Dashboards and reports are often where Rails apps go to slow down. What starts as a "simple" count or sum quietly turns into expensive queries, background job pileups, and unhappy users staring at a spinner.
This talk is about taking back control by using smart aggregation strategies to make Rails dashboards fast, predictable, and easier to maintain. We'll look at how letting the database do the work it was designed for leads to cleaner Ruby, simpler application logic, and systems that don't collapse under their own weight.
We'll explore:
- When aggregation actually helps, and when it's overkill
- Designing aggregation tables and indices that scale without drama
- Keeping aggregated data fresh with background jobs that stay boring
- Knowing when to lean on ActiveRecord, and when raw SQL is simply the right tool
The focus is on real-world Rails systems, not theoretical optimizations.
You'll leave with practical patterns, honest trade-offs, and concrete examples you can apply immediately whether you're inheriting a slow legacy app or building something new and want to get ahead of the problem.
If you've ever looked at a slow dashboard and thought, "this should be faster," this talk is for you.
Neha Abraham
Neha is a software developer at Power Home Remodeling, where she builds data-intensive dashboards. She loves the craft of Rails and is passionate about writing code that's both performant and a pleasure to maintain. Outside of work, she's usually in the kitchen baking, or learning about dinosaurs with her toddler.
Agenda:
5:30pm - Doors Open
5:30-6:15pm - Socializing, food & drinks
6:15-6:30pm - Announcements, project introductions
6:30-7:15pm - Powerful Data: Making Rails Apps Faster with Aggregation
7:15pm-8:00pm - Socializing, food & drinks
How to join us:
- To access the building, there will be a sign on the door with instructions to text a number that will give you the door code.
- Walk to the back of the hall and ride the elevator to the 3rd floor. Turn left out of the elevator lobby and you'll find us. Or feel free to take the stairs if that's your thing.
Note that this door code only works until 8pm. You will need to contact someone inside to let you in after that time!
See you there!
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors: FastRuby.io and Code and the Coding Coders who Code it!
We are pleased to be at Indy Hall this month. Space, food, and refreshments will be provided by our sponsors! 🍕🤙🥤🤙🧊🤙🍕🤙
Find out more about about FastRuby.io over here: https://www.fastruby.io
Find out more about about Code and the Coding Coders who Code it over here: https://podcast.drbragg.dev
