If you’re a Ruby on Rails developer looking to enhance your projects, having the right ruby on rails themes in your toolkit can make a big difference.
Popular online application framework Ruby on Rails utilizes the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural design paradigm.
An application’s visual design and user interface can be changed by applying a theme to a Rails application, which is a collection of styles, layouts, and assets.
While Rails provides a default set of conventions and styles, developers have the flexibility to customize the appearance and functionality of their applications by using themes.
In this article, we’ll explore the top 6 themes that every developer should have, helping you create visually appealing and user-friendly applications.
Get started today and take your Ruby on Rails projects to the next level!
What Is Ruby on Rails?
David Heinemeier Hansson developed the Ruby on Rails under the MIT License.
Technically speaking, a well-known Ruby on Rails is a Rails backend framework for creating web applications built in the Ruby programming language.
RoR is compatible with the model-view-controller (MVC) architecture, which provides basic database structure, web pages, and web services.
RoR uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to develop user interfaces and web standards like JSON or XML to convey data.
Ruby on Rails operates under two guiding concepts, including:
Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY)
To prevent data and code repetition, Ruby on Rails adheres to the DRY principle of software development.
Convention Over Configuration (CoC)
It offers a variety of suggestions for how to carry out various tasks in a building web application.
Additionally, the 17-year-old Ruby on Rails app web development framework’s seventh version is currently accessible.
Unlike other web development frameworks, Ruby focuses on simplifying and avoiding repetitious coding.
To begin a RoR project, get in touch with a Ruby on Rails development business. They will take your project and use the RoR framework to satisfy your web app requirements.
Understand The Use of Themes In Ruby on Rails
Using Ruby on Rails themes can offer several benefits for developers. Firstly, themes provide a consistent and professional look to your applications, enhancing the user experience.
They also save time and effort by providing pre-designed templates and layouts that can be easily customized to fit your project’s needs.
Additionally, themes often come with built-in functionality and features, reducing the need for extensive coding.
By using themes, developers can streamline their workflow and create visually appealing applications more efficiently.
Insights Into Ruby on Rails Themes
Simplified Design
Rails themes offer pre-defined styles and layouts that simplify the process of designing and customizing the appearance of an application.
They provide a starting point for developers and eliminate the need to build everything from scratch.
Consistency
Themes promote consistency throughout an application by providing a unified look and feel.
By using a theme, developers ensure that different sections and pages of the application have a cohesive design, improving user experience.
Time-Saving
Themes save development time by providing a set of pre-designed components, such as buttons, forms, and navigation menus.
Developers can leverage these components directly, instead of creating them from scratch, accelerating the development process.
Rapid Prototyping
Themes facilitate rapid prototyping by providing ready-to-use UI elements.
Developers can quickly assemble different components to create a prototype with minimal effort, allowing for faster iteration and feedback during the design phase.
Customizability
While themes provide a starting point, they can be customized according to specific project requirements.
Developers can modify the styles, layouts, and assets provided by the theme to match the desired visual design and branding of the application.
Top 5 Benefits of Using Ruby on Rails Themes
1. Faster Development
Rails themes streamline the development process by providing pre-designed elements and styles.
Developers can focus on implementing business logic and functionality, rather than spending excessive time on front-end design.
2. Community Support
The Ruby on Rails community has an active ecosystem of themes and templates.
This support allows developers to find existing themes, get assistance, and leverage the expertise of other community members, reducing the overall development effort.
3. Responsive Design
Many Rails themes are built with responsive design principles in mind.
This means that applications created using these themes will automatically adjust their layout and appearance based on the screen size and device type, providing a consistent experience across different platforms.
4. Cross-Browser Compatibility
Rails themes often undergo extensive testing and optimization to ensure compatibility with various web browsers.
This reduces the need for developers to spend time on browser-specific fixes and optimizations.
5. Code Consistency
Themes encourage a standardized approach to front-end development within a Rails project.
By following the conventions and styles provided by the theme, developers can maintain a consistent codebase, making it easier for multiple developers to collaborate on the same project.
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Choose a Theme That Aligns With Your Project’s Goals And Designs Aesthetic
- When selecting a theme for your Ruby on Rails project, it’s important to consider both the goals of your project and your desired design aesthetic.
- Think about the overall look and feel you want to achieve and how the theme can help you achieve that.
- Consider factors such as colour schemes, typography, and layout options.
- Additionally, think about the specific functionality and features you need for your project and ensure that the theme you choose aligns with those requirements.
- By selecting a theme that aligns with your project’s goals and design aesthetic, you can create a cohesive and visually appealing application that meets your needs.
Let’s see the installation and configuration process for ruby on rails themes.
10 Steps Install And Configure The Ruby on Rails Theme
Once you have selected the perfect theme for your Ruby on Rails project, it’s time to install and configure it in your application.
The process may vary depending on the theme you have chosen, but generally, it involves a few simple steps.
- First, download the theme files from the source. This may be a website, a marketplace, or a GitHub repository.
- Make sure to choose the version that is compatible with your Ruby on Rails version.
- Next, navigate to your project directory and locate the “app/assets/stylesheets” folder.
- Copy the CSS files from the theme into this folder.
- If the theme includes any additional assets such as images or JavaScript files, copy them to the appropriate directories as well.
- After that, open your application’s “app/assets/stylesheets/application.css” file and add the following line at the top: “` *= require_tree . “` This will ensure that all the CSS files in the “app/assets/stylesheets” folder are included in your application.
- Next, navigate to the “app/views/layouts” folder and locate the layout file that you want to apply the theme to. This is usually the “application.html.erb” file.
- Open the file and replace the existing CSS link tags with the following line: “` <%= stylesheet_link_tag ‘application’, media: ‘all’, ‘data-turbolinks-track’: ‘reload’ %> “` Save the file and restart your Rails server.
- Your application should now be using the new theme’s styles.
- Finally, if the theme includes any additional configuration steps, such as setting up database tables or adding routes, make sure to follow the theme’s documentation to complete the setup.
By following these steps, you can easily install and configure a theme in your Ruby on Rails application, enhancing its visual appeal and functionality.
Customize The Theme To Fit Your Specific Needs And Branding
Once you have installed and configured the theme in your Ruby on Rails application, it’s time to customize it to fit your specific needs and branding.
This will help make your application unique and stand out from others.
- Start by exploring the theme’s documentation to understand the available customization options. This may include changing colours, fonts, layouts, and adding or removing certain elements.
- Next, locate the theme’s configuration files. These are usually located in the “config” folder of your Rails application.
- Open the relevant configuration file and look for options related to customization. This could be a YAML file, a Ruby file, or any other format specified by the theme.
- Make the necessary changes to the configuration file to reflect your desired customization. For example, if you want to change the primary colour of your application, look for a configuration option related to colours and update it with your preferred colour code.
- If the theme provides a user interface for customization, such as an admin panel, take advantage of it to make changes easily without diving into the code.
- In addition to configuration files, you may also need to modify the theme’s views and templates to match your branding. These files are usually located in the “app/views” folder of your Rails application.
- Open the relevant view file and make the necessary changes to the HTML and CSS code. Remember to test your changes as you go to ensure everything looks and functions as expected.
- Use the development environment to preview the changes before deploying them to production.
By customizing the theme to fit your specific needs and branding, you can create a visually appealing and unique Ruby on Rails application that stands out from the crowd.
Take Advantage of The Pre-Built Components And Features Offered By The Theme
One of the great benefits of using a pre-built theme for your Ruby on Rails projects is the availability of pre-built components and features.
These components and features can save you time and effort in developing certain functionalities from scratch.
For example, a theme may come with pre-built login and registration forms, contact forms, sliders, galleries, and more.
Instead of coding these functionalities yourself, you can simply integrate the pre-built components into your application.
To take advantage of these pre-built components, explore the theme’s documentation to understand what is available.
The documentation should provide instructions on how to use and customize these components.
Once you have identified the components you want to use, you can easily integrate them into your application.
This may involve copying and pasting code snippets, importing specific files, or configuring settings.
By leveraging the pre-built components and features offered by the theme, you can enhance the functionality of your Ruby on Rails application without having to spend excessive time and effort on development.
This allows you to focus on other aspects of your project and deliver a high-quality product to your users.
Let me show you the best ruby on rails admin template that may suit your project.
Top 6 Ruby On Rails Admin Template
1. Trestle admin (Free)
Trestle admin is freely available, and it is a modern, responsive admin framework for Ruby on Rails. The most beneficial thing about Trestle is, it’s super customizable. It has a responsive nature and it provides unique features.
Features Offered By Trestle:
- Technology: HTML
- Framework: Bootstrap
- Version: Ruby on Rails v5
- LGPL v3.0 license
- Trestle auth authentication
- easily adaptable
2. Plab – Dashboard Template
Plab is a dashboard template which is responsive, clean, highly customizable, and minimal admin.
This has admin dashboard versions for famous PHP frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Yii2, and Laravel. Also, it is available for React Next.js, Angular 8, React, and Bootstrap 4.
Moreover Plab offers a unique range of features. It is usable for projects like: Ruby on Rails CMS Platforms, Backend Websites, Admin Dashboards, Web Applications, Websites, Custom Admin Panels, CRM, or even a Portfolio, Blog, or Business Website.
Features Offered By Plab:
- Technology: PHP
- Frameworks: Yii, Angular 8, React, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Bootstrap 4
- Compatible Browsers: Safari, Chrome, Opera, Firefox, IE11, and Edge
- Design: Clean & Simple Design
- Dashboards: 5+ Dashboard Variations
- Sass Included
- Retina Ready
3. Angle – Bootstrap Admin Template
An online dashboard application called Angle admin template is built on Bootstrap and several other frameworks.
This dashboard template’s components have all been created to take full advantage of HTML5 and Bootstrap, as well as a number of new capabilities (JS and CSS). It is therefore perfect for your next project involving an admin web application or dashboard theme.
In addition, Angle can be applied to any dashboard for a web application. For both personal and professional use, examples include Single Page Applications (SPA), project management systems, e-commerce admin dashboards, CMS, CRM, SAAS, and help desks.
Features Offered By Angle:
- Technology: HTML
- Framework: Bootstrap
- Versions: Ruby on Rails 6, Node.Js, Vue, Laravel, and 7 others
- Browsers Support: Edge, Chrome, Firefox, IE10, IE11, and Safari
- Webpacker for Scripts
- Assets pipeline for Styles
- No jQuery (Used with jQuery plugins only)
- NPM package manager
- ERB Layout based structure
- Charts: Chartjs, Morris, Flot, Radial, and Chartist
- Icons: 400+ Font Icons and 100+ Weather Icons
4. Educate Rails Bootstrap
A learning app theme called Educate Rails is connected with the Rails application.
Features Offered By Educate Rails:
- Technology: HTML
- Framework: Bootstrap and Ruby on Rails
- Versions: Bootstrap v4.3.1 and Ruby on Rails 5.2.2
- Useful for: Educational sector
5. Inspinia – Responsive Admin
Six versions are available for Inspinia Admin. It includes a sizable number of reusable UI elements that are integrated with jQuery plugins.
Additionally, it is very configurable. It also offers distinctive features. It is also totally responsive. Check it out, then.
Features Offered By Inspinia:
- Technology: HTML
- Framework: Bootstrap
- Design: Flat Design
- Versions: Ruby on Rails, HTML, and Asp.Net core
- Browsers Support: IE11, Firefox, Chrome, IE10, and Safari
- 5 Dashboards and 4 Menu levels
- Special App view
- Charts: Chartjs, Rickshaw, Chartist, C3 charts, Morris, Piety charts, Flot, and Sparkline charts
- Useful for: Any kind of web application
6. Webarch – Admin Dashboard Template
Webarch is a Ruby on Rails-compatible Bootstrap admin template. Additionally, it is very configurable. It also offers distinctive features. It is also totally responsive. Check it out, then.
Features Offered By Webarch:
- Technology: HTML
- Framework: Bootstrap
- RTL Support
- Browsers Support: Firefox, Opera, Chrome, IE11, and Safari
- 2 Dashboards and 7+ Layout options
- Retina ready
- Charts: Flot charts and Sparkline charts
- Useful for: Any kind of web application
Summary
In summary, Ruby on Rails themes provide developers with a head start in designing and customizing the visual aspects of their web applications.
They offer time-saving benefits, encourage consistent design, and can be customized to suit project requirements.
By leveraging Rails themes, developers can focus more on implementing business logic and delivering robust web applications.
You should check for Ruby on Rails Consulting Services to get more ideas regarding ruby on rails themes and project execution.
HAPPY ROR THEMES!!!