Q4. 4. What is meant by "convention over configuration" in regards to the use of Rails in Web application development?

Answer:

Convention over configuration means an end to verbose XML configuration files--there aren't any in Rails! Instead of configuration files, a Rails application uses a few simple programming conventions that allow it to figure out everything through reflection and discovery. Your application code and your running database already contain everything that Rails needs to know! (Hibbs, 2005)

Convention over configuration: Most web development frameworks for .NET or Java force you to write pages of configuration code. If you follow suggested naming conventions, Rails doesn't need much configuration. (TutorialsPoint, 2009)

Reference:

1. Hibbs Curt (2005). "Rolling with Ruby on Rails". O'Reilly ONLamp.com, Retrieved Mar-28th-2009 from URL - http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2005/01/20/rails.html
2. TutorialsPoint (2009). "Ruby on Rails Introduction". Tutorials Point - A Self Learning Centre, Retrieved from URL - http://www.tutorialspoint.com/ruby-on-rails/rails-introduction.htm