1. Rooks sometimes sit around in corners at the start of the game, when you really want to get them working for you. To do this, you need an open (or a half-open) file.
2. A open file is a file without pawns. Put your Rooks on open files, or both Rooks one one open file. Control of an open file is useful in itself, and is also the route into your opponent's seventh rank (van Vliet - Znosko-Borovsky).
3. A half-open file is a file without pawns of one colour -- it's open from one side. If there aren't any open files, do put your Rook on a half-open file. The furthest square on a half-open file is an outpost for you, and if your opponent attacks your piece on that square with a nearby pawn, they may be making weaknesses.
4. You can use the half-open file to make weaknesses with a minority attack.
5. If there aren't any open or half-open files, you need to open one -- by swapping pawns. You will then have either an open file or two half-open files.
6. The pawns most likely to be swapped are central pawns, as those are the pawns most likely to be moved, near enough for the opponent's pawns to meet

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[Event "Oostende Masters"]
[Site "Ostend"]
[Date "1907.05.21"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Van Vliet, Louis"]
[Black "Znosko Borovsky, Eugene"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D00"]
[Annotator "strategy: rooks on ranks/files"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "1907.05.16"]
[EventRounds "29"]
[EventCountry "BEL"]

{A game mostly about rooks} 1. d4 d5 2. e3 c5 3. c3 e6 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. f4 {
The dangerous Stonewall Attack. Castling quickly would be dangerous for Black.}
Nf6 6. Nd2 Qc7 {! Just great. White completely misses the point. Black plans
to open the c-file.} 7. Ngf3 {?!} cxd4 {'!'} 8. cxd4 (8. exd4 Qxf4) (8. Nxd4 e5
) 8... Nb4 {'!'} 9. Bb1 Bd7 10. a3 Rc8 {'!'} 11. O-O (11. axb4 Qxc1 $15) 11...
Bb5 {'-/+!'} 12. Re1 (12. axb4 Bxf1 13. Qxf1 Qxc1 $19) 12... Nc2 13. Bxc2 Qxc2
14. Qxc2 Rxc2 {[#]} 15. h3 Bd6 (15... Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Ng5 f5 (17... Bc6)
(17... Bd3) 18. Nxe6) 16. Nb1 Ne4 (16... O-O {is safe but pointless!}) 17. Nfd2
Bd3 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 (18... dxe4 $5) 19. Nd2 Kd7 {'!' no need to castle} 20. Nxe4
dxe4 21. Rb1 Rhc8 {Complete control of the c-file.} 22. b4 {'?'} R8c3 {'!'} 23.
Kf1 Kc6 (23... g5 $5) 24. Bb2 Rb3 {[#] The Black Rooks have invaded, making
threats from side to side} 25. Re2 Rxe2 26. Kxe2 Kb5 {Black's King arrives
quickly, thanks to not castling} 27. Kd2 Ka4 28. Ke2 {[#] Black's pieces are
as good as they are going to get.} a5 {'!'} 29. Kf2 (29. bxa5 Bxa3 (29... Kxa5)
30. Bxa3 Rxb1) 29... axb4 30. axb4 Kxb4 31. Ke2 Kb5 32. Kd2 Ba3 {'!'} 33. Kc2
Rxb2+ {'!' Win when you're winning} 34. Rxb2+ Bxb2 35. Kxb2 Kc4 36. g4 (36. Kc2
b5 {0-1 van vliet-znosko-borovsky 1907 (CHERNEV) Van Vliet-Znosko-Borovsky,E
rooks on files: open 1907}) 36... Kd3 37. g5 Kxe3 0-1