Start creating impactful productivity
Whether you’re starting from an initial idea or have spent decades running a business, RailsCTO has the experience to move you're project forward.
- Fractional CTO
- Accelerated Rails Development
- Ongoing Maintenance and Support
- AI Strategy and Implementation
Baxtel, a comprehensive resource for data center information, faced challenges scaling its platform while maintaining fast page load times, modern design standards, and robust infrastructure. They turned to RailsCTO for Fractional CTO services to optimize performance, modernize their technology stack, and streamline their development processes.
The Challenge
Running an outdated Ruby on Rails application in production lead to significant performance problems and frequent downtime.
Every small change became increasingly complex and time-consuming, while adding new features remain almost impossible to do.
Managing remote offshore team posed significant hurdles. Time zone gaps and lack of expertise delayed shipping features quickly.
How we solved Baxtel's issues and got them on the right track.
Identified Opportunities for Optimization
Baxtel's users rely on fast access to extensive data sets. We identified key pages where data could be cached, significantly reducing database queries and API calls. By implementing fragment and low-level caching strategies, page load times improved by over 60%, providing users with a seamless browsing experience.
Modernized the Front-End Experience
-
Introduced Hotwire for Asynchronous Loading
To speed up load times further, we integrated [Hotwire](https://hotwired.dev) into the application. This allowed specific page sections to load asynchronously, enhancing user interaction without requiring full-page reloads. The result was a more dynamic and efficient front-end experience.
-
Migrated to Tailwind CSS and Removed Foundation
To modernize Baxtel’s design and improve maintainability, we migrated their styling framework to Tailwind CSS. This not only simplified the CSS structure but also eliminated the technical debt associated with the outdated Foundation framework. Tailwind’s utility-first approach empowered developers to build and iterate faster.
-
Implemented New UI/UX Designs with TailwindCSS
Using TailwindCSS, we helped implement a clean, modern design that improved the user interface and enhanced overall usability. The updated UI/UX aligned with current design trends and increased user engagement metrics by 30%.
Upgraded and Simplified the Rails Stack
-
Upgraded Ruby and Ruby on Rails
Baxtel was running on an older version of Ruby and Rails, which posed security risks and limited access to modern features. We upgraded them to the latest versions, ensuring compatibility, enhanced performance, and long-term maintainability.
-
Removed Unnecessary and Unused Gems
A review of the codebase revealed several unused gems that added unnecessary complexity. We removed these gems, reducing dependencies and improving application performance.
-
Removed jQuery and Related Gems
With modern JavaScript frameworks in place, Baxtel no longer needed jQuery. We removed all traces of it and related gems, reducing overhead and improving front-end performance.
-
Transitioned from Vue.js to StimulusJS
To align with the Hotwire approach, we replaced Vue.js with StimulusJS. This move streamlined the JavaScript layer, making it lighter, more integrated with Rails, and easier for the team to maintain.
Migrated to Cloud Infrastructure with Auto-Scaling
We helped Baxtel transition to a cloud infrastructure, enabling auto-scaling to handle traffic surges seamlessly. This ensured high availability and improved fault tolerance, delivering a consistent user experience even during peak traffic periods.
Shortened Development Cycles
-
Improved Code Quality and Organization
We reorganized the codebase to follow modern Rails conventions, reducing technical debt and improving developer productivity. Cleaner code and better structure made onboarding new developers faster and easier.
-
Increased Code Coverage from 40% to 80%
By introducing robust test-driven development practices, we increased test coverage from 40% to 80%. This improvement reduced bugs and gave the Baxtel team greater confidence in deploying changes.
-
Performed Code Reviews on Team Pull Requests in GitHub
To foster a culture of code quality, we conducted thorough reviews of pull requests in GitHub. This ensured consistent standards and served as an opportunity to mentor the team, improving their skills over time.
Working with Matt at RailsCTO has been a game-changer. As our Fractional CTO, Matt brought a level of expertise and leadership that transformed how we manage and execute our projects. His deep knowledge of Ruby on Rails streamlined our process and migrated to modern and best practices that significantly improved performance and we shipped new features at an incredible rate.
What is holding your project back?
Don't let technical hurdles slow you down. Contact us today and discover how our expertise can propel your business forward.