🚀 React on Rails v16.0 Released! Major modernization with ESM support, enhanced React Server Components, and streamlined configuration.
- ESM-only package: Modern module system with better tree-shaking and performance
- React Server Components: Improved rendering flow and new
RSCRoutecomponent for seamless SSR - Performance improvements: New async loading strategies and optimized bundle generation
- Webpacker removal: Streamlined for Shakapacker-only support (>= 6.0)
- React on Rails Pro supports the latest features of React 18, including React Server Components and streaming. Contact Justin Gordon for more information.
- ShakaCode now maintains the official successor to
rails/webpacker,shakapacker.
These are the docs for React on Rails 16. To see the older docs and code: v14, v13, v12, and v11.
Seamlessly integrate React components into your Rails application with server-side rendering, hot reloading, and automatic bundle optimization.
"The easiest way to add React to Rails" - Thousands of developers rely on React on Rails for production applications.
This project is maintained by ShakaCode with ❤️ from the Rails and React communities.
ShakaCode focuses on helping Ruby on Rails teams better use React and Webpack. We can upgrade your project and improve your development and customer experiences, allowing you to focus on building new features or fixing bugs instead.
For an overview of working with us, see our Client Engagement Model article and how we bill for time.
We also specialize in helping development teams lower infrastructure and CI costs. Check out our project Control Plane Flow, which can allow you to get the ease of Heroku with the power of Kubernetes and big cost savings.
If you think ShakaCode can help your project, click here to book a call with Justin Gordon, the creator of React on Rails.
After upgrading to a new major version, run the generator to get latest defaults:
rails generate react_on_rails:installImportant: Review changes carefully before applying to avoid overwriting custom configurations. The generator updates:
bin/dev(improved development workflow)- webpack configurations
shakapacker.ymlsettings- other configuration files
If you encounter issues during installation or after upgrading, use the doctor command to diagnose your setup:
rake react_on_rails:doctorThe doctor command checks your environment, dependencies, and configuration files to identify potential issues. Use VERBOSE=true rake react_on_rails:doctor for detailed output.
For detailed upgrade instructions, see upgrade guide documentation.
Some features of React on Rails regarding performance require a React on Rails Pro subscription.
Note: the subscription price is free for evaluation and non-production use.
Notable new features include:
- React Server Components
- Streaming SSR
- Loadable Components
- Code Splitting with React Router
React on Rails Pro is the best way to optimize your Webpack setup for React on Rails, including code splitting with React Router and loadable-components with server-side rendering for SEO and hot-reloading for developers.
We did this for Popmenu, lowering Heroku costs 20-25% while getting a 73% decrease in average response times. Several years later, Popmenu serves tens of millions of SSR requests daily with React on Rails Pro.
If you're interested, read more about React on Rails Pro and book a call.
New to React on Rails? Get up and running in minutes:
🚀 15-Minute Quick Start - Your first React component 📖 Complete Documentation - Comprehensive guides and API reference 🎮 Live Demo - See it in action with source code
To provide a high-performance framework for integrating Ruby on Rails with React, especially regarding React Server-Side Rendering for better SEO and improved performance.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| 🎯 Smart Bundle Loading | Automated bundle optimization based on components used - no more manual javascript_pack_tags configuration |
| ⚡ Server-Side Rendering | Enhanced React Server Components support for better SEO and UX performance |
| 🚀 Advanced Loading | sync, async, and defer options for optimal performance based on your needs |
| 🔥 Hot Module Replacement | Instant feedback during development with tight Shakapacker integration |
| 📦 Easy Props Passing | Direct Rails → React data flow without separate API calls |
| 🗺️ Router Integration | React Router with SSR support |
| 🏪 State Management | Redux integration with server-side rendering |
| 🌍 Internationalization | I18n and localization support for global apps |
| 🎨 Modern React | React 18+ with enhanced React Server Components and latest patterns |
| 🦄 ReScript Support | ReScript integration for type-safe development |
Trusted by thousands - See real production sites using React on Rails
See Rails/Shakapacker React Integration Options for comparisons to other gems.
- See the react-webpack-rails-tutorial for an example of a live implementation and code.
- A deployed version of the project
spec/dummy, which demonstrates several uses ofreact_on_rails, will soon be available on Control Plane through this link
Requires creating a free account.
- How to use different versions of a file for client and server rendering
- How to conditionally render server side based on the device type
- Ruby on Rails >= 5
- Shakapacker >= 6.0 (Webpacker is no longer supported as of v16)
- Ruby >= 3.2 (CI tested: 3.2 - 3.4)
- Node.js >= 20 (CI tested: 20 - 22)
- A JavaScript package manager (npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun)
Need immediate help? Here are your options, ordered by response time:
- 🚀 Professional Support: react_on_rails@shakacode.com - Fastest resolution for bugs, upgrades, and consulting
- 💬 React + Rails Slack: Join our community - Chat with other developers
- 🆓 GitHub Issues: Report bugs - Community support
- 📖 Discussions: Ask questions - General help
Additional Resources:
- Subscribe for announcements of new releases and tutorials
- forum.shakacode.com - Development discussions
- @railsonmaui on Twitter - Updates and tips
- Projects using React on Rails - Submit yours!
Bug reports and pull requests are welcome. To get started, see Contributing and the list of help wanted issues.
ShakaCode is hiring passionate software engineers to work on our projects, including HiChee!
The gem is available as open source under the terms of the MIT License.
Note, some features are available only with a React on Rails Pro subscription. See React on Rails Pro for more information.
The following companies support our open-source projects, and ShakaCode uses their products!
![@dependabot[bot]](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/in/29110?s=64&v=4){kind=small}
