Rails 8.0 beta just dropped—here’s what’s new and why it matters

Rails 8.0 beta just dropped, and it’s packed with features aimed at simplifying your life as a developer.

Announced today by David Heinemeier Hansson at RailsWorld, the biggest buzz is around the new out-of-the-box authentication system—finally offering a simple, transparent alternative to Devise. And that’s just the start.

Rails 8.0 is all about reducing the bloat and complexity that tends to creep into projects.

From ditching Redis for Solid Cache and Solid Queue, to cutting down on Paas overhead, this release is designed to streamline how you build, deploy, and maintain Rails apps.

Oh, and there’s built-in rate limiting, improved security, and a simplified asset pipeline—because yes, those things matter too.

Bottom line? This release is a big step toward faster development, fewer headaches, and cleaner, more manageable code.

Need help with Rails upgrades, while your dev team stays focused? Let's chat.

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Out-of-the-box authentication

The first thing to steal the spotlight? The shiny new out-of-the-box authentication system. It’s a fresh generator that provides a simple start for authentication, complete with database-tracked sessions and password resets.

This system isn’t just simplifying things—it’s also more transparent. Since it’s generated, developers are encouraged to dive in, understand it, and reduce some of the mystery.

If this lives up to the hype, we could be looking at cleaner, simpler code and far fewer headaches, all without leaning on third-party hacks.

Reduced overhead with Solid Cache and Solid Queue

The next batch of Rails 8.0.0.beta1 updates that DHH discussed:

• Solid Cable as default for Action Cable: This new backend uses your database for message storage, eliminating the Redis dependency.

• Solid Queue for Active Job: Default backend for jobs with support for running as a Puma plugin.

• Solid Cache for Rails.cache: Default cache backend using a dedicated database.

• Kamal for default deployment: Rails 8.0 now generates config/deploy.yml for Kamal deployments.

The biggest win here? You can get to production faster.

With Kamal as the default deployment tool, Rails 8.0 generates the necessary configuration automatically, streamlining the setup and speeding up your time-to-market.

Plus, with Solid Cable, Solid Queue, and Solid Cache, you’re reducing external dependencies like Redis, making your app leaner and easier to deploy. These updates simplify the process, allowing for quicker experimentation and iteration while keeping your infrastructure efficient and cost-effective.

Other updates in Rails 8.0.0.beta1 include:

• Improved error handling for rails g: Now exits with code 1 if a generator can’t be found, making script debugging easier.
• ‍Query log tags enabled by default in development: Helps trace SQL statements to the originating code.
• ‍New form helper methods: Generated forms now use textarea* methods by default.
• ‍Not-null type modifier in migrations: Support for adding not-null directly to migration attributes.
• ‍New script generator: Helps generate scripts for tasks like data migration or cleanup.
• ‍Deprecate bin/rake stats: Replaced with bin/rails stats.
• ‍New internal page for notes: /rails/info/notes mirrors the output of bin/rails notes.

Do I really need to upgrade to Rails 8.0? 

Keeping your Rails version up to date is more than just a best practice—it’s a smart, strategic choice. 

Staying current helps maintain platform stability, accelerates feature releases and avoids accumulating technical debt. Falling behind can quickly turn into a costly burden.

In a market where attracting top developer talent is already a challenge, working with an outdated tech stack only makes it harder. Developers want to push forward, not get stuck maintaining legacy code from a decade ago.

But the real win? Proactively managing risk. 

Upgrading isn’t just about keeping up with the latest—it’s about fortifying your application against security threats and ensuring everything runs smoothly as you scale and ship new features.

Rails upgrades made simple by creators of Standard Ruby

But let's face it—Rails upgrades can be a pain. They often take longer than anticipated, disrupt your development team's focus, and can even introduce unexpected issues that no one saw coming.

There is a better way.

Test Double has more than a decade of experience in leading Rails upgrades – including for some of the largest Rails codebases in the world, like GitHub, Gusto, and ZenDesk. 

Our team of consultants has deep experience in efficient and seamless upgrades, so your team can continue delivering critical features and shipping new products.

Contact us now for a free consultation on what approach to Rails upgrades makes sense for your team.