The Top 10

From Twitter to Airbnb to Kickstarter to Github, many of the websites we use every day run on the language/framework duo of Ruby on Rails. A great tool for building powerful applications quickly, Ruby is a versatile programming language used primarily for web programming, while Rails is a framework for building websites that combines Ruby with other tools to make building a website easier. Think of Rails as giving Ruby extended web-application-building super powers.

LaunchCode’s website and applications are written primarily in Ruby on Rails, and our developers have compiled an overview of the best way to dive into cutting and polishing this gem of a skill set. Here are our 10 faves:

Just starting out

1. Try ruby gives beginners a feel for what Ruby is, and whether it's for you in only about 15 minutes!

2. Rails for Zombies is a fun dash through the basics, just beware of the zombies...

Level up your learning

After digging into the basics, there are a range of different resources to supplement your skills. From quick tutorials to old fashioned textbooks, here are some of the best:

3. Ruby on Rails Tutorial is a free online version of the Michael Hartl book — not for fresh beginners but great for Rails. Just click on "Read Online Free" or purchase the actual book.

4. Rails Girls may be aimed at the ladies, but it's great for everyone. Primarily formatted as outlines for teachers to use, these are also handy for teaching yourself.

5. RoR guides provides accessible guides for learning specific elements of Ruby on Rails.

6. Learning Ruby is a great book available in paper or e-reader format on the fundamentals of Ruby by Michael James Fitzgerald.

7. Ruby Koans has smaller exercises to practice key skills.

8. Ruby Weekly is a free weekly email digest of Ruby news, articles, blog posts, and other helpful content.

9. Green Ruby is another weekly resource digest full of tech tidbits, try it if you like the above Ruby Weekly.

10. Practical Object-Oriented Design in Ruby: An Agile Primer helps you focus on easy-to-maintain object-oriented Ruby code. Available in paper and e-book formats, by Sandi Metz.

Bonus

For an extra-comprehensive list of learning tools compiled in one place, check out I Want To Learn Ruby.

Happy Coding!

By the LaunchCode Tech Team

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