Using ActiveRecord with SQLite DB in a JRuby Desktop App

(Updated 2022-09-12: Change Log)

SQLite is the simplest relational database to use from JRuby desktop applications, it is built-in on all platforms (Mac, Windows, and Linux), and it can be utilized conveniently via ActiveRecord, the Rails object-relational mapping library following the Active Record Enterprise Application Architecture Pattern. In fact, I have used it a few years ago to build Are We There Yet?, a small project management app, using Glimmer DSL for SWT and bidirectional data-binding. In this blog post tutorial, I cover how to configure a SQLite database and connect to it using ActiveRecord from within a Ruby desktop application, data-binding the ActiveRecord Model to the GUI View bidirectionally.

Let us build a simple Contact Manager desktop app to demonstrate how to use a relational database to store contacts in a SQLite database via ActiveRecord.

Requirements:

1- Store contacts having the following attributes:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Phone
• Street
• City
• State/Province
• Zip/Postal Code
• Country

2- List stored contacts

3- Search stored contacts by any of the contact attributes.

4- Sort contacts by First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, or Full Address

5- Edit a stored contact

6- Delete a stored contact

7- Delete all stored contacts

Implementation:

We will use Glimmer DSL for SWT (JRuby Desktop Development GUI Framework) to build the solution. Nonetheless, the same solution could be implemented with Glimmer DSL for LibUI using MRI CRuby, or any of the other Glimmer desktop GUI libraries for that matter.

1- Gem Install

We will start by scaffolding a Ruby desktop application using Glimmer DSL for SWT v4.24.4.3. To do so, the library prerequisites (JDK 18 and JRuby 9.3.7.0) must be setup. Afterwards, you must install the glimmer-dsl-swt gem by running the following command (you can try the latest version if you prefer by leaving the version option out, but it might vary from this tutorial): 

gem install glimmer-dsl-swt -v4.24.4.3

% gem install glimmer-dsl-swt -v4.24.4.3

Fetching text-table-1.2.4.gem

Fetching rouge-3.28.0.gem

Fetching super_module-1.4.1.gem

Fetching wisper-2.0.1.gem

Fetching method_source-1.0.0.gem

Fetching tty-screen-0.8.1.gem

Fetching tty-cursor-0.7.1.gem

Fetching tty-reader-0.9.0.gem

Fetching tty-color-0.6.0.gem

Fetching pastel-0.8.0.gem

Fetching tty-prompt-0.23.1.gem

Fetching rake-tui-0.2.3.gem

Fetching awesome_print-1.9.2.gem

Fetching os-1.1.4.gem

Fetching nested_inherited_jruby_include_package-0.3.0.gem

Fetching jruby-win32ole-0.8.5.gem

Fetching facets-3.1.0.gem

Fetching array_include_methods-1.4.0.gem

Fetching glimmer-2.7.3.gem

Fetching puts_debuggerer-0.13.5.gem

Fetching glimmer-dsl-swt-4.24.4.3.gem

Fetching concurrent-ruby-1.1.10.gem

Successfully installed text-table-1.2.4

Successfully installed method_source-1.0.0

Successfully installed super_module-1.4.1

Successfully installed rouge-3.28.0

Successfully installed wisper-2.0.1

Successfully installed tty-screen-0.8.1

Successfully installed tty-cursor-0.7.1

Successfully installed tty-reader-0.9.0

Successfully installed tty-color-0.6.0

Successfully installed pastel-0.8.0

Successfully installed tty-prompt-0.23.1

Successfully installed rake-tui-0.2.3

Successfully installed awesome_print-1.9.2

Successfully installed puts_debuggerer-0.13.5

Successfully installed os-1.1.4

Successfully installed nested_inherited_jruby_include_package-0.3.0

Successfully installed jruby-win32ole-0.8.5

Successfully installed facets-3.1.0

Successfully installed array_include_methods-1.4.0

Successfully installed glimmer-2.7.3

Successfully installed concurrent-ruby-1.1.10

You are ready to use `glimmer` and `girb` commands on Windows and Linux.

On the Mac, run `glimmer-setup` command to complete setup of Glimmer DSL for SWT (it will configure a Mac required jruby option globally `-J-XstartOnFirstThread` so that you do not have to add manually), making `glimmer` and `girb` commands ready for use:

glimmer-setup

Successfully installed glimmer-dsl-swt-4.24.4.3

22 gems installed

If you are running on a Mac machine, run the command mentioned in the post gem installation instructions (unless you have run it before):

glimmer-setup

 

2- Scaffolding

To scaffold an application called `contact_manager` with Glimmer DSL for SWT, you can run the following command:

glimmer "scaffold[contact_manager]"

This will generate the files of a Hello, World! application and launch it afterwards. Below is the output, including all the generated files.

 

% glimmer "scaffold[contact_manager]"

Fetching highline-2.0.3.gem

Fetching rack-2.2.3.gem

Fetching semver2-3.4.2.gem

Fetching kamelcase-0.0.2.gem

Fetching nokogiri-1.13.4-java.gem

Fetching multi_xml-0.6.0.gem

Fetching multi_json-1.15.0.gem

Fetching jwt-2.3.0.gem

Fetching ruby2_keywords-0.0.5.gem

Fetching faraday-retry-1.0.3.gem

Fetching faraday-rack-1.0.0.gem

Fetching faraday-patron-1.0.0.gem

Fetching faraday-net_http-1.0.1.gem

Fetching faraday-net_http_persistent-1.2.0.gem

Fetching multipart-post-2.1.1.gem

Fetching faraday-multipart-1.0.3.gem

Fetching faraday-httpclient-1.0.1.gem

Fetching faraday-excon-1.1.0.gem

Fetching faraday-em_synchrony-1.0.0.gem

Fetching faraday-em_http-1.0.0.gem

Fetching hashie-3.6.0.gem

Fetching thread_safe-0.3.6-java.gem

Fetching descendants_tracker-0.0.4.gem

Fetching public_suffix-4.0.6.gem

Fetching addressable-2.8.0.gem

Fetching github_api-0.19.0.gem

Fetching faraday-1.10.0.gem

Fetching oauth2-1.4.9.gem

Fetching rchardet-1.8.0.gem

Fetching git-1.10.2.gem

Fetching builder-3.2.4.gem

Fetching juwelier-2.4.9.gem

Successfully installed semver2-3.4.2

Successfully installed nokogiri-1.13.4-java

Successfully installed kamelcase-0.0.2

Successfully installed highline-2.0.3

Successfully installed rack-2.2.3

Successfully installed multi_xml-0.6.0

Successfully installed multi_json-1.15.0

Successfully installed jwt-2.3.0

Successfully installed ruby2_keywords-0.0.5

Successfully installed faraday-retry-1.0.3

Successfully installed faraday-rack-1.0.0

Successfully installed faraday-patron-1.0.0

Successfully installed faraday-net_http_persistent-1.2.0

Successfully installed faraday-net_http-1.0.1

Successfully installed multipart-post-2.1.1

Successfully installed faraday-multipart-1.0.3

Successfully installed faraday-httpclient-1.0.1

Successfully installed faraday-excon-1.1.0

Successfully installed faraday-em_synchrony-1.0.0

Successfully installed faraday-em_http-1.0.0

Successfully installed faraday-1.10.0

Successfully installed oauth2-1.4.9

Successfully installed hashie-3.6.0

Successfully installed thread_safe-0.3.6-java

Successfully installed descendants_tracker-0.0.4

Successfully installed public_suffix-4.0.6

Successfully installed addressable-2.8.0

Successfully installed github_api-0.19.0

Successfully installed rchardet-1.8.0

Successfully installed git-1.10.2

Successfully installed builder-3.2.4

Successfully installed juwelier-2.4.9

32 gems installed

create .gitignore

create Rakefile

create Gemfile

create LICENSE.txt

create README.markdown

create .document

create lib

create lib/contact_manager.rb

create .rspec

Juwelier has prepared your gem in ./contact_manager

Created contact_manager/.gitignore

Created contact_manager/.ruby-version

Created contact_manager/.ruby-gemset

Created contact_manager/VERSION

Created contact_manager/LICENSE.txt

Created contact_manager/Gemfile

Created contact_manager/Rakefile

Created contact_manager/app/contact_manager.rb

Created contact_manager/app/contact_manager/view/app_view.rb

Created contact_manager/icons/windows/Contact Manager.ico

Created contact_manager/icons/macosx/Contact Manager.icns

Created contact_manager/icons/linux/Contact Manager.png

Created contact_manager/app/contact_manager/launch.rb

Created contact_manager/bin/contact_manager

jruby-9.3.7.0 - #gemset created /Users/andymaleh/.rvm/gems/jruby-9.3.7.0@contact_manager

jruby-9.3.7.0 - #generating contact_manager wrappers..............

Fetching gem metadata from https://rubygems.org/.........

Resolving dependencies...................

Using rake 13.0.6

Fetching public_suffix 4.0.6

Fetching array_include_methods 1.4.0

Fetching awesome_print 1.9.2

Fetching builder 3.2.4

Installing builder 3.2.4

Installing array_include_methods 1.4.0

Installing awesome_print 1.9.2

Installing public_suffix 4.0.6

Using bundler 2.3.9

Fetching concurrent-ruby 1.1.10

Fetching thread_safe 0.3.6 (java)

Installing concurrent-ruby 1.1.10

Fetching diff-lcs 1.5.0

Installing thread_safe 0.3.6 (java)

Installing diff-lcs 1.5.0

Fetching docile 1.4.0

Installing docile 1.4.0

Fetching facets 3.1.0

Fetching faraday-em_http 1.0.0

Fetching faraday-em_synchrony 1.0.0

Installing faraday-em_http 1.0.0

Installing facets 3.1.0

Installing faraday-em_synchrony 1.0.0

Fetching faraday-excon 1.1.0

Fetching faraday-httpclient 1.0.1

Installing faraday-excon 1.1.0

Installing faraday-httpclient 1.0.1

Fetching multipart-post 2.1.1

Fetching faraday-net_http 1.0.1

Installing multipart-post 2.1.1

Installing faraday-net_http 1.0.1

Fetching faraday-net_http_persistent 1.2.0

Fetching faraday-patron 1.0.0

Fetching faraday-rack 1.0.0

Installing faraday-net_http_persistent 1.2.0

Installing faraday-rack 1.0.0

Installing faraday-patron 1.0.0

Fetching faraday-retry 1.0.3

Installing faraday-retry 1.0.3

Fetching ruby2_keywords 0.0.5

Fetching rchardet 1.8.0

Installing ruby2_keywords 0.0.5

Installing rchardet 1.8.0

Fetching hashie 3.6.0

Fetching jwt 2.3.0

Installing hashie 3.6.0

Installing jwt 2.3.0

Fetching multi_json 1.15.0

Installing multi_json 1.15.0

Fetching multi_xml 0.6.0

Fetching rack 2.2.3

Installing multi_xml 0.6.0

Installing rack 2.2.3

Fetching jruby-win32ole 0.8.5

Fetching nested_inherited_jruby_include_package 0.3.0

Installing nested_inherited_jruby_include_package 0.3.0

Installing jruby-win32ole 0.8.5

Fetching os 1.1.4

Installing os 1.1.4

Fetching tty-color 0.6.0

Fetching tty-cursor 0.7.1

Fetching tty-screen 0.8.1

Installing tty-color 0.6.0

Installing tty-cursor 0.7.1

Installing tty-screen 0.8.1

Fetching wisper 2.0.1

Fetching rouge 3.28.0

Fetching method_source 1.0.0

Installing wisper 2.0.1

Installing method_source 1.0.0

Installing rouge 3.28.0

Fetching text-table 1.2.4

Installing text-table 1.2.4

Fetching highline 2.0.3

Installing highline 2.0.3

Using jar-dependencies 0.4.1

Fetching jruby-jars 9.3.7.0

Fetching jruby-rack 1.1.21

Installing jruby-rack 1.1.21

Fetching semver2 3.4.2

Installing semver2 3.4.2

Fetching racc 1.6.0 (java)

Installing racc 1.6.0 (java)

Fetching rspec-support 3.5.0

Installing rspec-support 3.5.0

Fetching rubyzip 1.3.0

Fetching simplecov-html 0.12.3

Installing rubyzip 1.3.0

Installing simplecov-html 0.12.3

Fetching simplecov_json_formatter 0.1.4

Installing simplecov_json_formatter 0.1.4

Fetching addressable 2.8.0

Fetching puts_debuggerer 0.13.5

Installing puts_debuggerer 0.13.5

Installing addressable 2.8.0

Fetching descendants_tracker 0.0.4

Installing descendants_tracker 0.0.4

Fetching faraday-multipart 1.0.3

Installing faraday-multipart 1.0.3

Fetching git 1.10.2

Fetching pastel 0.8.0

Fetching super_module 1.4.1

Installing git 1.10.2

Installing pastel 0.8.0

Installing super_module 1.4.1

Fetching tty-reader 0.9.0

Fetching psych 4.0.3 (java)

Installing tty-reader 0.9.0

Fetching kamelcase 0.0.2

Installing kamelcase 0.0.2

Installing jruby-jars 9.3.7.0

Installing psych 4.0.3 (java)

Fetching nokogiri 1.13.4 (java)

Fetching rspec-core 3.5.4

Installing rspec-core 3.5.4

  jar dependencies for psych-4.0.3-java.gemspec . . .

Installing gem 'ruby-maven' . . .

Fetching rspec-expectations 3.5.0

Installing rspec-expectations 3.5.0

Installing nokogiri 1.13.4 (java)

Fetching rspec-mocks 3.5.0

Installing rspec-mocks 3.5.0

Fetching simplecov 0.21.2

Installing simplecov 0.21.2

Fetching faraday 1.10.0

Installing faraday 1.10.0

Fetching glimmer 2.7.3

Installing glimmer 2.7.3

Fetching tty-prompt 0.23.1

Installing tty-prompt 0.23.1

Fetching rspec 3.5.0

Fetching warbler 2.0.5

Installing rspec 3.5.0

Installing warbler 2.0.5

Fetching oauth2 1.4.9

Fetching rake-tui 0.2.3

Installing rake-tui 0.2.3

Installing oauth2 1.4.9

Fetching glimmer-dsl-swt 4.24.4.3

Fetching github_api 0.19.0

using maven for the first time results in maven

downloading all its default plugin and can take time.

as those plugins get cached on disk and further execution

of maven is much faster then the first time.

Installing github_api 0.19.0

Installing glimmer-dsl-swt 4.24.4.3

2022-04-11T20:47:17.877-04:00 [main] WARN FilenoUtil : Native subprocess control requires open access to the JDK IO subsystem

Pass '--add-opens java.base/sun.nio.ch=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.io=ALL-UNNAMED' to enable.

      org.yaml:snakeyaml:1.28:compile

Fetching rdoc 6.4.0

Installing rdoc 6.4.0

Fetching juwelier 2.4.9

Installing juwelier 2.4.9

Bundle complete! 5 Gemfile dependencies, 74 gems now installed.

Use `bundle info [gemname]` to see where a bundled gem is installed.

Post-install message from glimmer-dsl-swt:

["\nYou are ready to use `glimmer` and `girb` commands on Windows and Linux.\n\nOn the Mac, run `glimmer-setup` command to complete setup of Glimmer DSL for SWT (it will configure a Mac required jruby option globally `-J-XstartOnFirstThread` so that you do not have to add manually), making `glimmer` and `girb` commands ready for use:\n\nglimmer-setup\n\n"]

   exist   .rspec

  create   spec/spec_helper.rb

Created contact_manager/spec/spec_helper.rb

Generated: contact_manager.gemspec

Locking gem jar-dependencies by downloading and storing in vendor/jars...

lock_jars --vendor-dir vendor/jars

Installing gem 'ruby-maven' . . .

Installing gem 'ruby-maven-libs' . . .

using maven for the first time results in maven

downloading all its default plugin and can take time.

as those plugins get cached on disk and further execution

of maven is much faster then the first time.

-- jar root dependencies --

2022-04-11T20:48:09.018-04:00 [main] WARN FilenoUtil : Native subprocess control requires open access to the JDK IO subsystem

Pass '--add-opens java.base/sun.nio.ch=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.io=ALL-UNNAMED' to enable.

      org.yaml:snakeyaml:1.28:compile

vendor jars:

- create vendor/jars/org/yaml/snakeyaml/1.28/snakeyaml-1.28.jar

Jars.lock created

Generating JAR configuration (config/warble.rb) to use with Warbler...

/Users/andymaleh/.rvm/gems/jruby-9.3.7.0@contact_manager/bin/warble

cp /Users/andymaleh/.rvm/gems/jruby-9.3.7.0@contact_manager/gems/warbler-2.0.5/warble.rb config/warble.rb

Generating JAR with Warbler...

/Users/andymaleh/.rvm/gems/jruby-9.3.7.0@contact_manager/bin/warble

application directory `db' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `docs' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `fonts' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `images' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `lib' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `package' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `script' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `sounds' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

application directory `videos' does not exist or is not a directory; skipping

rm -f dist/contact_manager.jar

Creating dist/contact_manager.jar

Generating native executable with jpackage...

Java Version  18 Detected!

jpackage --type app-image --dest 'packages/bundles' --input 'dist' --main-class JarMain --main-jar 'contact_manager.jar' --name 'Contact Manager' --vendor 'Contact Manager' --icon 'icons/macosx/Contact Manager.icns'  --java-options '-XstartOnFirstThread' --mac-package-name 'Contact Manager' --mac-package-identifier 'org.contact_manager.application.contact_manager'  --app-version "1.0.0"  --copyright "Copyright (c) 2022 contact_manager"   --name 'Contact Manager' --description 'Contact Manager'   

Launching Glimmer Application: ./bin/contact_manager

Launching Glimmer Application: /Users/andymaleh/code/contact_manager/app/contact_manager/launch.rb

Contact Manager Hello, World! Scaffolded Application:

3- Add ActiveRecord gems to Gemfile

Add the following ActiveRecord gems to Gemfile (we are using the latest versions compatible with JRuby 9.3.7.0, having Ruby 2.6.8 compatibility; ActiveRecord 7 requires a Ruby 2.7.0 compatible implementation, which JRuby does not support yet as of today, but should be supporting in the near future):

Run:

bundle install

Output:

Fetching gem metadata from https://rubygems.org/.......

Resolving dependencies..........................

Using rake 13.0.6

Using concurrent-ruby 1.1.10

Fetching zeitwerk 2.5.4

Fetching minitest 5.15.0

Using public_suffix 4.0.6

Fetching jdbc-sqlite3 3.28.0

Using array_include_methods 1.4.0

Using awesome_print 1.9.2

Using builder 3.2.4

Using bundler 2.3.9

Using thread_safe 0.3.6 (java)

Using diff-lcs 1.5.0

Using docile 1.4.0

Using facets 3.1.0

Using faraday-em_http 1.0.0

Using faraday-em_synchrony 1.0.0

Using faraday-excon 1.1.0

Using faraday-httpclient 1.0.1

Using multipart-post 2.1.1

Using faraday-net_http 1.0.1

Using faraday-net_http_persistent 1.2.0

Using faraday-patron 1.0.0

Using faraday-rack 1.0.0

Using faraday-retry 1.0.3

Using ruby2_keywords 0.0.5

Using rchardet 1.8.0

Using hashie 3.6.0

Using jwt 2.3.0

Using multi_json 1.15.0

Using multi_xml 0.6.0

Using rack 2.2.3

Using jruby-win32ole 0.8.5

Using nested_inherited_jruby_include_package 0.3.0

Using os 1.1.4

Using tty-color 0.6.0

Using tty-cursor 0.7.1

Using tty-screen 0.8.1

Using wisper 2.0.1

Using rouge 3.28.0

Using method_source 1.0.0

Using text-table 1.2.4

Using highline 2.0.3

Using jar-dependencies 0.4.1

Using jruby-jars 9.3.7.0

Using jruby-rack 1.1.21

Using semver2 3.4.2

Using racc 1.6.0 (java)

Using rspec-support 3.5.0

Using rubyzip 1.3.0

Using simplecov-html 0.12.3

Using simplecov_json_formatter 0.1.4

Fetching i18n 1.10.0

Installing zeitwerk 2.5.4

Installing minitest 5.15.0

Installing i18n 1.10.0

Fetching tzinfo 2.0.4

Using addressable 2.8.0

Using puts_debuggerer 0.13.5

Using descendants_tracker 0.0.4

Using glimmer 2.7.3

Using faraday-multipart 1.0.3

Using git 1.10.2

Using pastel 0.8.0

Using tty-reader 0.9.0

Using super_module 1.4.1

Using psych 4.0.3 (java)

Using kamelcase 0.0.2

Using nokogiri 1.13.4 (java)

Using rspec-core 3.5.4

Using rspec-expectations 3.5.0

Using rspec-mocks 3.5.0

Using warbler 2.0.5

Using simplecov 0.21.2

Using faraday 1.10.0

Using tty-prompt 0.23.1

Using rdoc 6.4.0

Using rspec 3.5.0

Using oauth2 1.4.9

Using rake-tui 0.2.3

Using github_api 0.19.0

Using glimmer-dsl-swt 4.24.4.3

Using juwelier 2.4.9

Installing tzinfo 2.0.4

Fetching activesupport 6.1.5

Installing activesupport 6.1.5

Fetching activemodel 6.1.5

Installing activemodel 6.1.5

Fetching activerecord 6.1.5

Installing activerecord 6.1.5

Fetching activerecord-jdbc-adapter 61.1 (java)

Installing jdbc-sqlite3 3.28.0

Installing activerecord-jdbc-adapter 61.1 (java)

Fetching activerecord-jdbcsqlite3-adapter 61.1 (java)

Installing activerecord-jdbcsqlite3-adapter 61.1 (java)

Bundle complete! 7 Gemfile dependencies, 84 gems now installed.

Use `bundle info [gemname]` to see where a bundled gem is installed.

4- Add an ActiveRecord migration for the contacts database table

Add a db/migrate.rb file under the project root directory with the following content (you can change the ActiveRecord::Migration version depending on the gem version you are using), which will run migrations on every app start, and skip executed migrations on subsequent runs of the app:

And, add a db/migrate/20220411211513_create_contacts.rb (date/time prefix must be the time you created the file) with the following content:

5- Add a SQLite database with ActiveRecord

Create a db/db.rb file with the following content under the project root directory to set up the SQLite database and run migrations afterwards using db/migrate.rb:

6- Add the Contact ActiveRecord model

Create app/contact_manager/model/contact.rb and add the Contact model code to it:

7- Add the ContactRepository model

Create app/contact_manager/model/contact_repository.rb and add the ContactRepository model code to it:

8- Add the ContactPresenter model

Create app/contact_manager/model/contact_presenter.rb and add the ContactPresenter model code to it:

9- Add the ContactForm custom widget view

Create app/contact_manager/view/contact_form.rb and add the `contact_form` custom widget view code to it:

10- Add the ContactTable custom widget view

Create app/contact_manager/view/contact_table.rb and add the `contact_table` custom widget view code to it:

11- Add the ContactManagerMenuBar custom widget view

Create app/contact_manager/view/contact_manager_menu_bar.rb and add the `contact_manager_menu_bar` custom widget view code to it:

12- Update the AppView

Update app/contact_manager/view/app_view.rb by replacing all code with the following:

13- Update the ContactManager entry point

Update app/contact_manager.rb by replacing all code with the following:

14- Replace app icons

Replace scaffolded app icons with the files below:

(Contact Manager logo was made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com)

Mac (icons/macosx/Contact%20Manager.icns)

https://github.com/AndyObtiva/contact_manager/raw/master/icons/macosx/Contact%20Manager.icns

Windows (icons/windows/Contact%20Manager.ico)

https://github.com/AndyObtiva/contact_manager/raw/master/icons/windows/Contact%20Manager.ico

Linux (icons/linux/Contact%20Manager.png)

https://github.com/AndyObtiva/contact_manager/raw/master/icons/linux/Contact%20Manager.png

15- Run

Run with the following command from inside the project directory:

glimmer run

Or use the scaffolded binary script:

./bin/contact_manager

Result:

16- Package Native Executable

Glimmer DSL for SWT supports packaging native executables using the `glimmer package` command. To get started with it, follow the packaging and distribution documentation.

You can run the following command on the Mac to package a native executable:

glimmer "package[dmg]"

On windows, you can run the following command assuming you have setup the WiX Toolset prerequisite:

glimmer "package[msi]"

On debian based Linux distros, you can run:

glimmer "package[deb]"

On redhat based Linux distros, you can run:

glimmer "package[rpm]"

Software Architecture & Design

Contact Manager follows the Model-View-Presenter flavor of MVC, so the View communicates to the Model via a Presenter, which is an enhanced Controller that enables bidirectional attribute data-binding between the Model and the View.

The View uses contact_form, contact_table, and contact_manager_menu_bar custom widgets (components).

The Contact Manager graphical user interface leverages the Master-Detail Interface Pattern by displaying a master list via contact_table and allowing navigation by selecting a Contact and displaying its details for editing in contact_form.

contact_table leverages the table widget, which has automatic in-memory sort support. contact_table also comes with a 'Delete...' right-click menu item (aka contextual pop up menu item) for deleting a selected Contact row.

contact_manager_menu_bar provides top menu bar actions like 'New', 'Save', 'Delete...', and 'Delete All...'

The Model layer includes a Contact and ContactRepository (DDD Repository Pattern) in addition to ContactPresenter (which is both a Controller and a Model at a higher level).

Contact follows the Active Record Pattern for Object Relational Mapping to store objects in a SQLite relational database table called contacts via a migration. It also implements ActiveRecord Validations for first_name, last_name, email, phone, and zip_or_postal_code fields.

ContactRepository provides the ability to search through all Contacts using the ActiveRecord Query Interface, triggered indirectly by ContactPresenter when typing into a text field that is on top of the contact_table .

The database is stored at File.join(Dir.home, 'db/contact_manager.sqlite3')

Reference Project at GitHub

A canonical version of the Contact Manager app exists on GitHub:

https://github.com/AndyObtiva/contact_manager

Happy Glimmering!

P.S. One caveat to be aware of is there is currently a reported issue in using the activerecord-jdbcsqlite3-adapter gem on a Mac ARM64 machine. So, please avoid that platform until the issue is fixed.