March 2023 Summaries

We've added support for Cron Jobs natively in Railway, which may be a better fit than the method described here. To create a Django cron using GitHub Actions, we'll install the Railway CLI and use it to run our Django task on a schedule. The process involves installing the Railway CLI, running the `railway run` command with the `python manage.py my_command` argument, and setting up a GitHub Action to run at a specified interval. This allows us to execute any Django task at a specific time on our Railway projects and services in just a few simple steps.

The Railway platform is deprecating its auto-injection of plugin variables in favor of explicit Database Reference Variables, which enable multiple databases to co-exist in a project, restrict database credentials to services that need them, and provide other benefits such as improved security and easier configuration. The change replaces implicit auto-injection behavior with explicit references that can be added from the Variables page in Service Settings, and has already backfilled existing services so no migration steps are required. With Database Reference Variables, users can now define database variables at the project environment level, reference them using a templated value, and enjoy features such as dynamic references, restricted credential sharing, and automatic re-deploys when reference variables are added or removed.

Rewriting the CLI in Rust: Was It Worth It?` is an article about the development of a new Command Line Interface (CLI) for Railway, a software company that provides instant application deployments to developers. The previous CLI was rewritten from scratch using Rust programming language due to its benefits in terms of type safety, DevEx philosophies, and user experience improvements. The new CLI, version 3, introduces several features such as clean and readable tables, fuzzy select menus, automatic confirmation of Y/n prompts, and better documentation. Despite some challenges during the development process, the team is happy with the final result and excited about its potential to improve future development and create new integrations with other tools and services. The article provides a detailed account of the development process, highlighting the benefits of Rust in this context and the improvements made to the CLI.

20robots is a full stack software development agency that provides services such as prototype development, remote development teams, and organizational development. The firm has worked on a diverse range of projects for clients from various industries, with common types of projects including software development, team augmentation, and organizational development. Recently, 20robots completed a project called MAPERS, a comprehensive performance management application that helps organizations track employee performance and improve productivity. To work with a broad range of clients, the firm prioritizes continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and best practices such as code review and unit testing. Railway is used by 20robots to streamline their development process, simplify infrastructure complexity, and reduce costs. The team tends to turn to Railway early on in the development process or when working on mature projects. For more information about 20robots' work, readers can visit their website or LinkedIn page.