# Rails Continuous Deployment **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [June 10, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443 "2007-06-10T16:45:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/1 "2007-06-10T16:45:30Z")
Hi all, I’ve successfully built a personal project using Rails (I come from the .NET world), and I’m now looking into deployment. Here’s what I want to do: - Store my application in source control (Subversion) - Whenever I checkin, kick off a continuous build and deployment process (on the build machine) that will: - Deploy the MySQL database to the web server (myapp\_testing) - Copy the ruby application files to a virtual directory ([test.myapp.com](http://test.myapp.com)) so that I can view it online In the .NET world I would have done this using [CruiseControl.NET](http://CruiseControl.NET) and NAnt, running OSQL.exe to deploy the database from a .SQL script file. Is the process similar for a Rails application, or is there a much more “rails-y” way to do it? I notice that the database.yml files point to dev, test and production databases. But where do you tell the application whether to use production/test or not? Also, how do you handle changes between schema versions and deploying them? Any ideas would be appreciated - I can always do it the .NET way but I’d prefer to use a more standard way if I can. Paul ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/2 "2007-06-10T17:11:33Z")
You could check out CruiseControl.rb ( http:// [cruisecontrolrb.thoughtworks.com/](http://cruisecontrolrb.thoughtworks.com/) ). You could also look into Capistrano ( [www.capify.org](http://www.capify.org) ) There is a method to change which environment. Cheers, Zach I. → Blog – [http://www.zachinglis.com](http://www.zachinglis.com) → Company – [http://www.lt3media.com](http://www.lt3media.com) → Portfolio – [http://portfolio.zachinglis.com](http://portfolio.zachinglis.com) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/3 "2007-06-10T18:00:36Z")
Rails uses a system called migrations for database schema management. Each migration (just a ruby file) has a script that can update the schema from the prior to the next version or the reverse. You can then use the db:migrate rake task to migrate a database from one version to another or to the latest version. These files are stored in CM just like other source files. There are several continuos integration frameworks that do the auto-build after a check-in. There may also be a CruiseControl version for Rails. SVN seems to be the predominant CM tool used with Rails, and MySQL is well supported as well. Michael On Jun 10, 7:44 am, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/4 "2007-06-11T19:33:59Z")
Check out Rubyology’s podcast #5 ([http://rubyology.com/podcasts/show/](http://rubyology.com/podcasts/show/) 11) for Rails deployment strategies and tips on Subversion, Capistrano, and Secure Shell Regards, Chris Matthieu [http://www.rubyology.com](http://www.rubyology.com) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/5 "2007-06-12T14:34:02Z")
Thanks guys, I ended up going with [CruiseControl.NET](http://CruiseControl.NET) (since I am already using it for other projects - it’s nice to see them all from the one panel) but using custom rake tasks to do the deployment and configuration. The issue I’m having now is with deployment. I tried a heap of methods on Apache as well as IIS (all on Windows 2003) but couldn’t get any of them working. What kind of server is every body using? The nightmare of deploying a rails app has really gotten me down ☹ Cheers, Paul On 6/12/07, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > – Paul Stovell [http://www.paulstovell.net](http://www.paulstovell.net) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/6 "2007-06-12T16:40:40Z")
Paul Stovell wrote: > Thanks guys, > > I ended up going with [CruiseControl.NET](http://CruiseControl.NET) (since I am already using it for > other projects - it’s nice to see them all from the one panel) but using > custom rake tasks to do the deployment and configuration. > > The issue I’m having now is with deployment. I tried a heap of methods > on Apache as well as IIS (all on Windows 2003) but couldn’t get any of > them working. What kind of server is every body using? The nightmare of > deploying a rails app has really gotten me down ☹ Apache + Mongrel. Helper tools: Mongrel Cluster and Capistrano. I used Coda Hales walkthrough to get started, it’s a pretty good end to end description: [http://blog.codahale.com/2006/06/19/time-for-a-grown-up-server-rails-mongrel-apache-capistrano-and-you/](http://blog.codahale.com/2006/06/19/time-for-a-grown-up-server-rails-mongrel-apache-capistrano-and-you/) Notice, there’s a rails-deployment group where all the experts are hanging out 😉 – Cheers, - Jacob A. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-continuous-deployment/106443/7 "2007-06-13T01:05:50Z")
Thanks Jacob, I’ll follow those instructions and stop spamming this list 🙂 On 6/13/07, Jacob A. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > on Apache as well as IIS (all on Windows 2003) but couldn’t get any of > > Notice, there’s a rails-deployment group where all the experts are > > hanging out 😉 > > – > Cheers, > > - Jacob A. > > > – Paul Stovell [http://www.paulstovell.net](http://www.paulstovell.net)