misconception Then?
A few reasons contribute to the “Rails is dead” narrative:
- The rise of JavaScript-based stacks like Node.js and Next.js has pulled the spotlight.
- Younger developers gravitate toward newer tech with fancier documentation and community hype.
- Misinformation and lack of context. Many critiques of Rails ignore success stories and focus on isolated scaling issues.
But just because something isn’t trending doesn’t mean it’s obsolete. In fact, maturity often trumps trendiness in the long run.
The RailsFactory Perspective
At RailsFactory, we’ve delivered 850+ Ruby on Rails projects over the last decade. With over 350+ Rails developers, we’ve seen Rails go through major upgrades from version 2.x to the latest 7.x, and we’re now all set for Rails 8.
Our belief is simple: Rails is not dead, it’s just not shouting. It’s the silent engine behind some of the internet’s biggest platforms.
And tools like RailsUp, our free gem compatibility checker for smooth Rails upgrades, are helping more developers and CTOs modernize and optimize their applications built in Rails, quickly and efficiently.
Final Thoughts: So, Is Ruby on Rails Dead?
Let’s answer the question once and for all:
Is Ruby on Rails dead in 2025?
Far from it. It’s alive, active, and evolving with the times.
Rails remains a powerful, secure, and scalable framework for web application development. Backed by companies like Shopify and GitHub, and championed by open-source contributors like those at RailsFactory, it continues to be a smart choice for businesses looking for fast, reliable, and cost-effective development.
If you’re planning to build or upgrade a digital product in 2025, don’t ignore Rails just because it isn’t the new kid on the block. Instead, ask: Do I want results, or do I want trends?
Choose wisely. Choose Ruby on Rails.
