I have about 20 relatively small applications running on the server.
They mostly access the same database tables. Is it more efficient to
combine them into a single application with lots of controllers or to
keep them as separate applications.
It was easier to develop each app independent of the others. When I
found that I was duplicating code in models, I created a gem that
contains the common methods. I’m now wondering if it would be better
to have a single large app. For one thing, it would make navigating
between the apps easier.
If you are finding yourself having to switch between some of the
applications just to get a simple task done then those applications,
at least, would do well to be merged.
But beware at the other end we have some applications that have
evolved over time to the extent that we are looking to break them
apart as the application has become more like a swiss army knife. An
anti pattern where lots of unrelated utilities become combined into a
single package for no better reason than ‘thats how its always been’
Best to examine your work flow, if you use a few of the applications
together to do something (particularly if the applications have no
real utility outside being used together) then you have a candidate
for merging. Just avoid merging things just to cut down the number of
applications.
It was easier to develop each app independent of the others. When I
found that I was duplicating code in models, I created a gem that
contains the common methods. I’m now wondering if it would be better
to have a single large app. For one thing, it would make navigating
between the apps easier.
It sounds like you have answered your own question.