# Code Protection **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 22, 2007, 12:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775 "2007-05-22T12:19:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 12:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/1 "2007-05-22T12:19:09Z")
Hi everyone! The project which I’m working on is going to be installed in several clients side. Do you know if it exists any way of protecting our code? Thanks a lot in advance! Monica ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/2 "2007-05-22T19:45:11Z")
As of now I don’t believe there are any ways to obfuscate or compile Rails applications. This is why most people host the applications instead of installing to client sites. This has been discussed before… I suggest searching the archives for some really good discussions about this topic. -Brian ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/3 "2007-05-22T22:52:32Z")
Here is one method of compiling Ruby. I haven’t used it and would be interested in hearing from anyone who has: [http://www.erikveen.dds.nl/rubyscript2exe/index.html](http://www.erikveen.dds.nl/rubyscript2exe/index.html) Regards, Dave * * * Information and Educational Technology Kwantlen University College - 604-599-2120 “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” --Bahá'u’lláh removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote on 22-05-2007 10:37:20 AM: > As of now I don’t believe there are any ways to obfuscate or > compile Rails applications. This is why most people host the > applications instead of installing to client sites. > > This has been discussed before… I suggest searching the archives > for some really good discussions about this topic. > > -Brian ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/4 "2007-05-22T22:57:33Z")
I’ve used this several times; it’s a great way of packaging a Windows-based Ruby app into a single EXE file. I’ve used this capability as a selling point for getting Ruby into various places that I’ve worked. However, it’s not appropriate for “hiding” source code - anyone with an editor can open the EXE file and find the source without difficulty. Regards Dave M. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/5 "2007-05-23T00:29:41Z")
On 5/23/07, David M. wrote: > However, it’s not appropriate for “hiding” source code - anyone with > an editor can open the EXE file and find the source without > difficulty. And even without an editor! From the obfuscation point of view, it works just like a zip file… [http://www.erikveen.dds.nl/rubyscript2exe/index.html#appdir](http://www.erikveen.dds.nl/rubyscript2exe/index.html#appdir) - H ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/6 "2007-05-23T00:34:54Z")
Thanks to everyone for your posts!! ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/7 "2007-05-23T12:21:37Z")
No it will not “speed up” rails app. ruby2exe doesn’t create native byte code, it merely compresses the files and copies ruby and other required lib in one package. On 5/23/07, Mohit S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > capability as a selling point for getting Ruby into various places > > On 23/05/07, David D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > Kwantlen University College - 604-599-2120 > > > > > > > for some really good discussions about this topic. > > > > The project which I’m working on is going to be installed in several > > > > > > > > – rm -rf / 2\>/dev/null - [http://null.in](http://null.in) Dont judge those who try and fail, judge those who fail to try… ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/code-protection/104775/8 "2007-05-23T11:02:29Z")
Has this been tried to see if it “speeds up” a Rails app (specially on Windows)? Cheeers Mohit