Rails Best Practices
A code metric tool for checking Rails code quality.
At a glance
- Editor scoreNot yet scored
- PricingFree plan
- Best forRails teams checking common code practices
- Free planYes
- Paid fromNone
- Security analysisNo
- Facts checked26 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Analyzes Rails code and templates across several formats.
- YAML configuration lets teams select and tune checks.
- HTML reports can link findings to supported editors.
Where it doesn't
- Does not provide security analysis or type checking.
- No autofix feature is listed.
- Runs as a self-hosted command-line tool, with no hosted option.
Our verdict on Rails Best Practices
Rails Best Practices is an open-source command-line tool for analyzing Rails application code and reporting code-quality issues. It is aimed at Rails teams that want to check common practices in models, controllers, views, migrations, mailers, routes, and deployment. Distributed as a Ruby gem, it runs from a Rails app directory and is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its Rails focus makes it more relevant to projects using Rails conventions than to Ruby teams seeking a general-purpose analyzer.
The checks cover Active Record, Mongoid, and MongoMapper, and the tool supports ERB, Haml, Slim, and RABL templates. Teams can choose files and directories for analysis or exclude them, then produce text or HTML reports. A generated YAML configuration allows checks to be selected and some settings customized. In HTML output, editor links are supported for TextMate, Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, and MacVim; GitHub is also listed as an integration. This combination suits teams that want inspectable findings and control over analysis scope, rather than an automated fix workflow.
Rails Best Practices is free and open source, with self-hosted use through the command line; it has no hosted option. It does not provide security analysis, type checking, or autofix, so it is not a fit for teams that need those capabilities from their Ruby analysis tool. Choose it for Rails-specific practice checks and configurable reports; consider another tool if security-focused scanning or type checking is central to the review process.
Rails Best Practices pricing
Rails Best Practices fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | None |
| Security analysis | No |
| Type checking | No |
| Automated fixes | No |
| Custom rules | Yes |
| Hosted option | No |
| Self-hosted option | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Integrations | 5 integrations: TextMate, Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, MacVim, GitHub |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | github.com |
| Facts checked | 26 Sep 2026 |
Rails Best Practices integrations
Rails Best Practices lists 5 integrations on its own site.
- TextMate
- Visual Studio Code
- Sublime Text
- MacVim
- GitHub
Alternatives to Rails Best Practices
- OpenText Fortify SASTBroad code analysis and workflow integrations for teams with enterprise SAST needs.—
- Snyk CodeSecurity-focused code scanning with IDE, pull-request, and CI/CD workflows.6.3
- GitHub CodeQLSemantic queries and pull-request alerts for teams working in GitHub-centered workflows.6.3
See all Rails Best Practices alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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