The Most Useful Rails Gems of All Time That Still Rock in 2025
If you've been around Rails for even a hot minute, you already know gems are the magic. They help you move fast, cut down on headaches, and let you focus on what actually matters.
There are tons of gems out there, but these are the real legends. The ones that helped shape the way we build Rails apps and still get regular love. These are the essentials. The ones people keep installing again and again.
Let’s jump in.
1. Devise - Authentication Without Pain
Devise has been handling user stuff forever. Sign up, log in, password reset, email confirmation, all baked in.
# In your model class User < ApplicationRecord devise :database_authenticatable, :registerable, :recoverable, :rememberable, :validatable end
Why it matters: You get a full authentication setup in minutes and barely have to touch anything.
2. Pundit - Permissions That Make Sense
Pundit gives you a clean way to write rules for who can do what. Nothing magical or hidden. Just plain Ruby classes.
def show @post = Post.find(params[:id]) authorize @post end
Why it matters: Keeps logic where it belongs and plays nice with everything else.
3. Sidekiq - Background Jobs That Just Work
Any time you need to do stuff in the background, like sending emails or processing files, Sidekiq is your friend.
class HardWorker include Sidekiq::Worker def perform(name, count) puts "Doing work for #{name} #{count} times" end end
Why it matters: Super fast and super solid. You set it up once and it just runs.
4. FriendlyId - Clean URLs People Actually Like
Turns ugly URLs into ones that make sense to humans. Instead of /users/123, you get /users/sarah.
class User < ApplicationRecord extend FriendlyId friendly_id :username, use: :slugged end
Why it matters: Makes your app feel cleaner and more polished.
5. Kaminari - Easy Pagination
Need to break up long lists of stuff? Kaminari gives you simple and flexible pagination.
@posts = Post.page(params[:page]).per(10)
Why it matters: Easy to drop in and customize.
6. CarrierWave - File Uploads That Don’t Fight You
Want to let users upload files or images? CarrierWave still holds it down after all these years.
class User < ApplicationRecord mount_uploader :avatar, AvatarUploader end
Why it matters: Works out of the box and scales up when you need it.
7. Simple Form - Forms That Don’t Suck
Simple Form makes form building way easier, cleaner, and a lot less painful.
<%= simple_form_for @user do |f| %> <%= f.input :email %> <%= f.input :password %> <%= f.button :submit %> <% end %>
Why it matters: Less typing, better forms, and way easier to style.
8. Rails Admin - Admin Panels with Zero Stress
If you need a quick way to manage models in a browser, this gem gives you a full dashboard in like five minutes.
RailsAdmin.config do |config| config.authenticate_with do # your logic here end end
Why it matters: Skip building a back office from scratch. Just drop this in and go.
9. Ahoy - Track What Your Users Are Doing
Ahoy helps you track visits, clicks, events, and more right in your Rails app.
Ahoy.track "Viewed Book", title: "Dune"
Why it matters: Gives you visibility without needing Google Analytics or third party tools.
10. Ransack - Search Made Simple
Need search filters, sorting, and advanced queries without writing SQL? Ransack is your tool.
@q = Product.ransack(params[:q]) @products = @q.result
Why it matters: Helps your users actually find stuff. Also great for admin panels.
Bonus Tools You Should Know About
- Rubocop for keeping code clean and tidy
- Bullet for fixing query problems fast
- dotenv for keeping secrets out of version control
Final Thoughts
If you’re building with Rails, these are the tools that keep the engine running smooth. They’ve been around for years, they’re still being updated, and they make your life a lot easier.
Got another gem you always reach for? Hit me up. Let's trade notes.
Now get out there and build something solid.