Ruby: Deploy to production

How to deploy your Ruby code to production in just a few minutes

👋 Welcome to the Stackhero documentation!

Stackhero offers a ready-to-use Ruby cloud solution that provides a host of benefits, including:

Deploy your application in seconds with a simple git push.

Use your own domain name and benefit from the automatic configuration of HTTPS certificates for enhanced security.

Enjoy peace of mind with automatic backups, one-click updates, and straightforward, transparent, and predictable pricing.

Get optimal performance and robust security thanks to a private and dedicated VM.

Save time and simplify your life: it only takes 5 minutes to try Stackhero's Ruby cloud hosting solution!

Stackhero's Ruby cloud hosting service makes it straightforward to deploy your Ruby projects to production in only a few minutes, combining a robust platform with an intuitive user experience.

Here is what you will benefit from:

Deploy your code with a simple git push.
Use your own custom domain, with automatic TLS certificate (HTTPS) management.
Run your application on a dedicated, private VM for maximum security and privacy.
Take advantage of support for HTTP/2, TLS 1.3 (HTTPS), WebSockets, GZIP and Brotli compression, ETag, TCP and UDP port access, and much more.

Prerequisites

The only thing you need to get started deploying your projects on Stackhero is to have Git installed on your computer.

If you want to save time or would prefer to avoid setting up a complex local environment, consider trying Stackhero's Code-Hero.

Code-Hero is a ready-to-use development platform accessible directly from your browser, on any computer, tablet, or phone. Based on a VSCode fork, it comes with all the essential tools pre-installed and pre-configured, so you can start coding instantly without any setup.

Steps to deploy on Stackhero

Deploying your Ruby application on Stackhero is a straightforward process. Here are the steps you will follow, which we will detail below:

Create a Ruby service on Stackhero.
Add your SSH public key to your Ruby service configuration.
Set up the git push command on your development platform.
Add a Makefile to your project.
Deploy your code to production.

If you encounter any issues during deployment, the Troubleshooting documentation will help you quickly find a solution. It's always a good idea to check there first to save time and avoid frustration.

Configuring your Stackhero for Ruby service

If you haven't yet created a Stackhero for Ruby service, you can do so from your Stackhero dashboard in just a few minutes.

Once your Ruby service is running, the next step is to add your SSH public key. You can find your public key by running:

cat ~/.ssh/id_*.pub

Don't have SSH keys yet?

You can generate them with:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519

To add your SSH key, go to your Stackhero dashboard, select your Ruby service, click "Configure", and paste your public key into the "SSH public keys" section.

Tip: Want to save time in the future? Add your SSH public key to your profile so it will be automatically included when you create new services.

Simply click your profile picture at the top right of the dashboard, select "Your profile", and add your SSH public key there.

Setting up the `git push` command for deployment

Deployment on Stackhero uses the Git CLI and the git push command, so you don't need to install any additional tools.

You can copy the git remote command from your service's main page in the Stackhero dashboard. It usually looks like this:

git remote add stackhero ssh://stackhero@<XXXXXX>.stackhero-network.com:222/project.git

Creating a Makefile for Stackhero deployment

To let Stackhero know how to run your application, you need to create a Makefile at the root of your project. This file defines the commands Stackhero will use during deployment.

If you're new to Makefiles or the make command, don't worry, the steps below will guide you through everything you need.

Create a Makefile with the following content:

run:
	rake assets:precompile
	rake db:migrate RAILS_ENV=production
	RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec puma -C config/puma.rb

Here's what happens in this Makefile:

The run rule is required; Stackhero will automatically execute it during deployment. Please keep this name, as it serves as the entry point.
The commands use rake and bundle, but you can adapt them as needed for your application.
Make sure each command line starts with a tab character, not spaces. If you see an error like *** missing separator, double-check this formatting.

In the example above, deployment will:

Precompile assets such as JavaScript and CSS into the public/assets directory.
Run any required database migrations.
Start the Puma server to serve your application.

Deploying your Ruby application

You're ready. To deploy your code to Stackhero, use:

git push stackhero main

The first time you run this command, you'll be asked to confirm the SSH key fingerprint. Simply answer "yes" to continue.

After a short wait, your application will be online.

You can access your deployed application at the address shown in your Stackhero dashboard. It will typically look like https://<XXXXXX>.stackhero-network.com.

Congratulations. Your application is now live in production.

Having trouble with deployment?

Be sure to check the Troubleshooting section for quick solutions.

Conclusion

You have just learned how to deploy Ruby code to production with Stackhero, using a process that is both simple and efficient.

To go further, the Advanced Deployment Usages documentation covers topics such as deploying different git branches, specific tags or commits, and managing multiple environments like staging and production. You'll also find tips for working with environment variables and much more.

And remember, if you encounter any issues during deployment, the Troubleshooting documentation is an excellent resource to help you resolve them efficiently and keep your workflow smooth.