Services / 09

Rails 8 Upgrade Service

Upgrading a production Rails app sounds straightforward until you start. Then it's deprecated APIs, gem compatibility issues, test suite surprises, and the creeping dread that you're one deploy away from a bad day.

We've done this before, many times, across many apps. Here's how we make it boring.

What Makes Rails 8 Upgrades Hard

  • Gem compatibility gaps. Not every gem you depend on has been updated yet.
  • Deprecation debt. Warnings you've been ignoring are now errors.
  • Asset pipeline changes. Propshaft replaces Sprockets as the default. This is often the messiest part.
  • Test suite rot. Upgrades surface tests that have been passing for the wrong reasons.

If your app has been in production for more than a few years, there's likely technical debt sitting underneath that will make itself known the moment you bump the Rails version.

How We Approach It

We don't just run bundle update rails and hope. Our upgrade process:

  1. Audit first. We review your Gemfile, deprecation log, test coverage, and CI pipeline before touching anything.
  2. Branch and test. All upgrade work happens on a dedicated branch. We measure test coverage before and after.
  3. Gem-by-gem compatibility. We flag blockers early and find alternatives or patches where needed.
  4. Incremental deploys. No "big bang" go-live. We stage the rollout.
  5. Documentation. You get a written record of what changed and why.

You end up with a Rails 8 app that you understand and can maintain.

What This Is Good For

  • Apps on Rails 6.x or 7.x looking to reach Rails 8
  • Teams who've been putting off the upgrade because it feels risky
  • Orgs who want Rails 8 features (Solid Queue, no-build pipeline) but can't afford the disruption of a DIY migration
  • Engineering teams who want senior eyes on the upgrade before they execute it themselves

What You Get

  • Full Rails 8 upgrade, production-ready
  • Written upgrade notes and decision log
  • Post-launch support agreed around your rollout and operational needs
  • No juniors, no handoff. The people who plan it are the people who do it.

Let's Make Your Rails 8 Upgrade Boring

Tell us what the upgrade needs to make possible and what your business depends on keeping stable. We assess the application with you, then agree on the outcomes, investment, rollout, and support needed to get there.