How to deploy Ruby on Rails application via cPanel on shared host?
I am in the process of learning Ruby on Rails and things have been going smoothly - up until I tried to deploy one of my test applications to my shared hosting account.
I use Host Gator and was able to successfully create a new Ruby on Rails app via cPanel and run it. The only problem is that when you create a new app this way, it populates its directory with a blank application - as would rails new app_name locally. When I delete the files and folders in this directory and replace them with my own, then attempt to run the app, cPanel says that it is running on the confirmation page but it never actually starts. I am not receiving any error messages either.
The host seemed rather stumped, stating that it should be a matter of deleting the initial files and folders and replacing them, then running. The app works fine locally so I do not think that it is a code issue. In my research I came across Passenger, although it is way over my head and it would appear that you really need to have total control over Apache to make it all work, including ssh.
If it makes any difference, the apps I made locally were put together using an installation of Rails Installer and are scaffolded. For testing I am using a bare minimum app with about three fields in the table.
What am I missing? Any help would be appreciated.
Answer
Maximum supported versions on 26/10/2013 are:
Ruby 1.8.7 RubyGems 1.8.25 Rails 2.3.18
Anything newer than that is a near guaranteed breakage and cPanel & WHM will be incapable of utilizing it in any way, shape, or form.
We can assist you with removing your existing Ruby on Rails installations and reverting them back to cPanel supported and sanctioned versions (Ruby 1.8, RubyGems 1.8, and Rails 2). That is the only thing we can do for you at this time.
If you want to use any versions newer than this, then you will be unable to use the cPanel & WHM interfaces or management tools for it -- they simply will not work. You will then have to manually manage your RoR install by yourself through command line exclusively. None of it would fall under the scope of cPanel support.