Weâve been part of the Ruby on Rails community since the early days. Planet Argon was founded nearly twenty years ago, and in that time, weâve helped companies upgrade legacy Rails apps, modernize their architectures, and navigate tricky technical debt.
Weâre active members of the Rails Foundation, we run the Rails community survey, and weâve always looked for ways to contribute back. Today, Iâm thrilled to share one more way weâre doing that.
Iâm the host of a new podcast produced by the Rails Foundation called On Rails. The show explores real-world decisions that go into building, maintaining, and scaling Ruby on Rails applications.
Itâs not about the trend of the week. Itâs about trade-offs, long-term thinking, and how teams make things work in production. These are conversations with engineers who are in the deep endânavigating legacy code, introducing new patterns, and figuring out what maintainability really means for their teams.
Introducing 'On Rails', a new podcast đď¸ from the Rails Foundation where host @robbyrussell explores the real-world decisions that go into building, maintaining, and scaling Ruby on Rails applications.
— Ruby on Rails (@rails) June 25, 2025
Hear from engineers and leaders whoâve navigated legacy code, scaled⌠pic.twitter.com/3SRUAto0Qb
As someone whoâs hosted over 200 episodes of Maintainable.fm, Iâve spent years talking to developers about software health and long-term maintainability. Through my work at Planet Argon, I also get a front-row seat to the complex choices teams are making every day. We help clients improve performance, retire outdated dependencies, and extend the life of their Rails apps without rewriting everything from scratch.
On Rails brings those two worlds together.
Weâre experimenting with a few different episode formats:
- Deep-dive case studies
- Technical retrospectives
- Panel discussions
- Tech stack spotlights
Yes, weâll talk about newer gems and features... but always through the lens of why they came to be, how they were implemented, and what teams learned along the way.
In our first episode, I spoke with Rosa GutiĂŠrrez from 37signals about Solid Queue. Even if youâre not using it, youâll get insight into how their team approaches job queues and background processing at scale.
We're keeping things slower and more intentional with On Railsâfewer episodes, longer interviews, and a bit more breathing room to dig into topics that don't always get the spotlight.
This project wouldn't be possible without the support of the Rails Foundation and their commitment to amplifying the voices of the Rails community. I'm especially delighted to be collaborating with Amanda and the teamâtheyâve been generous thought partners throughout.
Planet Argon is also contributing by sponsoring my time on the podcast. Weâve always believed in helping teams work with the apps they already have, not chasing shiny rewrites. So this is a natural extension of our mission: helping teams maintain and grow their Rails apps.
If youâre someone who appreciates the behind-the-scenes conversations about architecture, process, and trade-offs, I hope youâll give it a listen. You can find On Rails in your favorite podcast appâor visit onrails.buzzsprout.com to browse the episodes.
Thanks for listening. And if you think you or your team have a story to share, Iâd love to hear from you.
đ§ Listen to Episode 1: Rosa GutiĂŠrrez on Solid Queue
đ Browse all episodes: onrails.buzzsprout.com
đ˘ Read the official announcement on the Ruby on Rails blog
FAQs
What is the On Rails podcast about?
On Rails is a new podcast produced by the Rails Foundation and hosted by Robby Russell, focused on the real-world decisions behind building and maintaining Ruby on Rails applications. It highlights trade-offs, architecture, and long-term maintainability.
Who should listen to On Rails?
If youâre a Rails developer, technical lead, engineering manager, or just curious how other teams navigate legacy code and new features, this podcast is for you. Itâs especially relevant for those managing long-lived applications and avoiding unnecessary rewrites.
How is this different from other Ruby on Rails podcasts?
Many podcasts focus on news, hot takes, or new tools. On Rails takes a slower, deeper approach â exploring how real teams make architectural decisions, ship features, and maintain Rails apps in production.
Where can I listen to On Rails?
You can listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit onrails.buzzsprout.com to browse all episodes.
How is Planet Argon involved in the podcast?
Planet Argon is sponsoring Robbyâs time as host of the show. Our team also helps Rails apps thrive long after launch â learn more about our Rails support and maintenance services.
Will there be new episodes regularly?
Yes â the first batch of episodes has already been recorded, with new episodes releasing regularly. We're experimenting with formats like case studies, retrospectives, and technical deep dives.
Can I suggest a guest or topic?
Absolutely! If your team has an interesting story to tell about working with Rails, reach out to us. Weâd love to hear from you.