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@JennDudley
Created April 25, 2012 20:56
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Steps to set up a new Rails app, initialize a git repo, push to Github and deploy to Heroku

This is a list of steps to:

  • Setup a new Rails app
  • Initialize a local repository using git
  • Create a new remote repository using GitHub
  • Change README.rdoc
  • Deploy to a cloud service - Heroku

Assumptions:

  • Ruby is installed (v 1.9.3)
  • Rails is installed (v 3.2.3)
  • Git is installed
  • Github account is established
  • Heroku account is established
  • Heroku gem is installed and SSH keys added

Setup a new Rails app

Navigate to the directory in which you want the new app created using 'change directory' (cd).

Use the 'make directory' (mkdir) command if you want to create a new directory, such as rails_projects (Note: Rails will automatically create a directory for all your app files)

  $ cd <correct_directory>  

Create a new app. It's good practice to append your new app name with '_app' so that it will not be confused with any classes you create later.

The 'rails new' command will create the default Rails file structure inside a directory with the name you gave in the command above

  $ rails new <new_app> 

Navigate to the newly created directory using 'cd'

  $ cd <new_app> 

Initialize a git repository

Initialize a new git repository locally
(This initializes a repository in the current working directory, so ensure you are in the correct one.)

  $ git init  

Add everything in the current directory to the repository

  $ git add .   

OPTIONAL - Check git status to show you what is currently in the 'staging area'

  $ git status 

Commit all the changes in the 'staging area' to the LOCAL git repository and add a comment

  $ git commit -m "Initial commit" 

OPTIONAL - Check the log to show a list of commit messages

  $ git log                                               

Create a new GitHub repository and set as master branch

Create a new GitHub repository

  # Log in to GitHub 

  # Select 'New repository' or navigate to https://github.com/new

  # Add a Repository name that matches your app name (<new_app>) 

  # Deselect 'Initialize this repository with a README.

Tell git to add Github as the origin for the 'master' branch

  $ git remote add origin [email protected]:<username>/<new_app>.git           

Push the local repository up to Github (the remote repository)

  $ git push -u origin master 

Change README.rdoc, commit and push the change

Open README.rdoc in textmate

  $ mate README.rdoc      
                                      
  # Replace default info with info relevant to your app

Commit all (-a) modifications with a comment (-m) about what was changed
[Use 'git add' first if new files were created]

  $ git push                                      

Push locally commited changes to Github
[Can skip 'origin master' b/c one push was done above]

  $ git commit -a -m "Improve the README file"  

Deploy to Heroku

Create a new app with subdomain at Heroku

  $ heroku create --stack cedar  

Push the app to Heroku

  $ git push heroku master  

Open the app in the browser
(Subdomain is listed in the terminal after the 'heroku create' command)

  $ heroku open     

If Heroku doesn't work, check your GEMFILE.

These are the initial changes recommended by Hartl

gem 'jquery-rails', '2.0.0'

group :development do
   gem 'sqlite3', '1.3.5'
end

group :assets do
   gem 'sass-rails',   '3.2.4'
   gem 'coffee-rails', '3.2.2'
   gem 'uglifier', '1.2.3'
end
@samanthi22
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Thanks.

@esjayrockz
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I missed out on that important step to Deselect 'Initialize this repository with a README. Messed it up at first. Had to do it again. Thanks.

@aqarain
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aqarain commented Aug 28, 2017

Great, to the point, Thanks

@chunkingz
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chunkingz commented Oct 5, 2017

all good and fine but whenever i get to git push -u origin master i always get an error that states

$ git push -u origin master
fatal: remote error:
is not a valid repository name
Email [email protected] for help

Please help! been stuck for weeks now. tnx

@koskoci
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koskoci commented Jan 14, 2018

When discussing git add ., the text reads:
Add everything in the current directory to the repository

I think it should be:
Add everything in the current directory to the 'staging area'

@michelkoga
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$ git push -u origin master
[email protected]: Permission denied (publickey).
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.

Please make sure you have the correct access rights
and the repository exists.

@xrzhuang
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xrzhuang commented Feb 1, 2020

heroku won't work because the the default database created is with sqlite. You should include the -d postgresql flag in the new app command
https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/sqlite3

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