RubyOnRails – A newbie introduction
First Impression
Wow! That was easy!
After doing the normal Google -> Review -> Google some more process I was left with a long list of things to look at and also some other examples of people who have been down the same path. All of the development was completed on Windows XP SP2 (except the deployment to Linux which was running under VMWare).
- Install Instant Rails – This will get you up and running in no time, you don’t need to know anything about Rails or Ruby at this pointOne thing that you will notice if moving from the .net world is that you don’t need to compile it
- Read the Instant and follow the short tutorials, this is in the help\index.html directory where you installed Instant Rails
- Consider an Editor – I used RadRails but I’m still looking for something more…
- Watch the Screencasts to get a feel for what you should could do and how quickly (once you know Ruby)At this point you may want to purchase a Mac so that you can use the cool TextMate. I have already requested a Mac Book Pro as my next Laptop J
- Copy the code, but hand craft it to complete the Putting Flickr on Rails screencast
This will help you find your way around the environment, debug the application (you will get an Invalid Key error, tip ‘look at the Flickr gem code initialization’) - Purchase the book Agile Web Development with Rails, the second edition is out and fully up to date with version 1.2 of Instant Rails. The book details how to get the vendor version if it is not released yet. This is a really easy book to read, very well written and really does make a difference.
- If you enjoy reading and want something a little off the wall you could try Why’s (Poignant) Guide to Ruby, I have found this funny, but difficult to get into – but the Foxes did get the Chunky Bacon into the samples (you need to read it for that one J)
- Update Use source control – Subversion will do the trick
Subscribe to some feeds Planet Ruby On Rails, Loud Thinking – David Heinemeier Hansson
Going forward I’m looking at improving my html development, I need to stop using tables!, I need to improve my JavaScript (http://script.aculo.us/ ) and I am looking at Unbuntu, MySQL, SQLLite, Lighttpd, Mongrel to name but a few.
Exciting times!
