HELIOS needs a technology stack for building a web-based Docker management interface. Key requirements:
- Lightweight (runs on Raspberry Pi)
- Modern UI without heavy JavaScript frameworks
- Good Docker ecosystem support
- Maintainable as a solo project alongside the rest of SOLECTRUS
| Component | Choice | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Ruby 4 | Mature, expressive, good for rapid development |
| Framework | Ruby on Rails 8.1 | Convention over configuration, batteries included |
| Frontend | Hotwire (Turbo + Stimulus) | SPA-like UX without heavy JS, Rails-native |
| CSS Framework | TailwindCSS 4 | Utility-first, small bundle, rapid prototyping |
| UI Components | DaisyUI | Pre-built components on top of Tailwind |
| Asset Bundler | Vite (via rails_vite) | Fast builds, modern tooling |
| Database | SQLite | No extra container, single file, easy backup |
| Testing | RSpec | Expressive, widely used in Ruby community |
Positive:
- Full-stack Ruby means single language for backend and views
- Hotwire eliminates need for separate frontend build/deploy
- SQLite keeps resource usage minimal
- Rails generators speed up development
- Large ecosystem of gems available
Negative:
- Ruby is slower than Go/Rust (acceptable for this use case)
- Locked into the Ruby ecosystem (already the case for the rest of SOLECTRUS)