# Unicorn as simple cgi without rails

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/unicorn-as-simple-cgi-without-rails/236900>\
**Category:** NGINX\
**Created:** [October 10, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/unicorn-as-simple-cgi-without-rails/236900 "2013-10-10T11:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/addis_a)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/unicorn-as-simple-cgi-without-rails/236900/1 "2013-10-10T11:48:40Z")

</div>

hello,  
i recently set up a new server upon which i installed nginx to try it  
out (and which i have been quite happy with since).  
my website is mostly static with some small cgi areas, and i like to use  
ruby for the cgi. when i did my research for the best ruby cgi handler  
for nginx, unicorn figured prominently in my results, and so i became  
interested in trying it. i spent some time reading up on how to  
configure and use it but have been unsuccessful implementing, mostly i  
believe due to the fact that i do not have a rails framework installed  
nor a legitimate rackup [config.ru](http://config.ru)  
my question is this: does it make any sense at all to use unicorn as a  
ruby cgi handler if i am not also using rails? and if there is indeed  
some sense in this idea, how might i go about it? is there a simple  
rackup file that would work for a configuration such as this? i couldn’t  
find any information on rackup configs of this sort, and not being  
familiar with rails the terrain simply became to steep at this point to  
continue without some guidance or assurances.  
thank you for your consideration.  
sincerely,nomad

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nomad\_Bellcam](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/a4c791/32.png) [@nomad\_Bellcam](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nomad_Bellcam)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/unicorn-as-simple-cgi-without-rails/236900/2 "2013-10-10T13:04:39Z")

</div>

On 10 Oct 2013 10:48, “nomad Bellcam” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> my question is this: does it make any sense at all to use unicorn as a  
> ruby cgi handler if i am not also using rails?

This is a perfectly sensible thing to consider doing; I do that myself  
for  
some sites.

However, this may not be the best forum on which to discuss it, as it is  
not particularly related to nginx.

Jonathan

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nomad\_Bellcam](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/a4c791/32.png) [@nomad\_Bellcam](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nomad_Bellcam)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/unicorn-as-simple-cgi-without-rails/236900/3 "2013-10-10T13:43:14Z")

</div>

On 10 Oct 2013 10:48, “nomad Bellcam” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> my question is this: does it make any sense at all to use unicorn as a ruby cgi  
> handler if i am not also using rails?  
> This is a perfectly sensible thing to consider doing; I do that myself  
> for some sites.  
> However, this may not be the best forum on which to discuss it, as it is  
> not particularly related to nginx.  
> Jonathan  
> thanks jonathan,  
> i will try my luck on the unicorn list.  
> nomad.