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React on Rails documentation

Build Rails apps with React without dropping Rails conventions.

Choose the path that matches your app first. Then add SSR, streaming, RSC, migration, or Pro support only when you actually need it.

Get startedCreate an appCompare approaches
quickstart.sh

Recommended first run

npx create-react-on-rails-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
bin/rails db:prepare
bin/dev
New appRails viewsSSR readyTypeScript

Existing-app install, migration, and Pro upgrade paths stay on equal footing in the docs. This is just the cleanest first run.

Choose your path

Start from your situation, not from our internal docs structure.

New app

Starting a new Rails + React app

Use the CLI-backed happy path, get to a working app quickly, and customize from a clean baseline.

Create a new app

Existing app

Adding React to an existing Rails app

Keep the Rails app you already have, install React on Rails, and render components without rebuilding the stack.

Install into an existing app

Upgrade

Already on OSS and need more performance

See what Pro adds, how the upgrade works, and where higher-throughput SSR or RSC support fits.

Compare OSS and Pro

Evaluate

Evaluating Rails + React options

Compare React on Rails with Hotwire/Turbo, Inertia Rails, and react-rails before you dive into migration details.

Compare the options

Recommended flow

Lead with the default. Put alternate paths beside it, not ahead of it.

Recommended for new projects

Start with one working path before you branch into deeper configuration.

npx create-react-on-rails-app@latest my-appFollow the new-app guide

For mature Rails apps

Install React on Rails into an existing codebase, keep your routes, and add components incrementally.

bundle exec rails generate react_on_rails:install --typescriptUse the install guide

When OSS is no longer enough

Pro is an upgrade tier, not a separate product. Add it when you need more SSR throughput or guided support.

bundle add react_on_rails_proReview the upgrade path

Migration and evaluation

Evaluation and migration work better when the docs point to concrete routes.

Compare Rails + React approaches

Use the new evaluator guide first, then branch into concrete migration docs if React on Rails is the right fit.

Open guide

Migrate from react-rails

Move from `react-rails` with guidance for both Webpacker-era apps and newer Vite-style setups.

Open guide

Upgrade an existing react_on_rails app

Start with the preflight that surfaced real `pg`, `nio4r`, and `mysql2` blockers before applying the current upgrade steps.

Open guide

Browse sample apps

Open the public apps used to validate the migration and upgrade docs with concrete examples.

Open guide

Production feedback

Teams adopt Pro when they need more throughput or guided help, not a separate toolchain.

React on Rails lets us run React at scale inside Rails without the complexity of a separate frontend deployment. ShakaCode's implementation optimized the framework for our specific workload, delivering 97% Good LCP scores and 80% faster hydration across our platform.

Justis BlascoPopmenu