If you’ve ever tried to move from one major version to another, you know it’s not just about running bundle update rails and calling it a day.
Things break, dependencies complain, tests start failing, and suddenly what was supposed to be a “simple upgrade” becomes a sprint-long debugging marathon.
That’s where being prepared can make or break your release.
At RailsFactory, after helping dozens of teams navigate Rails upgrades (some smooth, some not so smooth), we realized something simple: most upgrade headaches start way before the upgrade actually begins.
So, we created something to help you avoid all that mess, a Free Rails Pre-Upgrade Checklist.
It’s not just a list of things to tick off. It’s a safety net for your next release.
Why You Need a Pre-Upgrade Plan (Even If You Think You Don’t)
A Rails upgrade touches everything - from your app’s dependencies and database schema to your CI/CD pipeline.
The tricky part? You often don’t know what’s outdated, incompatible, or risky until you’re knee-deep in migration errors.
That’s exactly why having a pre-upgrade plan is so important. It forces you to do a health check of your app before you touch the version number.
Think of it as that friend who says, “Hey, maybe read the instructions before you start assembling that IKEA shelf.”
You could ignore them — but you’ll probably regret it later.
Rails Upgrade Guide: Where Developers Usually Go Wrong
Every Rails developer has their go-to Rails upgrade guide bookmarked somewhere, the official Rails upgrade guide, blog posts, GitHub issues, Stack Overflow threads… you name it.
And while those are great resources, here’s the catch: They mostly tell you how to upgrade, not what to prepare before upgrading.
Here are a few common mistakes teams make:
- Jumping into the upgrade without checking gems compatibility
- Skipping version-specific deprecation warnings
- Ignoring environment-specific dependencies
- Forgetting about test coverage gaps before the switch
Each of these might sound minor, but together, they can easily derail your release timeline.
That’s why our checklist focuses on the “before” phase. It’s not about running the upgrade, but about ensuring your app is actually ready for it.
Why We Built the Rails Pre-Upgrade Checklist
After years of Rails consulting and upgrade projects, we noticed a pattern. The teams that succeeded in upgrading quickly weren’t necessarily the ones with the best test coverage or biggest dev teams.
They were the ones who planned well.
They took time to:
- Audit their codebase
- Check their gem dependencies
- Backup data and configs
- Review third-party integrations
- And create rollback plans
That’s the mindset behind the Rails Pre-Upgrade Checklist. It’s about being proactive, not reactive.
The checklist is built from real-world upgrade experiences. Every item in it exists because someone, somewhere, learned the hard way that skipping it causes problems.
What Makes This Checklist Different
We didn’t want to create another blog-style list that says “backup your code” and “run your tests.”
This checklist goes deeper. It’s structured to help you prioritize and sequence your pre-upgrade steps.
It’s designed to be:
- Developer-friendly: No fluff, just actionable items.
- Version-agnostic: Works whether you’re jumping from Rails 5 to 7 or 6 to 8.
- Team-ready: Ideal for both solo developers and large engineering teams managing enterprise apps.
And the best part? It’s completely free, because we genuinely believe Rails upgrades shouldn’t be scary.
Start Smart, Upgrade Confidently
Upgrading Rails isn’t about brute force; it’s about smart preparation.
The more you plan, the less you panic. And that’s exactly what this Rails Pre-Upgrade Checklist is built for.
So before you schedule your next upgrade sprint or open that first migration branch, take a few minutes to go through the checklist.
It might just save your next release.
Grab your Free Rails Pre-Upgrade Checklist now.
And if you’re curious about tools that make upgrades easier, check out RailsUp, our free Rails gems compatibility checker built to simplify the upgrade planning process.
Pro tip: Pairing this checklist with the official Rails Upgrade Guide gives you the best of both worlds - strategy + execution.
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