opinionated_rails

Generate a Rails 8 app by choosing from independent, opinionated options. The tool runs rails new, then layers on exactly the pieces you picked (database, tests, frontend, background jobs, authentication, CI, deployment and more) and checks that the result boots and passes its own RuboCop, Brakeman and bundler-audit.

Documentation: https://brolinr.github.io/opinionated_rails/

Quick start

gem install opinionated_rails        # needs Rails 8.1+ (gem install rails)

opinionated_rails new my_app         # answer the prompts; enter accepts a default

# or script it
opinionated_rails new my_app --database postgresql --javascript esbuild --yes
opinionated_rails new my_app --config answers.yml --yes

For React you also need yarn (esbuild, webpack) or bun. The tool checks before generating anything.

What it can do

Area	Options
Database	SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL
App type	Full-stack, API-only
Tests	Minitest, RSpec (FactoryBot or fixtures), VCR
Frontend	Stimulus + Hotwire, or React with esbuild, bun or webpack; Tailwind CSS; ESLint 9
Jobs, cache, cable	Solid Trifecta, or Redis + Sidekiq
Authentication	Rails 8 built-in or Devise (full-stack apps)
Also	Pagination (pagy or geared_pagination), staging environment, application services, dotenv or Rails credentials, mailers, GitHub Actions CI, Docker and Kamal deployment

Every choice has a flag or a config file key, and values are validated before anything is generated.

Documentation

Getting started
Command line and config file
Every option and the generated app
Deploying with Kamal
Troubleshooting
Contributing: architecture, writing a step, testing, releasing

The sources are in docs/. opinionated_rails list and opinionated_rails info STEP_ID show the steps in your terminal.

Development

bin/setup
bundle exec rspec                          # fast suite
bundle exec rubocop
RUN_INTEGRATION_SPECS=1 bundle exec rspec  # also generates real apps for every combo (slow, needs network)

See CONTRIBUTING.md, STYLE.md and the contributing guide.

License

Released under the MIT License.