> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fly.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Active Record

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/fly-io/izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H/images/rails-intro.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=izaS1l2UMuz6sm1H&q=85&s=789fb10e6b0c89329abd968177af0ab2" alt="" width="720" height="342" data-path="images/rails-intro.webp" />

In this guide we'll develop and deploy a Rails application that scaffolds a database table.

## Create an application

Start by verifying that you have Rails installed, and then by
creating a new application:

```shell theme={null}
$ rails --version
$ rails new list --database postgresql
$ cd list
```

## Scaffold to Success

Real Rails applications store data in databases, and Rails scaffolding makes it
easy to get started. We are going to start with the simplest table possible,
add a small bit of CSS to make the display a bit less ugly, and finally adjust
our routes so that the main page is the index page for our new table.

### Scaffold and style a list of names

Since we are focusing on fly deployment rather than Rails features, we will keep it simple and create a single table with exactly one column:

```bash theme={null}
bin/rails generate scaffold Name name
```

Now add the following to the bottom of `app/assets/stylesheets/application.css`:

```css theme={null}
#names {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr max-content;
  margin: 1em;
}

#names strong {
  display: none;
}

#names p {
  margin: 0.2em;
}
```

And finally, as the splash screen served it purpose, edit `config/routes.rb`, and connect the root with the names index:

```diff theme={null}
Rails.application.routes.draw do
  # Define your application routes per the DSL in https://guides.rubyonrails.org/routing.html

  # Defines the root path route ("/")
-  root "rails/welcome#index"
+  root "names#index"
end
```

While certainly not fancy or extensive, we now have an application that makes use
of a database.

Let's deploy it.

### Launch

To configure and launch the app, you can use `fly launch` and follow the
wizard.  Fly.io will automatically detect that Postgres is required by
your application.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cmd theme={null}
  fly launch
  ```

  ```output output theme={null}
  Detected a Rails app
  Creating app in ~/tmp/list
  We're about to launch your Rails app on Fly.io. Here's what you're getting:

  Organization: Joe Developer                                             (fly launch defaults to the personal org)
  Name:         list-little-fire-1088                                     (generated)
  Region:       Ashburn, Virginia (US)                                    (this is the fastest region for you)
  App Machines: shared-cpu-1x, 1GB RAM                                    (most apps need about 1GB of RAM)
  Postgres:     (Fly Postgres) 1 Node, shared-cpu-1x, 256MB RAM, 1GB disk (determined from app source)
  Redis:        <none>                                                    (not requested)
  Tigris:       <none>                                                    (not requested)

  ? Do you want to tweak these settings before proceeding? (y/N) 
  ```
</CodeGroup>

For demo purposes you can accept the defaults.  You can always change these later.
So respond with "N" (or simply press enter).

This will take a few seconds as it uploads your application, builds a machine image,
deploys the images, and then monitors to ensure it starts successfully. Once complete
visit your app with the following command:

```bash theme={null}
fly apps open
```

That's it!  You are up and running!  Wasn't that easy?