Do I really need Subversion and Capistrano?

rubyonrails-talk
1

Hi! I am new to RoR. I am working my way through Agile Web Dev w/ Rails in an effort to take over as web developer for a current RoR app.

This site is currently deployed on TextDrive and is not taking advantage of several of the more useful (IMO) advantages of Ruby on Rails and TextDrive. Specifically, db migration, Subversion and following the TextDrive instructions for setting up and using RoR and Subversion.

Now, my client is talking about moving hosting over to GoDaddy.com. They don't have Subversion or Capistrano, but their tech support is significantly more accessible than TextDrive.

This app does not need multiple servers and the developer team consists of ME, so, is Subversion and Capistrano worth staying with TextDrive?

Am I completely off-base?

I have also tried to get on the IRC RoR channel, but no one ever responds to my questions. Still haven't figured out if I am doing something wrong connecting or if I am being inadvertantly rude. Thanks in advance for any advice! Jee

2

Hi Joe -

No, you don't need subversion or capistrano. They're handy, but not a requirement.

Cheers Starr

3

Personally, I don't use Capistrano yet. It's something I've wanted to
start using, but all of my deployments are limited to one server
apiece. I sometimes use Makefiles for ad-hoc maintenance when Cap
seems like cognitive overload. I'm sure if I learned it it would be
fine, but for now I stick with what I know.

However, you would be well served to use Subversion. It has saved me
countless hours of rework and debugging. The big advantage of SVN for
small or one-person teams is not concurrency but versioning. You can
ask it things like "what code changed between yesterday at 9 PM and
now?".

I would caution against GoDaddy. TxD has a proven track record with
RoR support, and it seems like GoDaddy is just now jumping on the
bandwagon.

As for IRC, you need to register your nick before the group can see
your posts. See below:

http://freenode.net/faq.shtml#nicksetup

--Brad

4

Hi! I am new to RoR. I am working my way through Agile Web Dev w/ Rails in an effort to take over as web developer for a current RoR app.

This site is currently deployed on TextDrive and is not taking advantage of several of the more useful (IMO) advantages of Ruby on Rails and TextDrive. Specifically, db migration, Subversion and following the TextDrive instructions for setting up and using RoR and Subversion.

Now, my client is talking about moving hosting over to GoDaddy.com. They don't have Subversion or Capistrano, but their tech support is significantly more accessible than TextDrive.

This app does not need multiple servers and the developer team consists of ME, so, is Subversion and Capistrano worth staying with TextDrive?

Am I completely off-base?

Some :slight_smile:

You absolutely *NEED* subsversion. No question about it. Do it. Now. Yes, the first week will be painful, and then you'll wonder how you ever did anything with out it. Even if you are the only one. It doesn't matter. Yes yes yes. :slight_smile:

Capistrano... not as necessary. It's nice, but it's not nessary. Not like subversion...

-philip

5

Ohhh....

Thanks! I was really confused on the IRC thing. Obviously, I don't normally use it. :slight_smile:

Your other advice also seems very solid. Thanks, Jee

6

Thanks, knowing that they are not a requirement seems like a simple thing, but it is surprising how hard it is to find the simple things stated plainly! :slight_smile: Jee

7

Oops, I should have specified that I was speaking to Starr in my last post. :slight_smile: Jee

8

Well, looks like I plan to stay with TxD. Thanks so much for the clarification, Brad and Phillip!

I have another question as well:

I am re-creating this site in order to really know what I am doing. The previous developer, for whatever reasons, started with the 'depot' code from Agile Web Dev w/ Rails, but did not follow the guidelines that I am learning. I suspect he just grabbed the code rather than actually going through the tutorial. I was told he was learning RoR too. As a result, the directory structure he set up on TxD is very different from both TxD's guidelines and Agile Web Dev.

I would like to start over with a clean slate, but don't want to lose the original app until I have it re-created. Is it possible to download the original app and deploy it on my PC?

My initial attempt at this certainly didn't work. I can't seem to find any information on how to make this work which makes me wonder if I am trying to do something unrealistic.

Thanks again to all! Jee

9

Well, you need version control. Subversion is one good choice.

To the OP: Understanding how version control works is a great skill to have. Even if you have to spend some time reading about and setting up your own Subversion or CVS server, it will be well worth it. Take the time to learn both the server set-up and the way that the files are versioned and tagged and you'll gain a lot.

As a tool, version control is critical. I will not work without it, even for personal projects.

-- James

10

A developer that is unsure whether or not source code control is necessary... Are you *SURE* you're a developer?

11

Hey now. I love SVN as much as the next guy now that I'm using it, but I went for years without it. Got a lot done, too, even cooperating with a couple other people. And yes, I'd call myself a developer.

Erik wrote:

12

Thanks, Lance! I have been coding websites for years, but since I do all my work other than this RoR project in notepad, I am able to take care of those issues by hand as well. Jee

Lance Ivy wrote:

13

I've known for years that if you didn't have the right shoes, music, clothes, and hair then you couldn't be one of the cool kids. Now you have to use subversion too? It just gets harder and harder to keep up with. :slight_smile:

14

Not necessarily Subversion... but come on, you HAVE to have source control for even the smallest development efforts. Anyone who does otherwise is likely to be unknowingly wasting a lot of time trying to manage their code changes.