Steps to set up a new Rails app, initialize a git repo, push to Github and deploy to Heroku

rails_github_heroku.md

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 git@github.com:<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

Looks good to me. Over time I might add more git commands, pulling and merging branches. Looking forward to seeing this going viral.

Don't forget to add the pg gem in your gemfile in production only!!!!!

Awesome stuff! For the "rails new <new_app>" command you should change it to: "rails new <new_app> -d postgresql" to setup Postgres by default since Heroku doesn't support sqlite3. See: https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/sqlite3

Thank you so much Jenn for given us remarkable steps. :) Great job

This was way easy! Thanks!

This was a huge help.

Super stuff, thanks!

That's awesome thanks.

very helpful thanks

Great, thanks.

Thanks.

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.

Great, to the point, Thanks

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 support@github.com for help

Please help! been stuck for weeks now. tnx

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'

$ git push -u origin master
git@github.com: Permission denied (publickey).
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.

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

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