How to Redirect in Controller in Ruby on Rails

In Ruby on Rails controllers, you use the redirect_to method to send the user to a different URL or action. This method stops the current action and tells the browser to load a new page, like redirect_to root_path or redirect_to action: 'index'.

Syntax

The redirect_to method is used inside controller actions to redirect the user to another URL or controller action.

• redirect_to <path or URL>: Redirects to a specific path or URL.
• redirect_to action: <action_name>: Redirects to another action within the same controller.
• redirect_to controller: <controller_name>, action: <action_name>: Redirects to a different controller and action.

This method sends an HTTP redirect response to the browser.

ruby

redirect_to root_path
redirect_to action: 'index'
redirect_to controller: 'users', action: 'show', id: 1

Example

This example shows a controller action that redirects the user to the home page after creating a new record.

ruby

class PostsController < ApplicationController
  def create
    @post = Post.new(post_params)
    if @post.save
      redirect_to root_path, notice: 'Post was successfully created.'
    else
      render :new
    end
  end

  private

  def post_params
    params.require(:post).permit(:title, :content)
  end
end

Output

When a post is successfully saved, the browser redirects to the home page and shows a notice message.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using redirect_to include:

• Calling redirect_to and then continuing to execute code, which can cause errors or unexpected behavior.
• Using redirect_to after rendering a view, which is not allowed.
• Not specifying a valid path or action, leading to routing errors.

Always use redirect_to as the last statement in your action or use and return after it to stop further execution.

ruby

def example
  redirect_to root_path
  # Code here will still run, which can cause issues
end

# Correct way:
def example
  redirect_to root_path and return
  # No code runs after redirect
end

Quick Reference

Usage	Description
redirect_to root_path	Redirects to the home page URL
redirect_to action: 'show', id: 5	Redirects to 'show' action with id 5 in the same controller
redirect_to controller: 'users', action: 'edit', id: 3	Redirects to 'edit' action in 'users' controller with id 3
redirect_to some_url, notice: 'Message'	Redirects and sets a flash notice message

Key Takeaways

Use redirect_to in controllers to send users to different pages or actions.

Always place redirect_to as the last statement or use and return to stop further code execution.

You can redirect by path, action, or controller with parameters.

Avoid calling redirect_to after rendering a view to prevent errors.

Use flash messages with redirect_to to show notices or alerts after redirect.