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I wish somebody would write a post like this for Ruby. Trying to craft a personal study plan of the best, most current resources from the large number of appar

I wish somebody would write a post like this for Ruby. Trying to craft a personal study plan of the best, most current resources from the large number of apparently high-quality offerings is difficult for a newcomer to the language. I'm operating on the assumption that success is mostly path-independent (just start doing stuff and going through resources, and you'll learn), but it still feels like a random walk approach to learning sometimes. I'd also like a list of critical tools for programmers new to the Ruby langauage. These things don't always get highlighted in beginner resources because of the need to hand-hold on fundamental concepts for people who've never programmed. For instance, I wish when I'd learned Python that somebody would have told me right at the beginning to install ipython, virtualenv, pip, etc. Edit: Wow. Thanks, guys, for all the good recommendations.

thetabyte 14y ago
The good news is, if you're doing Ruby in order to do Rails, there is such a thing. http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ruby-on-rails-tutorial-book http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ruby-on-rails-tutorial-book (Include every section labeled optional) For general Ruby though, less so. I've heard good things about http://tryruby.org/ http://tryruby.org/, and I liked the Pickaxe book (though I didn't love it).
- trustfundbaby 14y ago
  For Rails, I'd recommend, in this order 1. Agile Web Development with Rails 2. The Rails Way I've heard good things about "Beginning Rails 3", but I haven't read it myself, I'd pop that up to the top of the list if Agile Web Development with Rails isn't working for you.
thehermit 14y ago
I can give you my personal path I took when learning a few years ago if you don't mind starting with rails. Start with Michael Hartl's Rails Tutorial [1]. I went through the rails 3 version with zero knowledge of ruby and you should feel very comfortable with the basics when you are done. After that I read The Well-Grounded Rubyist [2]. Having used some ruby now I found the book easy to get into. It's a little dated but should still cover everything you need at this point. Lastly I read Eloquent Ruby [3]. I highly recommend this book and is easily my favorite programing book. [1] http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ [2] http://www.amazon.com/Well-Grounded-Rubyist-David-Black/dp/1933988657/ http://www.amazon.com/Well-Grounded-Rubyist-David-Black/dp/1... [3] http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321584104/ http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professio...
effbott 14y ago
Eloquent Ruby is an excellent book for beginners. http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321584104 http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professio... If you just want to learn some basics of Ruby without diving into an entire book, check out Ruby Monk. All of the tutorials are interactive: http://rubymonk.com/ http://rubymonk.com/
arikrak 14y ago
I wrote a post here of resources for learning ruby http://www.zappable.com/2012/11/learning-ruby-and-rails/ http://www.zappable.com/2012/11/learning-ruby-and-rails/ and made a chart here with some more: http://www.zappable.com/2012/12/a-map-of-resources-for-learning-ruby/ http://www.zappable.com/2012/12/a-map-of-resources-for-learn...
Kerrick 14y ago
I'd recommend starting with The Well Grounded Rubyist, by David A. Black. Publication Date: June 4, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1933988657 | ISBN-13: 978-1933988658
- trustfundbaby 14y ago
  I wouldn't recommend that to start tbh. Its a great book to get a deep understanding of how Ruby works, but as an intro, I think it could be a bit overwhelming and hard to get through. I would recommend in this order 1. Beginning Ruby (From Novice to Professional) 2. Eloquent Ruby ... then 3. The Well Grounded Rubyist
marcamillion 14y ago
I would like to second Eloquent Ruby. Russ Olsen has a magical way of explaining things in a very simple manner. I will always read anything he writes. Love his style. Now that I am thinking about it, I feel like re-reading that book. The most important thing to remember, when you are learning programming for the first time, is that the process is very, very long. You make A LOT of mistakes and it can be INCREDIBLY frustrating. But....once you push through, and actually validate that you know what you just learned and actually figure stuff out...I think there are very few highs that rival that rush. It's weird....but it is EXTREMELY satisfying. I think because the journey is so hard, that makes the discovery of the solution all the more pleasing. So, I would say....just prepare your mind that you have a lot of long nights, and problems that may take you days/weeks/months to "fully grok". Once you get in that mindset and are prepared to slog through, you will make it and be much better off for it.
- ivan_ah 14y ago
  @marcamillion Very well said. I have been trying to coin a buzz phrase for this feeling and the best I came up with was "knowledge buzz."

thetabyte 14y ago

The good news is, if you're doing Ruby in order to do Rails, there is such a thing. http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ruby-on-rails-tutorial-book http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ruby-on-rails-tutorial-book (Include every section labeled optional) For general Ruby though, less so. I've heard good things about http://tryruby.org/ http://tryruby.org/, and I liked the Pickaxe book (though I didn't love it).

trustfundbaby 14y ago
For Rails, I'd recommend, in this order 1. Agile Web Development with Rails 2. The Rails Way I've heard good things about "Beginning Rails 3", but I haven't read it myself, I'd pop that up to the top of the list if Agile Web Development with Rails isn't working for you.

thehermit 14y ago

I can give you my personal path I took when learning a few years ago if you don't mind starting with rails. Start with Michael Hartl's Rails Tutorial [1]. I went through the rails 3 version with zero knowledge of ruby and you should feel very comfortable with the basics when you are done. After that I read The Well-Grounded Rubyist [2]. Having used some ruby now I found the book easy to get into. It's a little dated but should still cover everything you need at this point. Lastly I read Eloquent Ruby [3]. I highly recommend this book and is easily my favorite programing book. [1] http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ [2] http://www.amazon.com/Well-Grounded-Rubyist-David-Black/dp/1933988657/ http://www.amazon.com/Well-Grounded-Rubyist-David-Black/dp/1... [3] http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321584104/ http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professio...

effbott 14y ago

Eloquent Ruby is an excellent book for beginners. http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321584104 http://www.amazon.com/Eloquent-Ruby-Addison-Wesley-Professio... If you just want to learn some basics of Ruby without diving into an entire book, check out Ruby Monk. All of the tutorials are interactive: http://rubymonk.com/ http://rubymonk.com/

arikrak 14y ago

I wrote a post here of resources for learning ruby http://www.zappable.com/2012/11/learning-ruby-and-rails/ http://www.zappable.com/2012/11/learning-ruby-and-rails/ and made a chart here with some more: http://www.zappable.com/2012/12/a-map-of-resources-for-learning-ruby/ http://www.zappable.com/2012/12/a-map-of-resources-for-learn...

Kerrick 14y ago

I'd recommend starting with The Well Grounded Rubyist, by David A. Black. Publication Date: June 4, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1933988657 | ISBN-13: 978-1933988658

trustfundbaby 14y ago
I wouldn't recommend that to start tbh. Its a great book to get a deep understanding of how Ruby works, but as an intro, I think it could be a bit overwhelming and hard to get through. I would recommend in this order 1. Beginning Ruby (From Novice to Professional) 2. Eloquent Ruby ... then 3. The Well Grounded Rubyist

marcamillion 14y ago

I would like to second Eloquent Ruby. Russ Olsen has a magical way of explaining things in a very simple manner. I will always read anything he writes. Love his style. Now that I am thinking about it, I feel like re-reading that book. The most important thing to remember, when you are learning programming for the first time, is that the process is very, very long. You make A LOT of mistakes and it can be INCREDIBLY frustrating. But....once you push through, and actually validate that you know what you just learned and actually figure stuff out...I think there are very few highs that rival that rush. It's weird....but it is EXTREMELY satisfying. I think because the journey is so hard, that makes the discovery of the solution all the more pleasing. So, I would say....just prepare your mind that you have a lot of long nights, and problems that may take you days/weeks/months to "fully grok". Once you get in that mindset and are prepared to slog through, you will make it and be much better off for it.

ivan_ah 14y ago
@marcamillion Very well said. I have been trying to coin a buzz phrase for this feeling and the best I came up with was "knowledge buzz."