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Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Beginning From Novice to Professional)

Peter Cooper · 5 HN comments
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Amazon Summary
Ruby is perhaps best known as the engine powering the hugely popular Ruby on Rails web framework. However, it is an extremely powerful and versatile programming language in its own right. It focuses on simplicity and offers a fully object-oriented environment. Beginning Ruby is a thoroughly contemporary guide for every type of reader who wants to learn Ruby, from novice programmers to web developers to Ruby newcomers. It starts by explaining the principles behind object-oriented programming and within a few chapters builds toward creating a genuine Ruby application. The book then explains key Ruby principles, such as classes and objects, projects, modules, and libraries, and other aspects of Ruby such as database access. In addition, Ruby on Rails is covered in depth, and the books appendixes provide essential reference information as well as a primer for experienced programmers. What you’ll learn Understand the basics of Ruby and object-oriented building blocks. Work with Ruby libraries, gems, and documentation. Work with files and databases. Write and deploy Ruby applications. Explore Ruby web frameworks and aspects of network programming with Ruby. Develop desktop and GUI applications with Ruby. Who this book is for Beginning programmers, programmers new to Ruby, and web developers interested in knowing the foundations of the language.
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Hacker News Stories and Comments

All the comments and stories posted to Hacker News that reference this book.
Start with Ruby, build some command line apps. Make a chess/checkers/other complicated game to cement in object oriented programming. Move to Rails. Learn some SQL(sqlzoo is probably enough). Rails has a lot of magic, if something seems magical learn what it does until it is no longer magical. After that, add some javascript/jQuery to your rails apps. Once you feel comfortable with that move onto a frontend framework like Backbone or Angular.

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional-Exp... this is a good book for the Ruby path.

http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ This is the go-to rails tutorial. But beware that he doesn't explain things in super fine detail, so if Hartl tells you to do something that you don't understand stop and do some research on whats happening. Expect to spend a day or two on each chapter.

joshfenmore
A lot of people recommended me ruby but I feel like I'm loosing the foundation of programming and maybe somewhere along the line I won't understand something because I skipped it.
sergiotapia
This is correct. Start with something like C#, Java or Go.
Oct 25, 2010 · taphangum on Ask HN: Rails or Django?
I would stick with PHP and try codeigniter. Going down the 'Rails' or 'Django' path. Ultimately just gives you a new toy. I wouldn't say it was worth it. But that depends on what your goals are.

Ruby is a nice language though. I do all my non-web stuff in that.

I highly recommend Peter Cooper's Book: Beginning Ruby, Link:http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional/dp/..., if you'd like to get started with it.

askar
I second that...CodeIgniter is really nice with no fuss...Rails is nice too unless you get familiar with it...in the mean time CodeIgniter is your rescue. Simple framework that's quite flexible.
I would start with these books:

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional/dp/...

http://pragprog.com/titles/rails3/agile-web-development-with...

With your deadlines, you're going to have to skip over some CS basics just to get everything going. That's okay though, there is enough to learn to keep you busy for a lifetime. The most important skill set that you need to learn right now is how to determine what's important this second and what can wait until later. Deadlines are a fantastic way to learn that skill :D

There are quite a few choices. You won't go wrong with any of these from amazon. (URLS provided by amazon, not a spam or affiliate link)

Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Beginning from Novice to Professional) (Paperback) http://amzn.com/1590597664

Simply Rails 2 by Patrick Lenz Permalink: http://amzn.com/0980455200

Head First Rails: A learner's companion to Ruby on Rails by David Griffiths Permalink: http://amzn.com/0596515774

Beginning Rails: From Novice to Professional (Beginning from Novice to Professional) by Jeffrey Allan Hardy Permalink: http://amzn.com/1590596862

I suggest you pick up a version control book as well: svn or git from pragmatic programmers, may as well get this part done early so it becomes transparent.

Good luck

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