Rails To Bring Java's Early Retirement From Web Appilcations

Filed in archive Application Development on March 3, 2006

David Heinemeier Hansson, who is the creator of the popular Ruby on Rails (RoR) web application framework, was interviewed on Indicthreads.com recently. During the interview Mr. Hansson says that he thinks developers will start to move away from using Java to develop web applications. I tend to agree with him after having used RoR myself.

However, I don't think Rails will be used in the corporate setting for a long time. My recent suggestions to build a new web application using RoR in such a setting has caused people to roll their eyes. Then at a completely different company my suggestions that RoR be looked at as a possible solution for something lead the three people in the room to ask me "what is Ruby on Rails."

During Mr. Hansson's interview he says "The tipping point [to Ruby on Rails] is still in its infancy." That is a pretty heady statement to make as far as I'm concerned. dude, you created the framework and lots of people like it. Take a step back and let others speak to the success of it for you. What a strange thing to say... how can a "tipping point" be in its "infancy." No tipping point of any kind has been reached and it never may.

If I'm ever in a situation to use Ruby on Rails instead of Java for a web application I will. But again, the people who are in a position to pay me to write web applications are not of the same mind right now. When they are of the same mind then we will see this tipping point that Mr. Hansson is hoping to see.