Pros of Spree

• Full-featured e-commerce platform with extensive functionality
• Large, active community and ecosystem of extensions
• Robust inventory management and order processing capabilities

Cons of Spree

• Steeper learning curve due to complexity
• Can be overkill for simple e-commerce needs
• Requires more server resources to run efficiently

Code Comparison

Spree (Ruby on Rails e-commerce):

Spree::Config.configure do |config|
  config.allow_guest_checkout = false
  config.currency = "USD"
  config.mails_from = "store@example.com"
end

Comfortable Mexican Sofa (CMS for Ruby on Rails):

ComfortableMexicanSofa.configure do |config|
  config.cms_title = "My CMS Site"
  config.admin_auth = 'ComfyAdminAuthentication'
  config.public_cms_path = ''
end

Key Differences

• Spree focuses on e-commerce, while Comfortable Mexican Sofa is a CMS
• Spree has more complex setup and configuration options
• Comfortable Mexican Sofa is lighter and easier to integrate into existing Rails apps
• Spree offers more built-in features for online stores
• Comfortable Mexican Sofa provides more flexibility for general content management

Both projects are open-source and built on Ruby on Rails, but they serve different primary purposes. Choose based on your specific needs: e-commerce platform vs. content management system.

Pros of Solidus

• Full-featured e-commerce platform with extensive functionality
• Large and active community, providing better support and resources
• More comprehensive documentation and guides for developers

Cons of Solidus

• Steeper learning curve due to its complexity
• Potentially overkill for simple content management needs
• Requires more server resources to run efficiently

Code Comparison

Solidus (Ruby on Rails e-commerce):

Spree::Core::Engine.add_routes do
  namespace :admin do
    resources :products do
      resources :variants
    end
  end
end

Comfortable Mexican Sofa (CMS):

ComfortableMexicanSofa::AccessControl::AdminAuthentication.class_eval do
  def authenticate
    unless current_user.try(:admin?)
      redirect_to root_path
    end
  end
end

Summary

Solidus is a robust e-commerce platform with a wide range of features, while Comfortable Mexican Sofa is a simpler content management system. Solidus offers more extensive functionality for online stores but comes with increased complexity. Comfortable Mexican Sofa is more lightweight and easier to set up for basic content management needs. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project, with Solidus being better suited for full-fledged e-commerce sites and Comfortable Mexican Sofa for simpler content-driven websites.

Pros of Administrate

• More flexible and customizable for complex admin interfaces
• Better suited for larger applications with diverse data models
• Offers a clean, modern UI out of the box

Cons of Administrate

• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Requires more setup and configuration
• Less suitable for simple content management needs

Code Comparison

Administrate dashboard configuration:

class ProductDashboard < Administrate::BaseDashboard
  ATTRIBUTE_TYPES = {
    id: Field::Number,
    name: Field::String,
    price: Field::Number.with_options(prefix: "$", decimals: 2),
    created_at: Field::DateTime,
    updated_at: Field::DateTime,
  }
  # ... more configuration
end

Comfortable Mexican Sofa page configuration:

ComfortableMexicanSofa::Content::Tag.register_tag(:product_name, ProductNameTag)

class Comfy::Cms::Page < ActiveRecord::Base
  cms_is_mirrored
  cms_has_revisions_for :blocks_attributes
  # ... more configuration
end

Summary

Administrate is better suited for complex admin interfaces in larger applications, offering more flexibility and customization options. However, it has a steeper learning curve and requires more setup. Comfortable Mexican Sofa is simpler to use and better for content management, but may be less flexible for diverse data models. The code comparison shows that Administrate focuses on defining attribute types for admin dashboards, while Comfortable Mexican Sofa emphasizes content management and page structure.

Pros of Active Admin

• More comprehensive admin interface generation with less configuration
• Extensive customization options for views, forms, and actions
• Larger community and ecosystem with more plugins and extensions

Cons of Active Admin

• Steeper learning curve due to its DSL and extensive features
• Can be overkill for simpler projects or smaller admin needs
• Performance can be impacted with large datasets or complex configurations

Code Comparison

Active Admin:

ActiveAdmin.register Post do
  permit_params :title, :body, :published_at

  index do
    selectable_column
    column :title
    column :published_at
    actions
  end
end

Comfortable Mexican Sofa:

ComfortableMexicanSofa::AccessControl::AdminAuthentication.class_eval do
  def authenticate
    authenticate_or_request_with_http_basic do |username, password|
      username == 'username' && password == 'password'
    end
  end
end

Active Admin provides a more declarative approach to defining admin interfaces, while Comfortable Mexican Sofa focuses on content management and typically requires more custom code for admin functionality. Active Admin is better suited for complex admin needs, while Comfortable Mexican Sofa excels in content-focused applications with simpler admin requirements.

Pros of Locomotive CMS Engine

• More extensive theming and templating capabilities
• Better support for multi-site management
• More active development and community support

Cons of Locomotive CMS Engine

• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Less straightforward integration with existing Rails applications
• Requires more server resources due to its comprehensive feature set

Code Comparison

Comfortable Mexican Sofa:

ComfortableMexicanSofa::AccessControl::AdminAuthentication.class_eval do
  def authenticate
    unless current_user.try(:admin?)
      redirect_to main_app.root_path
    end
  end
end

Locomotive CMS Engine:

module Locomotive
  class CustomAuthenticationGuard < Locomotive::Steam::AuthenticationGuard
    def authenticate
      if current_user.nil? || !current_user.admin?
        redirect_to main_app.root_path
      end
    end
  end
end

Both CMSs offer authentication mechanisms, but Locomotive CMS Engine provides more flexibility in customizing the authentication process. Comfortable Mexican Sofa's approach is simpler, while Locomotive CMS Engine allows for more complex authentication scenarios.