What is Ruby Used For? The Programming Choice for Business Growth and Efficiency

The programming language your business chooses to build on can determine growth speed, maintainability, and development efficiency. Ruby has earned a long-standing place in software development by enabling teams to build stable, adaptable applications efficiently

For companies focused on bringing complex applications to market quickly and maintaining them affordably over the long term, the answer is clear: Ruby, combined with its foundational framework, Ruby on Rails (RoR), is the engine behind some of the most successful and agile companies in the world. Its emphasis on clarity, structure, and development speed makes it a practical choice for businesses committed to building products that last.

If you’re exploring whether Ruby or Ruby on Rails is the right fit for your business, this guide will help you understand what Ruby is used for, how it supports various types of software projects, and why it continues to be the foundation of successful digital products.

What is Ruby?

Ruby is a high-level programming language designed to be straightforward, readable, and pleasant to work with. Its syntax allows developers to express logic cleanly, which shortens development cycles and reduces the likelihood of errors.

For businesses, Ruby’s value isn’t tied to trends, it’s in its ability to support stable, long-term development. Teams can onboard quickly, collaborate easily, and maintain codebases without unnecessary complexity.

Ruby vs. Ruby on Rails: How They Work Together

The terms Ruby and Ruby on Rails are closely linked, but they represent different layers of the development stack:

Ruby

Created by Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto in the mid-1990s, Ruby programming language prioritizes human readability and developer productivity. Its clean and logical syntax makes it easy to write, read, and maintain, reducing friction during development and maintenance.

Ruby on Rails

Rails is a web application framework built with Ruby. Released in 2004, it provides a structured, full-featured environment for building modern web applications. If Ruby is the language, Rails is the organized system of components, patterns, and tools that help developers build faster and with fewer decisions to reinvent.

Rails follows the principle of Convention over Configuration, offering sensible defaults for organizing files, handling data, and structuring logic. This allows teams to spend more time on product features and less on setup or repetitive engineering tasks.

What is Ruby Used For?

Businesses use Ruby for several practical and long-standing purposes. Here are the most common real-world applications.

1. Web Application Development

The most common use of Ruby is web development.

Ruby powers full-stack web applications that require reliability, user-friendly interfaces, and frequent updates. Its clean syntax reduces repetitive code, allowing teams to build and improve products more efficiently.

2. Building MVPs and New Products

Ruby is a strong choice for startups building a minimum viable product or an early version of their platform. It supports rapid iteration, enabling teams to test ideas, collect feedback, and adjust features quickly.

Startups and established companies alike choose Ruby to shorten the gap between planning and launch.

3. Automation, Scripting, and Internal Tools

Ruby is well-suited for background tasks, automation, and connecting internal systems. 

Companies use Ruby for:

• Processing and transforming data
• Generating reports
• Monitoring systems and infrastructure
• Automating routine business tasks
• Integrating tools that don’t naturally communicate

Because Ruby is straightforward to read and modify, teams can build internal utilities without dealing with unnecessary complexity. What would normally require long, cumbersome scripts can be written in a concise and maintainable way, helping organizations reduce manual work and keep their operations running smoothly.

4. API Development and Backend Services

Modern applications often separate the frontend from backend logic. Ruby on Rails provides a structured framework for building backend APIs, making it easy to define how different parts of an application communicate.

With Rails, teams can create stable, predictable endpoints for mobile apps, web frontends, or third-party services. It supports REST and GraphQL and fits well in microservice architectures. This clear and consistent structure allows teams to maintain and extend APIs efficiently, supporting long-term scalability.

5. Ecommerce Platforms

Ruby has a long history in ecommerce due to its stability and structured approach. Platforms like Shopify were built with Ruby on Rails, and many mid-sized and enterprise retailers continue to rely on it to manage complex catalog, checkout, and payment workflows efficiently.

• For context, Shopify itself is the largest Ruby on Rails development shop in the world, proving the framework’s capacity to handle extreme scale and over $1 trillion in cumulative merchant sales.

6. Custom Business Software

Many internal systems, CRMs, customer portals, subscription platforms, and SaaS applications run on Ruby. Its clarity and maintainable structure make it suitable for long-term projects, allowing companies to update and expand their systems as business needs evolve.

What is Ruby on Rails Used For?

Ruby on Rails is a widely adopted framework that enables businesses to develop web applications quickly and reliably. Its main uses include:

1. Rapid Development

Rails provides a structured framework with established conventions, letting teams focus on building features instead of designing every technical detail from scratch. Combined with Ruby’s concise syntax, tasks that might take days in other environments can often be completed in hours.

This allows businesses to launch products faster, iterate based on user feedback, and respond efficiently to changing market demands without increasing complexity or cost.

2. Secure and Stable Web Applications

Rails includes built-in protections against common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. Starting with a secure foundation reduces the time teams spend on patching, letting them focus on feature development.

The framework’s standardized structure also ensures that any developer familiar with Rails can contribute efficiently, simplifying team scaling and long-term maintenance.

3. Scalable Web Platforms

Rails supports applications handling high traffic and large data volumes when paired with proper architecture. Its maintainable codebase reduces long-term costs, as adding new features or resolving issues is faster and more affordable. Businesses can scale their platforms without compromising stability or performance.

4. An Extensive Ecosystem of Gems

Rails has thousands of reusable libraries called “gems,” which cover common features like authentication, payments, email handling, background jobs, and caching. Integrating gems reduces development time and ensures reliable, tested solutions without building everything from scratch.

Companies Built with Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails powers some of the most successful and scalable platforms in the world:

• GitHub: The world's largest platform for code collaboration and version control, serving millions of developers.
• Shopify: A global ecommerce giant handling hundreds of billions in sales for independent retailers.
• Airbnb: Scaled from a simple website to a global marketplace.
• HEY / Basecamp: Modern email and project management tools that champion opinionated software and a refined user experience.
• Dribbble, SoundCloud: Leading platforms in design, audio streaming, and video streaming.

These examples show that Rails is not just for small projects, it supports global-scale applications with complex transactions. For real-world scaling lessons from Shopify and GitHub, check our guide on scaling Ruby on Rails applications.

Why Businesses Still Use Ruby Today

The business value of Ruby goes beyond code syntax. Companies choose Ruby for practical reasons that affect long-term sustainability.

1. Lower Development and Maintenance Costs

Ruby allows developers to write less code to achieve the same results compared to many other languages. Less code means fewer bugs, easier upkeep, and faster onboarding for new team members.

2. Strong Community and Support

Ruby has an active global community that maintains libraries, tools, and documentation. This reduces the risk of depending on a language with limited support.

3. Predictable Long-Term Reliability

Ruby applications tend to age well. Teams can update, refactor, and expand the system without running into major architectural barriers. This makes Ruby a safe long-term choice for businesses that value stability over trends.

4. Ideal for Agile and Iterative Development

Because Ruby is simple to work with, teams can release updates frequently. This is helpful for businesses that are still refining their product or responding to user behavior.

When Should a Business Choose Ruby?

Ruby is a strong option if:

• You want to build or improve a web application quickly
• You need a stable backend and clean architecture
• Your product will evolve regularly
• Your team values maintainable and readable code
• You prefer a proven framework over experimental technology

If your project matches these criteria, Ruby provides a dependable foundation for long-term growth. And if your team needs support implementing it, partnering with an experienced Ruby on Rails development company can streamline the process and ensure your architecture is built to scale.

Is Ruby Still Relevant in 2025?

YES! Ruby continues to evolve with new versions, improved performance, and a strong community. Ruby on Rails remains a dependable framework for building full-stack, database-driven applications. 

For businesses, Ruby offers a balance of speed, clarity, stability, and long-term scalability without unnecessary complexity.

What to Use Ruby For: Key Takeaways for Businesses

Choosing the right technology influences how your product grows and how your team operates. Ruby and Ruby on Rails stand out because they enable businesses to build reliable, maintainable, and adaptable software efficiently. Understanding what Ruby programming language is used for can help you make informed decisions about product development.

Whether launching a new application, expanding an existing product, or building internal tools, knowing what to use Ruby for ensures your team selects the right foundation. 

If you plan to build on Ruby, the language gives you the flexibility to grow, refine, and stabilize your product at every stage. This is why so many successful companies continue to rely on it.