JRuby 1.1.2 is released. They key features are reduced startup time, improved performance and 95 issues fixed since the previous release. Read how to Get Started with GlassFish Gem and deploy popular Rails applications using JRuby 1.1.2 and Gem.

The Object Relational Mapping in Rails is provided  by ActiveRecord. If GlassFish is used for Rails application deployment then you may like to use Java Persistence API, because of existing code, for ORM instead.  Vivek explained in a recent blog how to use JPA with Rails on GlassFish v2 and MySQL. Ming followed up with a similar entry for GlassFish v3.

GlassFish v2 uses Top Link Essentials as persistence provider and GlassFish v3 uses Eclipse Link. Rails powered by the GlassFish Application Server provides all the details on why should consider using GlassFish for deploying Rails applications.

Previous success stories of Rails deployed on GlassFish can be seen here and here.

Using JRuby (instead of Ruby) to develop your Rails applications allow you to leverage the power of Java libraries in Rails applications. Java 2D API is one such API that provides support for advanced 2D graphics and imaging. Jennifer has a good Writeup explaining image-filtering effects (negative, grayscale, brigthen, sharpen) using Java 2D API on an image.

The app runs using GlassFish v3 Gem but can be natively deployed on TP2 as well.

TP2 Docs provide a more comprehensive tutorial on how to get started with using Rails for the GlassFish v3 Application Server.

Christmas in February! It took a bit longer than I expected but the GlassFish v3 M2 is now available. This release supports the Java Web Container (no JSF so far) and JRuby on Rails. Also supported are multiple HTTP listeners and Virtual Servers. Have fun! Downloads and Available Commands.

The Mediacast team (the companion to BSC for large media files) has rewritten the application using JRuby, Rails, Goldspike and GlassFish. Igor has a good Writeup describing the good and the bad. I know that the area around memory comsumption and performance is improving rapidly right now; we will see how things look like by JavaOne.

Are you a Rails developer and looking for a better development container ? - GlassFish Gem provides that option. You can use GlassFish V3, instead of WEBrick, for deploying your Rails application. Read the complete details here. Are you an existing GlassFish V2 user and interested in using Rails ? - JRuby module on the Update Center allows to create WAR of a Rails application that can be easily deployed on GlassFish. Read the complete details here and watch the screencast.

Here are some useful entries (with numerous pointers on screencasts, blogs, tips & extensive feature sets) to get you started:

• JRuby in GlassFish
• NetBeans Ruby Support

Rails Europe Conference Report from Arun. Covering GlassFish, jMaki, jRuby and NetBeans. • Day 1. • Day 2.

We have been improving how jRuby and GlassFish run together (entries) and Jerome now has a Ruby Gem that makes the process as simple as possible. Ruby Gems are the Ruby package mechanism, similar in spirit to RPMs or pkg(1) for Solaris, which enables very natural encapsulation of the functionality.

The result is: • Install jRuby • gem install rails • gem install glassfish • gem install whatever else you need • create your rails app • run your rails app! -- runs on GlassFish! Can't get any simpler than that!

The GlassFish GEM is one of the first concrete deliveries from GlassFish v3; don't rush to go production on this :-), but the future is bright! See more details in Arun's writeup and in the Mail Thread.

Added: Also see the report by Charles.

In three simple steps, Takai explains how to start your JRuby on Rails application using Grizzly 1.6: Step 1: Install JRuby on Rails Step 2: Prepare Rails app Step 3: Setup JRuby on Rails with Grizzly    And that's it!

Grizzly 1.6 will be integrated in GlassFish V3. The currently available v3 build contains Grizzly 1.5 and an Earlier Post shows how to How to Run jRuby on them.

The JRuby Process Models explains the difference between the processes involved when a Rails application is deployed using Grizzly and webapp mode.

Thanks to Jean-Francois for the tip!

In a recent interview, David Heinemeier Hansson (creator of Rails) talks about how JRuby bridges the gap between JavaEE and Rails. Here are couple of quotes ... JRuby is a great way to open the conversation with enterprises by saying, You don't have to throw out all this "junk" you've accumulated over the years, Ruby is just an incremental piece you can put in. But in some ways, it's sugar coating to get people to really come on board. It's a bridge for getting from one place to another.

On Sun promoting Rails ...

I think they recognize what developers want, they are recognizing there is great enthusiasm and passion for Ruby on Rails, and they don't want to miss out on that. To a large extent, they are following the passion, the excitement. ... I welcome Sun and IBM to come in and offer services.

Here are some useful entries (with numerous pointers on screencasts, blogs, tips & extensive feature sets) to get you started:

• JRuby in GlassFish
• NetBeans Ruby Support
• Ruby Tutorials and Demos

A tip from Arun: Difference between Ruby Gem and Rails Plugin

Arun has been documenting how to use Ruby, jRuby and Rails (entries). The whole jRuby team has been making improving usability very quickly so old writeups sometimes need refreshing and Tom's recent changes prompted Arun to revisit Configuring ActiveRecord. BTW, we had a recent thread on what shorthand to use to describe "Rails Running on jRuby on the Java Platform"; we settled on jRoR; what do you think?

Ruby Hack Day (see Arun's report) included a presentation by Nick Sieger on how to deploy Rails Application for production. The traditional (old?) arrangement (diagram) is to have the HTTP processing done via Mongrel and then use Mongrel_Cluster: one Rails per Mongrel, one Mongrel per (native) Ruby, each Ruby as an OS process. Nick showed 3 variants using jRuby instead of Ruby.

The first approach uses Mongrel_jCluster: one Rails per Mongrel, one Mongrel per jRuby, many jRuby per JVM. In the second approach the Rails app is packaged as a WAR, the HTTP processing is done by GlassFish and then, via the Goldspike RailsServlet delivered to Rails instances. In the third approach the requests are passed directly from the Grizzly layer to Rails.

Arun has a nice writeup capturing these options from where I stole the pictures. You may also want to check the Wiki pages on Ruby and GlassFish and on Ruby and NetBeans.

Summer is almost over and the different projects are showing renewed activity, and that includes GlassFish v3. Arun has been doing a number of screencasts around Ruby recently and the latest one shows How to Run jRuby on V3.

Other GFv3-related activity already announced includes working on the Separate JSP Project and Hg Plugin for Hudson. Stay tuned for more; things should start picking up in speed after we get GlassFish v2 out. That is still scheduled for mid-next month.

Arun has posted a nice set of write-ups on how to use jRuby and Rails on GlassFish, including Getting Started with RoR and several Hello Worlds: basic, RoR with a database and RoR with a database in a WAR. His last two blogs have started to move info GlassFish v3 - check his jRuby Tutorial overview, and then how to run Mephisto on v3

The feedback so far is very positive ... and even simpler approaches are cooking....