Monitoring Ruby on Rails with Track.js

Monitoring Ruby on Rails with TrackJS

Ruby on Rails is a popular web application framework that allows developers to build robust and scalable applications quickly. However, as with any software application, bugs and errors can occur, which can impact the user experience and lead to lost revenue. That's where monitoring tools like TrackJS come in. TrackJS is a powerful error monitoring and reporting tool that helps developers identify and fix errors in their applications quickly.

In this tutorial, we will explore how to monitor Ruby on Rails applications using TrackJS. We will cover the basics of setting up TrackJS in a Rails application, including how to install the TrackJS JavaScript library and configure it to report errors to the TrackJS dashboard. We will also explore how to use the TrackJS dashboard to view and analyze error reports, including how to filter and group errors by various criteria. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a solid understanding of how to use TrackJS to monitor and improve the performance of your Ruby on Rails applications.

What is TrackJS?

TrackJS is a powerful error monitoring and reporting tool that helps developers identify and fix errors in their web applications quickly. It provides real-time visibility into errors and exceptions that occur in the client-side JavaScript code, allowing developers to diagnose and resolve issues before they impact the user experience.

TrackJS works by capturing and reporting errors that occur in the browser, including JavaScript errors, network errors, and console messages. It provides detailed information about each error, including the stack trace, source code, and environment variables, making it easy for developers to understand the root cause of the issue. Additionally, TrackJS provides a dashboard that allows developers to view and analyze error reports, including the ability to filter and group errors by various criteria. With TrackJS, developers can proactively monitor their web applications and ensure that they are delivering a high-quality user experience.

Why use TrackJS for Monitoring in Ruby on Rails application?

There are several reasons why developers should use TrackJS for monitoring their web applications. Firstly, TrackJS provides real-time visibility into errors and exceptions that occur in the client-side JavaScript code, allowing developers to diagnose and resolve issues quickly. This can help to improve the overall user experience and prevent lost revenue due to application downtime.

Secondly, TrackJS provides detailed information about each error, including the stack trace, source code, and environment variables. This makes it easy for developers to understand the root cause of the issue and take appropriate action to fix it. Additionally, TrackJS provides a dashboard that allows developers to view and analyze error reports, including the ability to filter and group errors by various criteria. This can help developers to identify patterns and trends in error reports, allowing them to make informed decisions about how to improve their application.

• Real-time visibility into errors and exceptions
• Detailed information about each error
• Dashboard for viewing and analyzing error reports
• Easy integration with web applications
• Customizable error reporting and alerting
• Support for multiple frameworks and platforms
• Affordable pricing plans for businesses of all sizes

Overall, TrackJS is a powerful tool for monitoring web applications that can help developers to improve the quality and reliability of their applications. With its real-time visibility, detailed error reporting, and customizable alerting, TrackJS is an essential tool for any developer looking to deliver a high-quality user experience.

Prerequisites

To complete the "Monitoring Ruby on Rails with TrackJS" tutorial, you will need to have the following prerequisites:

• A basic understanding of Ruby on Rails web application development
• A working Ruby on Rails application that you want to monitor with TrackJS
• A TrackJS account, which you can sign up for on the TrackJS website
• Basic knowledge of JavaScript and how to add JavaScript code to a web page
• Familiarity with the command line and running commands in a terminal or command prompt
• A text editor or integrated development environment (IDE) for editing code
• A modern web browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox

Having these prerequisites in place will help you to follow along with the tutorial and successfully set up TrackJS to monitor your Ruby on Rails application.

Ruby on Rails TrackJS step by step setup and configuration

Integrating TrackJS into a Ruby on Rails project is a straightforward process that involves adding the TrackJS JavaScript library to your application and configuring it to report errors to the TrackJS dashboard. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Sign up for a TrackJS account and create a new project. Once you have created a new project, you will be provided with a unique API key that you will use to configure the TrackJS library in your application.

2. Install the TrackJS JavaScript library in your Ruby on Rails application. You can do this by adding the following code to your application's layout file:

<head>
  <script src="//cdn.trackjs.com/releases/current/tracker.js"></script>
  <script>
    TrackJS.install({
      token: "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
    });
  </script>
</head>

Replace "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" with your unique TrackJS API key.

3. Configure the TrackJS library to report errors to the TrackJS dashboard. You can do this by adding the following code to your application's JavaScript file:

$(document).ready(function() {
  TrackJS.configure({
    onError: function(payload, error) {
      // Send error to TrackJS dashboard
      TrackJS.track(error);
    }
  });
});

This code will configure the TrackJS library to report any errors that occur in your application to the TrackJS dashboard.

4. Test your integration by causing an error in your application. You can do this by adding a line of code that will intentionally cause an error, such as:

raise "This is a test error"

When you run your application and trigger the error, you should see the error report appear in the TrackJS dashboard.

By following these steps, you can easily integrate TrackJS into your Ruby on Rails application and start monitoring errors and exceptions in real-time.

TrackJS configuration options in Ruby on Rails

Here are the TrackJS configuration options for Ruby on Rails integration along with their short explanations:

• token: Your unique TrackJS API key.
• application: The name of your application.
• version: The version of your application.
• console: Whether to capture console messages.
• network: Whether to capture network errors.
• window: Whether to capture unhandled window errors.
• plugins: An array of TrackJS plugins to load.
• onError: A function that is called when an error occurs.
• onBeforeSend: A function that is called before an error report is sent to the TrackJS dashboard.
• onAfterSend: A function that is called after an error report is sent to the TrackJS dashboard.
• onConsole: A function that is called when a console message is captured.
• onNetwork: A function that is called when a network error is captured.
• onWindow: A function that is called when an unhandled window error is captured.
• filter: A function that is called to filter error reports before they are sent to the TrackJS dashboard.
• group: A function that is called to group error reports before they are sent to the TrackJS dashboard.
• metadata: Additional metadata to include with error reports.

These configuration options allow you to customize how TrackJS captures and reports errors in your Ruby on Rails application. By setting these options, you can fine-tune your error monitoring and reporting to meet the specific needs of your application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, monitoring web applications is an essential part of ensuring that they are delivering a high-quality user experience. With TrackJS, developers can easily monitor their Ruby on Rails applications and quickly identify and fix errors and exceptions that occur in the client-side JavaScript code. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can integrate TrackJS into your Ruby on Rails application and start monitoring errors and exceptions in real-time.

Throughout this tutorial, we covered the basics of setting up TrackJS in a Ruby on Rails application, including how to install the TrackJS JavaScript library and configure it to report errors to the TrackJS dashboard. We also explored how to use the TrackJS dashboard to view and analyze error reports, including how to filter and group errors by various criteria. By following these steps, you can gain valuable insights into the performance of your Ruby on Rails application and take proactive steps to improve the user experience.

Overall, TrackJS is a powerful tool for monitoring web applications that can help developers to improve the quality and reliability of their applications. With its real-time visibility, detailed error reporting, and customizable alerting, TrackJS is an essential tool for any developer looking to deliver a high-quality user experience.