In The Works - An Official Rails Plugin Repository

Posted by ryan
at 4:39 AM on Thursday, August 17, 2006

See Luke’s official announcement of the initiative

This isn’t something that’s new to Rails, the framework, but since it’s living within the official Rails repository, I feel compelled to represent.

Looks like there’s an official Rails plugins repository in the works. Judging from comments on one of my previous posts, the community definitely recognizes this as a need. (What, the plugins wiki not good enough?) It’s good to see some effort being placed into the organization of the larger Rails eco-system, and not just Rails itself.

On a side note, what’s that other little ditty in the application path of the repository? Molecule, a RESTful blogging app?

Do tell, David, do tell…

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Comments

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  1. Benjamin Curtis – August 17, 2006 @ 06:32 AM
    Yeah, I do think we have outgrown the wiki as a plugin directory. Actually, I thought so back in April, which is why I created this Rails plugin directory: http://www.agilewebdevelopment.com/plugins :)
  2. Tom – August 17, 2006 @ 08:09 AM
    I don't get it. Ben already has a plugin repository running, and it works just fine, why do we need another one?
  3. Tom – August 17, 2006 @ 08:11 AM
    I had to comment on this line: bq. the community definitely recognizes this as a need There is one comment that mentions this. Hardly a community mandate. You've already got two comments here suggesting we don't need another repository.
  4. Luke Redpath – August 17, 2006 @ 09:10 AM
    Tom - the fact is that as good a job Ben has done with his repo, he can't maintain it himself forever. What is really needed is a repository that people can add their plugins to and then let it manage itself. A good plugin repository needs to handle plugin metadata automatically (from about.yml) and most importantly it needs to handle *VERSIONS* of plugins (again, automatically). A Rails repository certainly is in the works, though not the one that you see in the core repo - the repo that is being worked on will be being transferred to the Rails repo shortly though. Not just that, but there will also be an improved script/plugin front end that connects to the repository and handles plugin installtion (with versions) a lot more reliably and also handles plugins that use trunk/tags/branches. Anyway, I can't really give much more away but we hope to have something ready in time for RailsConf EU. Stay tuned to my blog for more info (and theres a link to the repository on my blog if you do want to investigate whats happening)...
  5. Ryan Daigle – August 17, 2006 @ 10:43 AM
    So maybe _"the community definitely recognizes this as a need"_ is a bit exaggerative but I do think there have been calls for more structure around the Rails ecosystem in general. I consider handling of security releases, robust documentation, plugin directories etc... all to be in the same vein, mainly that of the maturation of the framework and its corresponding community. Ben - I didn't mean to imply that your efforts weren't appreciated or that your solution was undesireable. In fact I've previously "recognized your plugin repository":/articles/2006/06/07/installing-exceptionnotifier-plugin#comment-201. as the sole legitimate repository solution. How's that for some love? Great comments, guys. I need a little reality check every once and awhile... ...just don't get too used to it.
  6. Brandon Keepers – August 17, 2006 @ 01:12 PM
    "_the fact is that as good a job Ben has done with his repo, he can’t maintain it himself forever. What is really needed is a repository that people can add their plugins to and then let it manage itself._" Luke, apparently you've never used Ben's repository, because it does allow you to add your own plugins and manage them yourself. "_A good plugin repository needs to handle plugin metadata automatically (from about.yml) and most importantly it needs to handle VERSIONS of plugins (again, automatically)._" Did you try to contact Ben to see if he was interested in adding those featues? "_Anyway, I can’t really give much more away but we hope to have something ready in time for RailsConf EU._" You can't give much more away? Why, trade secrets? That's a really crappy way to handle a community project, especially if you intend for this to be forced upon the community.
  7. Brandon Keepers – August 17, 2006 @ 01:14 PM
    Oops, your blog doesn't take <blockquotes>, those are supposed to be my thoughts interjected into Luke's response.
  8. Luke Redpath – August 17, 2006 @ 04:40 PM
    Brandon - there's really no need for the attitude. I'll simply post about the project in full detail when I'm good and ready, and that will be soon. I'm not going to go into full blown detail on the comments of somebody elses blog until the details are finalised. FYI, I'm on the RaPT committers team, as is Ben. He is fully aware of the project and what is happening, and what his thoughts are on the whole project so there is no need to make blind assumptions. Thanks.
  9. Luke Redpath – August 17, 2006 @ 04:41 PM
    Oh, and as for "forced" upon the community. Nobody is going to make you use it. But its clearly something that is needed.
  10. Ryan Daigle – August 18, 2006 @ 04:19 AM
    Brandon, I cleaned up your blockquotes in your comment for better display... I wish this theme had the comment preview functionality exposed...
  11. Luke Redpath – August 18, 2006 @ 05:34 AM
    Ryan, Brandon: I'm sorry if I came across as snappy in my last couple of posts but I didn't really appreciate the flippant comments above. I always intended to speak about the project once I had time to post a decent article on my blog - I wasn't going to go into full blown detail here because its the appropriate place to do so. So now, here is a post explaining what is going on: http://www.lukeredpath.co.uk/2006/8/18/rails-plugin-repository-is-on-the-way Cheers
  12. Luke Redpath – August 18, 2006 @ 05:34 AM
    Sorry that should have said *not* the appropriate place.