# thoughtbot/suspenders

A Rails application template with our standard defaults, optimized for deployment on Heroku.

Repository: https://github.com/thoughtbot/suspenders
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/suspenders
Homepage: https://thoughtbot.com
Language: Ruby
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Topics: template, rails
Last push: 2026-06-19T10:15:09+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 82/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 88, release rhythm 64, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 5955, "days_push": 75, "days_rel": 161, "gap_med": 38.5, "n_releases_24m": 5}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4043, forks 520 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:33.560943+00:00)

## What it is
Suspenders is a Rails application template gem by thoughtbot that generates new Ruby on Rails apps preconfigured with their standard defaults, including PostgreSQL, RSpec, and Sidekiq. It is optimized for deployment to Heroku and provides a jump start for new web applications.

## Use cases
- generate a new rails app with sensible defaults
- bootstrap a ruby on rails project with rspec and postgresql
- create a rails app ready to deploy to heroku
- skip rails default test framework in favor of rspec
- set up sidekiq background jobs in a new rails app
- standardize rails project setup across a team

## When to choose
- you're starting a new Rails app and want thoughtbot's opinionated defaults
- you plan to deploy to Heroku with PostgreSQL, Redis, and Sidekiq
- you prefer RSpec over Rails' default test framework
- you want a fast, standardized project scaffold

## When to avoid
- you don't use Ruby on Rails
- you want a minimal, unopinionated Rails setup
- you deploy somewhere other than Heroku or prefer the Solid gems over Sidekiq
- you use a database other than PostgreSQL

## Facets
- artifact type: learning-resource
- maturity: active
- function: web-framework, build-tool, developer-tools, testing, deployment
- domain: web-development, backend, developer-tools
- platform: ruby, cli, cloud
- tags: rails-template, heroku, rspec, postgresql, sidekiq, application-generator, thoughtbot, boilerplate, automation, web-server

## Member repositories
- thoughtbot/suspenders (main) score 82

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:33.560943+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T08:31:27.293655+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/thoughtbot/suspenders (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:33.560943+00:00, sha 9b792dbcc289)
  - homepage: https://thoughtbot.com (fetched 2026-08-29T09:16:11.746872+00:00, sha 5510254df796)
  - site_page: https://thoughtbot.com/case-studies/closeknit-health (fetched 2026-08-29T09:16:11.755930+00:00, sha ec773542ed58)
  - site_page: https://thoughtbot.com/services (fetched 2026-08-29T09:16:11.757848+00:00, sha 5b152b8c27da)
  - site_page: https://thoughtbot.com/our-company (fetched 2026-08-29T09:16:11.759785+00:00, sha 9e2e18b981fb)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.