Ruby on Rails is one of the most popular web development frameworks today. It comes as no surprise, then, that there is plenty of software designed specifically to make Rails easier to use.

The content management system is one such software platform. CMS aids in the management of content on dynamic sites and simplifies the entire content updating process. There are numerous content management systems available as Ruby on Rails extensions.

What exactly is a Content Management System?

Whatever type of website you want to create, it will undoubtedly be content-rich, and the more content you include, the more difficult management will be. That is why Content Management Systems exist.

CMS is a type of software that allows you to easily create and manage content. It will make it simpler for you to create, edit, and delete website content, making your work more efficient. The main benefit of this solution is that the website owner can create new sections and manage all of the information independently. That is, there is no need to hire a specialist to help with the situation.

The most important features of using CMS are search, format management, indexing, and publishing, let’s explain: 

• Format management converts scanned documents or old electronic formats into HTML or PDF;
• Indexing and searching look for specific attributes more quickly. These attributes can refer to the content's creator, keywords, date, and so on.
• Having templates available with specific settings or other tools for content modification and creation is what publishing entails.

Web Developers' Favorite Ruby on Rails CMS

In the list below, we gathered some of the most popular Rails CMS. These CMS platforms are specifically designed for Ruby on Rails development and offer some of the most advanced features available.

Refinery CMS 

Because of its highly developed functionalities, it is one of the most popular Ruby on Rails CMS. It's ideal for building custom content websites that are simple to manage. It has a large number of extensions with numerous features such as search support, contact forms, calendars, and image galleries. A built-in image editor is one of the most intriguing features.

Refinery is especially useful when developing eCommerce sites, but it is suitable for any Rails application due to its safety and ease of use.

When should you use Refinery?

Refinery is a straightforward Rails CMS that is right for managers and non-technical individuals who wish to update and manage their websites and for eCommerce websites and web applications.

Camaleon CMS

One of the best CMS solutions for RoR. Camaleon, as an alternative to WordPress, enables advanced and dynamic content management. This CMS is adaptable to any type of project without the need for programming.

Camaleon allows you to create and manage groups of content so that you can categorize it quickly, in addition to publishing blog posts, uploading images, and providing an admin panel.

Pre-built themes, widgets, and customizable menus will assist you in categorizing users, such as editors, administrators, and publishers. The admin panel is also available in English and Spanish, and you can publish in English, French, Italian, and German.

When should you use Camaleon?

Camaleon has a large number of plugins that will speed up website development. Camaleon CMS is an excellent choice if you've worked with custom WordPress development before and prefer to work with something simple and straightforward or you'll need a scalable website that can handle thousands of visitors.

Comfortable Mexican Sofa

Sofa is an unusual item. It is still a CMS engine. However, its tools are distinct from those of other Ruby on Rails Content Management Systems. There is a CodeMirror text editor, for example. The truth is that you will have to change HTML layouts manually, which may be difficult at first if you have never done it before.

This CMS makes use of the I18n gem for multi language support, which means you can create multiple websites with identical layout structures and mirror them. This means that if you change the template on one website, the rest will follow suit.

When should you use a Comfortable Mexican Sofa?

This Ruby CMS is excellent for experienced and small web development teams seeking flexibility and an openness to new technologies or for those teams who manage multiple websites with similar layouts is simple because the CMS will automatically update and sync the layout of all mirrored websites.

Locomotive CMS

It's similar to a blog engine. Locomotive allows you to quickly create a personal or corporate blog. It differs from the other solutions listed in that it is a hosted CMS for RoR.

Locomotive has a simple workflow. To create sites with your favorite text and coding tools, you must first install Wagon, a command-line interface. The admin panel does not allow you to change the look and feel of your website. When you develop your site and include content types locally, you can change the look of the website and manage the entire content.

HTML layouts and snippets are supported by Locomotive. You can also arrange multiple assets such as images, JavaScript, and CSS files.

When should you use a locomotive?

Locomotive CMS is ideal when you want a simple and practical design with a sleek user interface or if you use NoSQL databases. And, of course, it’s the right choice for managing multiple Ruby on Rails websites. 

Alchemy 

Alchemy is a Ruby Gem that is an open-source Ruby on Rails CMS engine. You can easily download and integrate it with your application because it is built on the Ruby on Rails framework.

Alchemy CMS differs from the other Ruby on Rails content management systems in some ways. It ensures that end-users deal with their expertise (raw data management), while web developers deal with the actual web design and layout.

When should you use Alchemy?

Alchemy CMS is the most suitable for developers who want some flexibility and want to use unusual layouts on their websites and for projects that necessitate the full capabilities of RoR CMS. 

To sum up, based on our experience and knowledge, we have selected the Top 5 Ruby on Rails content management system platforms to use on the projects. 

Looking for more information? Get in touch with us - we look forward to sharing more. 

And, of course, if you want your custom website to stand out from the crowd, contact Innovation Feel. We here to bring your ideas to life 🚀