In this episode of C4, Andrew Mason and Rachael Wright-Munn join Drew to unpack recent controversies surrounding Ruby Central and its alleged takeover of Ruby Gems and Bundler. The trio delves into the timeline of events, conflicting narratives, communication failures, and the underlying security concerns. They address theories and facts, scrutinize the governance of Ruby Central, and discuss the implications for the Ruby community. The episode emphasizes the importance of asking questions and seeking clarity, while advocating for a balanced and constructive approach to resolving the community's issues.

Sources discussed*:

• Ellen's first post on the RubyGems controversy 
• A board member's perspective on the RubyGems controversy
• An Update From Ruby Central (Video)
• Investigation (allegedly) reveals Shopify manipulated Ruby Central to force takeover of Bundler and RubyGems
• Strengthening the Stewardship of RubyGems and Bundler
• Martin Emde's post on Bluesky
• Reddit post for "An update from Ruby Central" 
• Bundler Policies on GitHub  
• Ruby Central "About" page  
• Advocacy for Reduced Rails Usage  
• Alpha-Omega Project
• Organization & Structure of Open Source Software Development Initiatives - Cyberlaw Clinic
• Ruby Central News Post: Alpha-Omega support
• StepSecurity: npm supply chain compromise
• Socket: npm supply chain attack
• Palo Alto Networks Unit 42: npm supply chain attack

* Some sources include unverified information being presented as fact. Read with caution.

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Ruby core team member Aaron Patterson (tenderlove) takes us deep into the cutting edge of Ruby's performance frontier in this technical exploration of how one of the world's most beloved programming languages continues to evolve.

At Shopify, Aaron works on two transformative projects: ZJIT, a method-based JIT compiler that builds on YJIT's success by optimizing register allocation to reduce memory spills, and enhanced Ractor support to enable true CPU parallelism in Ruby applications. He explains the fundamental differences between these approaches - ZJIT makes single CPU utilization more efficient, while Ractors allow Ruby code to run across multiple CPUs simultaneously.

The conversation reveals how real business needs drive language development. Shopify's production workloads unpredictably alternate between CPU-bound and IO-bound tasks, creating resource utilization challenges. Aaron's team aims to build auto-scaling web server infrastructure using Ractors that can dynamically adjust to workload characteristics - potentially revolutionizing how Ruby applications handle variable traffic patterns.

For developers interested in contributing to Rails, Aaron offers practical advice: start reading the source code, understand the architecture, and look for ways to improve it. He shares insights on the challenges of making Rails Ractor-safe, particularly around passing lambdas between Ractors while maintaining memory safety.

The episode concludes with a delightful tangent into Aaron's latest hardware project - building a color temperature sensor for camera calibration that combines his photography hobby with his programming expertise. True to form, even his leisure activities inevitably transform into coding projects.

Whether you're a seasoned Ruby developer or simply curious about language design and performance optimization, Aaron's unique blend of deep technical knowledge and playful enthusiasm makes this an engaging journey through Ruby's exciting future.

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Marco Roth joins us to unveil Herb, his revolutionary toolchain for Rails views that's reshaping how we work with HTML and ERB. Having identified a critical gap in the Rails ecosystem—robust tooling for the view layer—Marco decided to build the solution himself, learning C along the way to create a parser with unparalleled cross-platform compatibility.

Far from just another syntax checker, Herb represents a comprehensive vision for modernizing Rails views. Marco walks us through his layered approach, starting with immediate editor feedback for markup errors and ambitious plans for reactive views inspired by Phoenix LiveView. The most exciting prospect? Allowing developers to write modern, interactive applications without abandoning Ruby for JavaScript frameworks. "I want to bring back some awesome experiences from JavaScript to the Rails ecosystem so we can keep doing Ruby," Marco explains, highlighting how Herb could transform ActionView after two decades of relative stagnation.

We also explore Marco's approach to managing multiple ambitious projects alongside a consulting career, his upcoming conference schedule (including RailsWorld, FrienlyRB, and Euruko), and his work on Ruby Events—a catalog of over 7,000 Ruby talks that serves as an invaluable community resource. Marco shares insights into his development process, the challenges of mapping tag helpers to HTML, and his recent implementation of Tailwind class sorting in the Herb formatter.

Whether you're frustrated with Rails' front-end limitations or simply curious about innovative tools reshaping the Ruby ecosystem, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into the future of web development with Rails. Marco's work reminds us that with the right tooling, we can build modern, reactive applications while maintaining the developer happiness that drew us to Ruby in the first place.

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The journey from circus performer to respected software developer isn't a common career path, but Aji Slater navigates it with the same thoughtful precision he applies to code. As a former Ringling Brothers clown who now leads development teams at ThoughtBot, Aji brings a refreshingly unique perspective to technical challenges and community contribution.

Diving into his current work with a 12-13 year old Rails codebase, Aji shares his struggles with an Angular frontend implemented in non-standard ways. Despite his graphic design background and comfort with frontend development, the architectural decisions in this Angular implementation present significant challenges. His approach to overcoming these obstacles reveals a thoughtful balance between leveraging AI tools for understanding code while preserving the creative problem-solving aspects that make development enjoyable.

The conversation shifts to Aji's crowning achievement—his "Keynote of Keynotes" presentation at RailsConf that earned him the title of "RailsConf World Champion" from Aaron Patterson. This monumental project required watching 94 hours of past keynotes, tracking down information about 16 presentations that weren't recorded, and synthesizing two decades of Rails community wisdom. Through this archaeological deep-dive, Aji uncovered a powerful throughline in Rails history: the focus on shared solutions that make developers "stronger together than if we were working alone."

Aji's reflections on public speaking reveal surprising insights about performance anxiety. Despite having performed for crowds of 24,000 during his circus days, he still experiences nervousness before technical presentations—though of a different quality than most speakers face. His upcoming move to Scotland adds another fascinating dimension to his story, as he discovers the limitations of UK-focused resources that often neglect Scottish cultural specifics.

Whether discussing his frustrations with Keynote (the presentation software), sharing his thoughts on ADHD in technical work, or explaining why he named his dog after Jim Henson, Aji demonstrates the warmth, humor, and thoughtful perspective that have made him a beloved figure in the Ruby community. His story reminds us that the most interesting developers often bring their whole, multifaceted selves to their work.

Connect with Aji on Bluesky at doodlingdev and watch for his upcoming short technical talks on YouTube!

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When Joe Masilotti scanned a conference badge QR code at RailsConf, he was immediately uncomfortable with how it added someone's phone number directly to his contacts. That friction point sparked the creation of Ruby Friends – an innovative app transforming how developers connect at conferences and meetups.

In this illuminating conversation with Drew Bragg, Joe reveals how Ruby Friends provides a "lighter touch" approach to networking, letting users create shareable profiles with conversation starters and contact preferences. The technology works through both QR codes and NFC tags, creating an almost magical experience where simply tapping a badge can instantly connect two developers. With nearly 400 profiles created in just weeks, it's already gaining traction in the community.

Joe also takes us behind the curtain of his two-year journey writing the Hotwire Native book. What began as documenting Turbolinks Native transformed mid-project when Hotwire Native was released, requiring a near-complete rewrite. His candid discussion about working with publishers, managing complex Git histories, and balancing documentation with rapidly evolving technology provides valuable insights for anyone considering technical writing.

We also explore Joe's difficult decision to shut down RailsDevs after nearly three years and $250,000 in revenue. His thoughtful analysis of changing market conditions and knowing when to sunset a successful project reveals the business acumen required alongside technical skills.

From creating privacy-focused analytics solutions to implementing NFC technology for seamless connections, this episode demonstrates how Ruby developers continue creating tools that strengthen community bonds while solving real-world problems. Whether you're interested in mobile development, writing technical books, or building community-focused applications, Joe's experiences offer valuable lessons about innovation and adaptation in the ever-evolving tech landscape.

Links:

• https://masilotti.com/
• https://rubyfriends.app/

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The Ruby community's most recognizable podcast voices gather for a heartfelt discussion at the final RailsConf in Philadelphia, sharing wisdom that extends far beyond technical topics into the realm of human connection.

From conquering social anxiety at conferences to building meaningful relationships in tech, this panel digs into what makes the Ruby community special. Drew Bragg of Code and the Coding Coders who Code it confesses that despite his outgoing appearance, he still struggles with social interactions, while Stephanie Min from The Bike Shed offers practical conversation starters that anyone can use. Chris Oliver of Remote Ruby reminds us of our built-in connection: "We're all here for the same reason—to talk about Ruby and Rails."

The hosts reveal the secret sauce behind their podcasting journeys—how they started, how they find guests, and what keeps their content fresh after dozens or even hundreds of episodes. David Hill shares how his Ode to RailsConf podcast transformed from an idea floated at last year's conference into over 50 episodes, demonstrating how quickly passion projects can flourish in this supportive community.

Perhaps most touching are the shared memories that have shaped their Ruby journeys: Drew keynoting with Matz in the audience, Stephanie's late-night cookie mission, Chris's first encounter with a listener who recognized his voice, and David's experience contributing to open source during Hack Day. These stories underline how technical communities become chosen families through shared experiences.

Whether you're a seasoned Rubyist or considering joining this welcoming ecosystem, this conversation offers a window into why people stay in Ruby despite the rise of newer technologies—it's the people and connections that transcend the code. Listen for practical advice on starting conversations, launching your own podcast, or simply finding your place in a technical community that feels like coming home.

Want to experience this special community yourself? Attend a Ruby conference, join a meetup, or reach out to any of these podcast hosts online—they're just as approachable as they sound.

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When does a framework reach maturity? For Joel Hawksley, lead maintainer of GitHub's ViewComponent framework, the answer comes with the upcoming fourth major release – a milestone that marks not just new features, but a transition to long-term support mode.

Joel takes us behind the scenes of his seven-year journey at GitHub, where an idea sketched on an airplane has evolved into a critical part of how the platform renders its interfaces. With candid insights, he explains why ViewComponent is now considered feature-complete, and the philosophical challenges that remain unresolved around CSS and JavaScript integration within component-based Rails applications.

The conversation delves into fascinating territory around GitHub's technical architecture decisions. Joel articulates the clear dividing line between interfaces better suited for React versus Rails, based on his experience building complex UIs like GitHub's merge box. "The ability for a new engineer to come in and modify that code in React is an order of magnitude better," he explains, revealing how pragmatism rather than dogma drives technology choices at scale.

Perhaps most compelling are Joel's reflections on accessibility – work he led for years at GitHub. He reveals how accessibility requirements fundamentally reshape engineering approaches, forcing consistency and systematic thinking that might otherwise be overlooked. With 80% of top e-commerce sites facing accessibility lawsuits in recent years, these considerations are becoming unavoidable for developers at companies of all sizes.

As a new member of GitHub's Ruby architecture team, Joel also shares fascinating perspectives on Ruby's evolution. He articulates the tension between adding safety guardrails to the language while preserving the flexibility and joy that attracted developers in the first place. "Is it better to take something that is elegant and beautiful and flexible and put it in handcuffs, or is it better to go use a tool that was built with that in mind?" he asks, in a moment of philosophical clarity that will resonate with Ruby developers everywhere.

Whether you're using ViewComponent, building accessible interfaces, or thinking about Ruby's future, this episode offers rare insights from someone who has spent years navigating these waters at one of the world's most prominent software platforms. Check out ViewComponent 4.0 RC1 today and share your feedback before the final release!

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What happens when you put Rails in a browser? Vladimir Dementyev (Vova) is pushing WebAssembly to its limits by creating an interactive Rails playground that runs entirely client-side. This groundbreaking project aims to eliminate the frustrating installation barriers that often discourage newcomers from trying Ruby on Rails.

"I asked myself the question - can I run Rails on WASM? And that's when you feel yourself like a pilgrim software engineer, experiencing something for the first time that no one ever experienced," Vova shares. The project isn't just a technical curiosity but serves a vital educational purpose - allowing anyone to learn Rails through the official tutorial without wrestling with Ruby version managers or environment setup.

As principal engineer at Evil Martians, Vova balances multiple innovative projects simultaneously. Beyond Rails on WASM, he's organizing the first San Francisco Ruby Conference (coming November 2024), building a custom open-source CFP application, expanding AnyCable to support Laravel, and updating his technical book "Ruby on Rails Applications." His creative problem-solving approach extends to production environments too, where techniques developed for experimental projects help solve real client challenges like making libvips fork-safe for high-performance web servers.

Vova's philosophy on productivity is refreshingly practical: work when inspiration strikes rather than forcing creativity during arbitrary hours. "If I have no desire to sit at my desk and stare at the laptop, I'm not going to do that. I wait for the moment to come, and then I sit and work, and it's really efficient."

Ready to see what Ruby and Rails can do in previously impossible environments? Follow Vova's work, attend his RailsConf talk, or join the growing San Francisco Ruby community to witness how Ruby's flexibility continues to break new ground in unexpected ways.

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The last RailsConf ever is coming to Philadelphia this summer, and co-chair Chris Oliver joins us to pull back the curtain on what's sure to be a historic gathering for the Rails community.

Chris reveals how the programming committee curated an exceptional lineup from hundreds of submissions, balancing nostalgic looks at Rails' 18-year journey with cutting-edge technical content. You'll hear why Philadelphia's walkable layout, incredible food scene (Reading Terminal Market gets particular praise), and Fourth of July celebrations make it the perfect host city for this final RailsConf hurrah.

Beyond the sessions themselves, Chris and I explore what truly makes tech conferences special—those irreplaceable in-person connections. Whether you're a seasoned Rails veteran or relatively new to the framework, the hallway conversations, shared meals, and spontaneous problem-solving sessions offer exponentially more value than what appears on the official schedule. We both share how these gatherings have accelerated our careers and sparked lasting professional relationships.

The conversation takes an enlightening turn as Chris opens up about his current technical challenges, including the complexities of testing Hotwire applications and designing flexible API wrappers for payment processing systems. His insights on balancing specificity with adaptability when building reusable libraries offer valuable perspective for anyone writing code meant to be shared.

This episode serves both as an enthusiastic invitation to join the Ruby community in Philadelphia and a thoughtful exploration of why in-person events remain vital in our increasingly remote world. Supporting RailsConf isn't just about personal growth—it's about strengthening the Ruby ecosystem that has supported so many developers throughout their careers.

Ready to book your ticket for this historic event? Don't miss our podcast panel at RailsConf—come experience our conversations live and in person!

Links:

• RailsConf
• GoRails
• Learn Hotwire
• excid3 on BlueSky

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Swimming against the current sometimes leads to unexpected treasures. In this fascinating conversation, Adam Fortuna reveals how migrating Hardcover—a social network for readers with 30,000 users—from Next.js back to Ruby on Rails delivered surprising performance improvements and development simplicity.

The journey begins with Adam explaining how Hardcover originated as a response to Goodreads shutting down their API. As a longtime Rails developer who initially chose Next.js for its server-side rendering capabilities, Adam found himself drawn back to Rails once modern tools made it viable to combine Rails' backend strengths with React's frontend interactivity. The migration wasn't a complete rewrite—they preserved their React components while replacing GraphQL with ActiveRecord—and unexpectedly saw significant improvements in page load speeds and SEO rankings.

At the heart of this technical evolution is Inertia.js, which Adam describes as "the missing piece for Rails for a long time." This elegant solution allows direct connections between Rails controllers and React components without duplicating routes, creating a seamless developer experience. We dive into the challenges they faced, particularly with generating Open Graph images and handling API abuse, and how they solved these problems with pragmatic hybrid approaches.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Adam discusses their work on book recommendation engines, combining collaborative filtering with content analysis to help readers discover their next favorite book. As someone currently enjoying the Dungeon Crawler Carl series (described as "RPG mixed with Hitchhiker's Guide"), Adam's passion for both books and elegant technical solutions shines throughout.

Listen in as we explore how going against conventional wisdom sometimes leads to better outcomes, and discover why Hardcover is now being open-sourced to invite community collaboration. Whether you're interested in Rails, JavaScript frameworks, or book recommendations, this episode offers valuable insights into making technical decisions based on real-world results rather than following trends.

Links

• https://hardcover.app/blog/part-1-how-we-fell-out-of-love-with-next-js-and-back-in-love-with-ruby-on-rails-inertia-js
• https://adamfortuna.com/
• https://bsky.app/profile/adamfortuna.com

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