Ruby on Rails, also known as Rails, is a powerful web development framework written in Ruby. It allows developers to build high-performing web applications quickly and efficiently. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to install Ruby on Rails on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Whether you're using a Windows VPS UK or another hosting solution, Rails provides a great foundation for building dynamic web apps.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

• An Ubuntu 20.04 LTS server, which could be hosted on a UK Windows VPS, Windows Virtual Private Servers, or another Windows VPS Hosting UK solution.
• Root or sudo privileges on your server.
• Basic knowledge of the command line.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your system to ensure all packages are up to date. Run the following commands:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Ruby

Ruby on Rails is built on Ruby, so the first step is to install Ruby. You can install it using the package manager:

sudo apt install ruby-full -y

Once installed, verify the Ruby version by running:

ruby -v

This command should display the Ruby version, confirming that Ruby is installed.

Step 3: Install Node.js and Yarn

Rails requires a JavaScript runtime to work properly, so you will need to install Node.js. You can also install Yarn, a JavaScript package manager, which is often used with Rails projects:

sudo apt install nodejs
sudo apt install yarn -y

Step 4: Install Rails

Next, install Rails using the RubyGems package manager. Run the following command to install Rails:

sudo gem install rails

Once the installation is complete, verify the Rails version by running:

rails -v

This will display the installed Rails version.

Step 5: Install a Database (Optional)

Ruby on Rails supports several databases, but the most common choice is PostgreSQL or MySQL. You can install PostgreSQL by running:

sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib libpq-dev -y

Alternatively, for MySQL, run:

sudo apt install mysql-server mysql-client libmysqlclient-dev -y

Step 6: Create a New Rails Project

Now that Ruby, Rails, and the database are installed, you can create a new Rails project. Navigate to the directory where you want to store your project and run:

rails new myapp -d postgresql

Replace myapp with your project name, and if you are using MySQL, replace -d postgresql with -d mysql.

Step 7: Set Up the Database

If you are using PostgreSQL, you will need to create a database user. Log in to PostgreSQL:

sudo -u postgres psql

Create a new user with a password:

CREATE ROLE myuser WITH LOGIN PASSWORD 'mypassword';

Then, grant the necessary permissions and exit:

ALTER ROLE myuser CREATEDB;
\q

Update the database configuration file config/database.yml in your Rails project directory to match your database settings, then set up the database:

rails db:create

Step 8: Start the Rails Server

To test that everything is working, start the Rails development server:

rails server

By default, the server will run on port 3000. Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:3000 to see the Rails welcome page.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully installed Ruby on Rails on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Whether you’re developing applications on a Windows VPS UK, Windows VPS Italy, or any Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting environment, Rails provides a robust platform for building scalable web applications.