ruby_koans

This sounds pretty similar to code koans, where you learn a language by making all the tests pass. The rustlings course for Rust works this way too - very effective IMO. Some examples: - F#: https://github.com/ChrisMarinos/FSharpKoans - Ruby: https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans - Powershell: https://github.com/vexx32/PSKoans - Rust: https://github.com/rust-lang/rustlings

If you know other programming languages, especially object oriented ones, I'd recommend spending a couple days on Ruby. Line between Rails and Ruby is kinda blurry * Have a look at the syntax: https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/ruby/ * Work through the Ruby koans: https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans * If you have time or desire, look through the Poignant's Guide to Ruby: https://poignant.guide It is a wonderful language. Good luck.

A list of resources from the video: Web resources: - http://guides.rubyonrails.org - http://peepcode.com - http://railscasts.com - https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans Books: - http://www.pragprog.com/titles/rails4/agile-web-development-... : Agile Web Development with Rails - http://pragprog.com/titles/ruby3/programming-ruby-1-9 : Programming Ruby 1.9 (Pickaxe book) - http://www.amazon.com/Rails-Way-Addison-Wesley-Professional-... : The Rails 3 Way

there is a cool thing called ruby koans on github which teaches you ruby: https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans

* Learn HTML -> create something simple * Learn CSS -> create something simple * Learn Javascript -> create something simple * Learn to use git to maintain your projects. * For the backend stuff... read this one: http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/ which is a very simple introduction to ruby. Then try to create some simple stuff (that aren't web apps) with ruby. Like a program that just helps you shorten your daily work (posting to twitter via command line, etc). Then do the Ruby Koans (today i completed 107 of the 269 koans). It's just thinking + trying + fill-in-the-blanks + learn something on the way. They are incredibly good and addictive. That way you'll also learn some testing and good ruby :) https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans Then move on to the rails tutorial you mentioned that you read (M.Hart's). You'll be awesome enough to unde

See also https://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans

def test_changing_hashes hash = { :one => "uno", :two => "dos" } hash[:one] = "eins" expected = { :one => "eins", :two => "dos" } assert_equal expected, hash # Bonus Question: Why was "expected" broken out into a variable # rather than used as a literal? end Can anyone help with the bonus question? From searching Google, I read that the reason: assert_equal { :one => "eins", :two => "dos" }, hash gives an error is that Ruby believes this to be a block. But then why doesn't it consider the hash to be a block below: expected = { :one => "eins", :two => "dos" } ? Edit: thanks jashkenas for the explanation! Edit2: for anybody else trying these, I think the version in github is more up-to-date, with some corrections: http://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans

If you want to get a handle on the basics, especially ruby basics, try out ruby koans. http://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans They are simple exercises that you can work through without prior knowledge, its a fast and fun way to get your feet wet. Then its important to read some books and get a good foundation under those wet feet, but we all know books can be boring, try to find one that has an actual project you work on throughout, seeing concepts come to life in front of you can be really helpful. Then try to look at some code, since you are using rails I would highly suggest railscasts ( http://railscasts.com/ ) they are short videos, but there are 188 as of this writing that show some cool stuff about rails and get you in the hacker mindset.