How to start a new Rails app

System

Install ubuntu 18.04 LTS

DB:PostgreSQL

Guide: default version is 10, we use the latest

    sudo apt-get install wget ca-certificates
    wget --quiet -O - https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc | sudo apt-key add -
    sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt/ `lsb_release -cs`-pgdg main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list'
    sudo apt-get install postgresql postgresql-contrib libpq-dev
    sudo -u postgres createuser db_user -s
    sudo -u postgres psql
    postgres=# \password (db_user)

By default, psql use peer neection (login by linux user, no password).
To change it, modify /etc/postgresql/9.5/main/pg_hba.conf
from:
local all all peer
to:
local all all md5
then restart by
sudo service postgresql restart

Command to login:
psql -U db_user -d postgres # must specify db

Rails

Guide

1. Rails

   sudo apt install curl
   curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_12.x | sudo -E bash -
   curl -sS https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/pubkey.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
   echo "deb https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/ stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/yarn.list
   
   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install git-core zlib1g-dev build-essential libssl-dev libreadline-dev libyaml-dev libsqlite3-dev sqlite3 libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev software-properties-common libffi-dev nodejs yarn
   
   cd
   git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv
   echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
   echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.bashrc
   exec $SHELL
   
   git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git ~/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build
   echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
   exec $SHELL
   
   rbenv install 2.6.5
   rbenv global 2.6.5
   ruby -v
   
   gem install bundler
   gem install rails -v 6.0.0
   rbenv rehash
   rails -v
   

2. Rails app

   rails new my_site -d postgresql
   
   # configure db database.yml
   # add domain
   add config.hosts << "yourdomain.com" to config/environments/development.rb
   # config generator in application.rb
   config.generators do |g|
     # Disable jbuilder as we use JR
     # g.jbuilder        false
     ## Disable empty files
     # helper files
     g.helper          false
     # assets files
     g.assets          false
   end
   

Ngnix

Guide

    sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys 561F9B9CAC40B2F7
    sudo sh -c 'echo deb https://oss-binaries.phusionpassenger.com/apt/passenger bionic main > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/passenger.list'
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install -y nginx-extras libnginx-mod-http-passenger
    if [ ! -f /etc/nginx/modules-enabled/50-mod-http-passenger.conf ]; then sudo ln -s /usr/share/nginx/modules-available/mod-http-passenger.load /etc/nginx/modules-enabled/50-mod-http-passenger.conf ; fi
    sudo ls /etc/nginx/conf.d/mod-http-passenger.conf
    sudo vim /etc/nginx/conf.d/mod-http-passenger.conf
    # We simply want to change the passenger_ruby line to match the following:
    passenger_ruby /home/<deploy_user>/.rbenv/shims/ruby;
    sudo service nginx start

Deploy

Guide

1. Add the following gems to our Gemfile

   gem 'capistrano', '~> 3.11'
   gem 'capistrano-rails', '~> 1.4'
   gem 'capistrano-passenger', '~> 0.2.0'
   gem 'capistrano-rbenv', '~> 2.1', '>= 2.1.4'
   

2. Generate template

   bundle
   # use cap in rbenv, source ~/.bashrc if cap not found
   cap install STAGES=production
   

3. Edit Capfile

4. Capfile:

     require 'capistrano/rails'
     require 'capistrano/passenger'
     require 'capistrano/rbenv'
     set :rbenv_type, :user
     set :rbenv_ruby, '2.6.5'
   

5. deploy.rb

     set :application, "my_site"
     set :repo_url, "/home/web/codes/rails"
     set :deploy_to, "/var/www/my_site"
     append :linked_files, 'config/database.yml', 'config/master.key'
     append :linked_dirs, 'log', 'tmp/pids', 'tmp/cache', 'tmp/sockets', 'vendor/bundle', '.bundle', 'public/system', 'public/uploads'
     set :keep_releases, 5
   

6. deploy/production.rb

     server 'yourdomain.com', user: 'web', roles: %w{app db web}
   

7. Prepare

   RAILS_ENV=production rails db:create # create db
   sudo mkdir /var/www/my_site
   sudo chown -R web:web /var/www/my_site
   cp master.key database.yml to /varw/www/my_site/shared/config
   cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys # Otherwise, ask for password when deploy
   

8. Nginx config: /etc/nginx/site-available/default

   listen 80;
   listen [::]:80;
   server_name my_site.com;
   passenger_enabled on;
   rails_env    production;
   # Because of incorrect path in /etc/nginx/conf.d/mod-http-passenger.conf, we have to set it again here. It's optional if it's right above.
   #pssenger_ruby /home/web/.rbenv/shims/ruby; 
   root /var/www/my_site/current/public;
   

9. Make swap, otherwise, too slow.

   cap production deploy
   

HTTPS

Install certbot
By snapd:

    sudo snap install core; sudo snap refresh core
    sudo apt-get remove certbot
    sudo snap install --classic certbot
    sudo ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot

By APT:

    sudo apt-get install certbot python-certbot-nginx
    sudo certbot --nginx (choose direct, disable http)

usage:

    sudo certbot renew # for renew
    sudo certbot renew --webroot-path /var/www/xxx # renew with webroot path
    sudo certbot certonly -a webroot --webroot-path=/var/www/<your site>/current/public -d www.example.com -d example.com -d api.example.com.   # multiple sub-domain
    sudo certbot certificates # expiration day
    sudo certbot delete --cert-name # remove unused domain

It seems the auto cron will renew the certification once per two months. But Ngnix should be restarted to load the new file.

Basic

Generator

Config generator in application.rb

config.generators.test_framework false
config.generators do |g|
  # Disable jbuilder as we use JR
  # g.jbuilder        false
  # Disable empty files
  # helper files
  g.helper          false
  # assets files
  g.assets          false
end

compression

• guide

• in config/application.rb

  config.middleware.use Rack::Deflater
  

• not working by https://gtmetrix.com/

• compress js/css by Nginx

  • enable gzip in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
  • this works with https://gtmetrix.com/

• Leverage browser caching for Nginx

  • Allow browser to cache static
  • /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
  • Not working for Google Analytics JS. Could be done as well, but I don't want to do this trick replies on Nginx

Javascript

• jQuery: follow guide

  • install jquery if not yet: yarn add jquery
  • in config/webpack/environment.js

  const webpack = require('webpack')
  environment.plugins.prepend('Provide',
    new webpack.ProvidePlugin({
      $: 'jquery/src/jquery',
      jQuery: 'jquery/src/jquery'
    })
  )
  

  • in app/javascript/packs/application.js

  require('jquery')
  

  • check webpack-dev-server to make sure no error

• support coffee files: follow guide

  • rails webpacker:install:coffee
    • updated config/webpack/environment.js
    • updated config/webpacker.yml
    • updated config/webpack/loaders/coffee.js
  • rm app/javascript/packs/hello_coffee.coffee
  • put coffee files in app/javascript/coffee
  • in application.js, add require('../coffee/application.coffee')

Bootstrap:

Guide

1. Install

   yarn add bootstrap popper.js jquery
   

2. In app/javascript/stylesheets/application.scss

   @import 'bootstrap/scss/bootstrap';
   

3. In app/javascript/packs/application.js

   import 'stylesheets/application' # include scss above
   import 'bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap';
   

4. On-the-fly build for dev:

   bin/webpack-dev-server
   

Email

1. Install rails g mailer admin_mailer send_passwd
2. Allow less secure apps to access your Gmail account: Guide

3. Email configuration for sending emails

   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true
   config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :smtp
   config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
     :address              => "smtp.gmail.com",
     # NOTE: Please use 587 not 465. Details: https://github.com/rails/rails/issues/27298
     #:port                 => 465, # EOF error
     # Remember to enable less secure apps, otherwise Net::SMTPAuthenticationError
     :port                 => 587,
     :domain               => "my_site.com", # does it matter?
     :user_name            => "my_site@gmail.com",
     :password             => "my_password",
     # Plain vs Login, encry username and password together or separately.
     # Details: http://www.samlogic.net/articles/smtp-commands-reference-auth.htm
     #:authentication       => "plain",
     :authentication       => "login",
     :enable_starttls_auto => true
   }
   

4. Check your email, Gmail may still block your access. You may need to use server to login your gmail account, then unlock, following the guide

   • NOTE: use ssh -Y in Mac to connect server, ssh -X not work

I18n

Guide

1. add zh.yml file under lib/locale (default config/locales)

2. config in config/initializers/locale.rb

   I18n.load_path += Dir[Rails.root.join('lib', 'locale', '*.{rb,yml}')]
   I18n.available_locales = [:en, :zh]
   I18n.default_locale = :zh
   

3. In application.rb

   around_action :switch_locale
   def switch_locale(&action)
     locale = params[:locale] || I18n.default_locale
     I18n.with_locale(locale, &action)
   end
   def default_url_options
     { locale: I18n.locale }
   end
   

4. config/routes.rb, put everything in

   scope "/:locale" do
     resources :books
   end
   

Google

Google analytics

1. Register accounts

2. Add js to head

   <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->
   <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-159082166-1"></script>
   <script>
     window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
     function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
     gtag('js', new Date());
     gtag('config', 'UA-159082166-1');
   </script>
   

3. Add js to Rails, NOTE the hack for turbolinks

   <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->
   <% if Rails.env.production? %>
     <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-159082166-1"></script>
     <script>
       window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
       function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
       gtag('js', new Date());
       gtag('config', 'UA-159082166-1');
       // turbolinks
       document.addEventListener('turbolinks:load', event => {
         if (typeof gtag === 'function') {
           gtag('config', 'UA-159082166-1', {
             'page_location': event.data.url
           });
         }
       });
     </script>
   <% end %>
   

Google recaptcha

1. Get API key
2. in Gemfile: gem "recaptcha"

3. Configure keys in config/initializers/recaptcha.rb

   Recaptcha.configure do |config|
     config.site_key  = 'xxx'
     config.secret_key = 'xxxx'
   end
   

4. Add to views: <%= recaptcha_tags %>

5. Check in controller

   skip_verify = request.format.json?
   if (skip_verify || verify_recaptcha(model: @user)) && @user.save
     // OK
   else
     // ERROR
   end