Not to be confused with the gemstone, Ruby goes by a few names—Ruby, RoR, and Ruby on Rails. This is a dynamically-typed programming software. Object-oriented, free, and open-sourced, Ruby’s creation was inspired by other programs like Lisp and Perl. Similarly, Ruby has adapted to aspects of existing programs such as Python, a term referred to as ‘multi-paradigm’. Part of how Ruby functions is by viewing every bit of data as if it were objects (hence the basis of object-orientation). Even numbers fall into a category of objects called ‘integers’.
Ruby on Rails is a framework under Ruby that works as a back-end application. It’s used primarily for developing apps, particularly focused on scaling. RoR is also predictive and aims to suggest codes or processes a developer may want to implement. This design cuts back on the complexity of using the framework as well as the time it takes to develop an app.
Companies Using Ruby
- Shopify
- Hulu
- Square
- Twitch
- GitHub
What are ‘gems’?
RoR utilizes third party coding software within its structure. These software are known as ‘gems’. One of the most popular gems to use with RoR is Bundler. Often, other programming languages have a list of preferred gems to suggest to beginners. Simple Google searches can sometimes help find them or occasionally on the language’s website.
Tips & Resources to Help When Learning Ruby
- Ruby has many resources on its website to direct beginners on how to learn the layout of Ruby. This is crucial when learning any new programming language—spend time understanding where every tool is located.
- Once a basic understanding of how Ruby functions is obtained, beginners should test their own solutions first for practice. Continue this practice until it’s consistently successful. Then, try other solutions that have been pre-designed to see if the same results are achieved. This process will aid beginners by training their minds and sharpening their foundation of programming knowledge.
- Browse the RoR website’s resource libraries. There are plenty of tools for search engine optimization (i.e. Thinking Sphinx, Elasticsearch), database incorporation, and app delivery.
- TryRuby is another excellent tool for novice developers. It explains how Ruby works, demonstrates the simplicity of its language, and presents actual coding tasks to complete in Ruby for extra practice.
- The ‘Ruby Track’ on Exercism is a resource that encourages practice with fun puzzles and problems. It contains nearly one hundred tasks of varying difficulties.
Let the Ruby Journey Begin!
Since it’s release, Ruby has been praised for its simple syntax and easy learning curve. This software is still widely used, meaning there is no shortage of resources to choose from. Learning Ruby from scratch, brushing up on the latest updates, or switching to Ruby from another language is entirely possible through the ease of its website, for example. How-to videos and step-by-step guides are also among the top most useful tools available.
Regardless of skill level or project type, Ruby is designed to make software development as time-efficient and appealing as possible!
