Practical uses
- Build productive web applications
- Write readable automation and domain-specific languages
- Create developer tooling and static sites
- Prototype business ideas quickly
Ruby
A readable, object-oriented scripting language, best known for web apps built with Rails.
Ruby is a dynamic, open source programming language designed to be simple and productive, with a syntax that is easy to read and write. It is widely used for web development through the Ruby on Rails framework, as well as for scripts and tooling.
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Start lesson 1 Lessons
- Hello, Ruby!Write and run your first Ruby program, and learn the difference between puts, print and p.
- Variables & TypesLearn how variables, strings, numbers and symbols work in Ruby. Every value in Ruby is an object with methods, including nil, true and integers.
- Control FlowLearn if, unless, case and Ruby's loops. Ruby offers readable forms such as `unless` (if not), `until` (while not) and conditions at the end of a line.
- MethodsLearn how to define methods with `def`, pass arguments, and use blocks, procs and lambdas. A Ruby method returns the value of its last expression automatically.
- Arrays, Hashes & RangesLearn how to work with arrays, hashes and ranges. Built-in methods such as map, select and each handle most tasks you would otherwise write a loop for.
- Strings & RegexLearn the most useful String methods and how to search and transform text with regular expressions. All of this is built in, with nothing to import.
- Classes & OOPLearn how to define classes, create objects and use inheritance in Ruby. Helpers like `attr_accessor` generate getters and setters for you.
- Modules & MixinsLearn how modules group related methods and share them between classes. `include` adds a module's methods as instance methods and `extend` adds them as class methods; this is called a mixin.
- Error HandlingLearn how to raise and rescue exceptions so your program can recover from errors. `begin/rescue/ensure` works like try/catch/finally in other languages.
- Mini Project: CLI Password GeneratorBuild a command-line password generator that uses modules, classes, string handling and argument parsing together.
- Ruby CheatsheetSyntax, blocks, collections, and classes on one page.
Install it on your own computer
On macOS and Linux, install Ruby with a version manager such as rbenv or rvm so you can switch versions per project. On Windows, use RubyInstaller.
# Download and run RubyInstaller from rubyinstaller.org
# Choose the version with MSYS2/MINGW development toolchain (DevKit).
# Verify:
ruby -v
gem -vWhat people build with Ruby
Learn the basics first, then pick up these tools when a project needs them.
Projects to try
- CLI journal
- Sinatra URL shortener
- Rails booking system
- Custom static-site generator