Active Admin vs Administrate in Ruby on Rails: Making the Right Choice

Picking The Best Admin Framework for Your Rails Project

Patrick Karsh
4 min readMar 13, 2024

When developing a Ruby on Rails application, one of the crucial decisions that surface, especially in the early stages, is the choice of administrative framework. Two of the most popular contenders in this arena are Active Admin and Administrate. Both frameworks aim to simplify and expedite the development of admin panels for Rails applications, yet they approach this goal in distinct ways. This article delves into the nuances of both options, helping developers make an informed choice based on their project’s specific needs.

The Case for Active Admin: Customizability Meets Speed

Active Admin has been a staple in the Ruby on Rails ecosystem for managing backend administration. Its primary allure lies in the speed with which developers can generate a functional and visually appealing admin panel. This rapid development is particularly beneficial for projects under tight deadlines or those requiring quick iterations.

Active Admin

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Patrick Karsh

NYC-based Ruby on Rails and Javascript Engineer leveraging AI to explore Engineering. https://linktr.ee/patrickkarsh