When / how to start the lsp server

[pedz]

I'm new to lsp. I'm using lsp-docker for a specific project which is starting Solargraph inside the container for Ruby files. Emacs is outside the container. Currently, that is the only place I'm using lsp-mode.

What I need (I think) is to do (lsp t) the first time I start editing a Ruby file inside the project. I assume calling (lsp t) every time a Ruby file within the project is loaded would be bad. Is that correct?

Currently I have an eval in my .dir-locals.el file that calls (lsp t). The first time I edit a Ruby file, Messages has "LSP :: Connected to [rubyls-docker:47989/starting]." but editing subsequent Ruby files in the project has only "LSP :: Connected to [rubyls-docker:47989]." so it appears to be finding the same server.

I'm just wondering if I'm doing things right. lsp-mode is not autoloaded but lsp is so simply enabling lsp-mode didn't work.

Thank you for your time

[kiennq]

You can use (lsp-deferred) which will run (lsp) when the buffer becomes visible. Also, call them on the ruby-mode-hook. That would make sure the lsp will be started every time you open a new Ruby file.
And you don't have to worry about calling lsp on every new source file open, it would not have much negative impact on those