[ANN] Rails 3.1.0 has been released!

Hi everybody!

It's been 3 Months since RailsConf, so I think it's time we released Rails =
3.1.0.  So, here it is!  I've released Rails 3.1.0!

## CHANGES

For a much more attractive and easy to read list of changes, please check o=
ut the awesome [Rails 3.1.0 Release Notes on the Rails Guides site](http://=
guides.rubyonrails.org/3_1_release_notes.html).  For a less attractive list=
 of changes, please continue to read!

In order to help you make the most of your time in understanding changes fo=
r Rails 3.1.0, I've made a handy guide.  Simply answer the following questi=
on, and I'll tell you where to get info about changes in Rails 3.1:

How much time do you have on your hands?

a) Not that much.

b) I have time to click some links and browse around for a bit.

c) I have *way* too much time on my hands.

If you answered a, then you should read the rest of this announcement.

If you answered b, then check out each of the CHANGELOG files checked in to=
 the [Rails repository on github](http://github.com/rails/rails).

If you answered c, then please check out the [commit list between Rails 3.0=
=2E10 and 3.1.0](https://github.com/rails/rails/compare/v3.0.10...v3.1.0).

Here are some highlights of the major changes in Rails 3.1.0:

## [ActionPack](https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-1-stable/actionpack/C=
HANGELOG)

* ActionPack has been updated to include the new asset pipeline.  Please se=
e the [rails guides on the asset pipeline](http://edgeguides.rubyonrails.or=
g/asset_pipeline.html).

* Streaming response support has been added.  This feature allows you to st=
ream templates to the user before processing has actually finished.  See th=
e Rails Guides, or documentation in `ActionController::Metal::Streaming` fo=
r more information.  Middleware have been refactored to support this featur=
e.

* RJS has been extracted to a gem.

## [ActiveModel](https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-1-stable/activemodel=
/CHANGELOG)

* `attr_accessible` and friends now accepts :as as option to specify a role

* Added `ActiveModel::SecurePassword` to encapsulate dead-simple password u=
sage with BCrypt encryption and salting.

[ActiveRecord]

* Prepared statement caches have been integrated.  `ActiveRecord::Base#crea=
te` and simple finders will use a prepared statement and cache for more per=
formant inserts and selects.

* Associations have been refactored for greater simplicity and maintainabil=
ity.

* `default_scope` can take any object that responds to `call`.

* PostgreSQL adapter only supports PostgreSQL version 8.2 and higher.

* Migrations use instance methods rather than class methods.  Rather than d=
efining a `self.up` method, you should define an instance method `up`.

* Migrations are reversible.  When a new migration is generated, the migrat=
ion will contain one method called `change`.  Database changes made in this=
 method will automatically know how to reverse themselves.  For more inform=
ation, see the documentation for `ActiveRecord::Migration` and `ActiveRecor=
d::Migration::CommandRecorder`.

* When a model is generated, `add_index` is added by default for `belongs_t=
o` or `references` columns.

## [ActiveResource](https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-1-stable/activere=
source/CHANGELOG)

* The default format has been changed to JSON for all requests. If you want=
 to continue to use XML you will need to set `self.format =3D :xml` in the =
class.

## [ActiveSupport](https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-1-stable/activesup=
port/CHANGELOG)

* ActiveSupport::BufferedLogger set log encoding to BINARY, but still use t=
ext mode to output portable newlines.

* Add Object#in? to test if an object is included in another object.

* ActiveSupport::Dependencies::ClassCache class has been introduced for hol=
ding references to reloadable classes.

* Added `weeks_ago` and `prev_week` to Date/DateTime/Time.

* JSON decoding now uses the `multi_json` gem which also vendors a json eng=
ine called OkJson. The yaml backend has been removed in favor of OkJson as =
a default engine for 1.8.x, while the built in 1.9.x json implementation wi=
ll be used by default.

## [Railties](https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-1-stable/railties/CHANG=
ELOG)

* The default database schema file is written as UTF-8.

* Rack::Sendfile middleware is used only if `x_sendfile_header` is present.

* Add alias `r` for rails runner.

* jQuery is the new default JavaScript library.

* Added `config.force_ssl` configuration which loads Rack::SSL middleware a=
nd force all requests to be under HTTPS protocol

### SHA-1

* b68f74ced662145a4139409edf3c51db1159ead8  actionmailer-3.1.0.gem
* 136474f270677ae75ad0f9599d26e89cf1d4bc7b  actionpack-3.1.0.gem
* e6b68453c08bb0da52ed1d422ba2f87a5e3aa794  activemodel-3.1.0.gem
* dfbae15c0d395304812c22fbf18aa9daadbe20b4  activerecord-3.1.0.gem
* 3f1f547e500d1ffc1f7c3ee4ab9eb1526157a870  activeresource-3.1.0.gem
* f21627c2f429abfa8685d2147fadab6704c13869  activesupport-3.1.0.gem
* 21c6592189fb358a066846754a8f7ce7a238fca6  rails-3.1.0.gem
* 79cfa1eca232de9a45453829287e4438089b7955  railties-3.1.0.gem

<3 <3 <3

--=20
Aaron Patterson
http://tenderlovemaking.com/