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 Want to learn all about Ruby on Rails 2.0, the web application framework that is inspiring developers around the world?
The second edition of this practical, hands on book will:
- show you how to install Ruby on Rails on Windows, Mac, or Linux
- walk you, step by step, through the development of a Web 2.0 social news application, just like digg.com
- show you how to test, debug, benchmark, and deploy your Rails application
Unlike other Rails books, this book doesn't assume that you are an experienced web developer, or that you've used Ruby before. An entire chapter is devoted to learning Ruby in a fun way, using the interactive Ruby console, so you can follow along at home. You'll be an accomplished Ruby programmer in no time!
The example application that the book builds - a user-generated news web site - is built upon with each following chapter, and concepts such as sessions, cookies and basic AJAX usage are gradually introduced. Different aspects of Rails, such as user authentication, session cookies, and automated testing are explored with each feature that is added to the application.
The book finishes with chapters on debugging, benchmarking and deployment to a live web server.
By the end of the book, you'll have built a fully-featured Web 2.0 application and deployed it to the Web. And all code is up-to-date for Rails 2.0, so you can begin coding immediately with the latest version of Rails.
What Will You Learn?
This book will teach you how to:
- Program with confidence in the Ruby language.
- Build and deploy a complete Rails web application.
- Exploit the new features available in Rails 2.
- Use Rails' Ajax features to create slick interfaces.
- Reap the benefits of a best-practice MVC architecture.
- Work with databases easily using ActiveRecord.
- Implement RESTful development patterns and clean URLs.
- Create a user authentication system.
- Use object oriented concepts like inheritance and polymorphism.
- Build a comprehensive automated testing suite for your application.
- Add plugins to easily enhance your application's functionality.
- Use migrations to manage your database schema without data loss.
- Achieve maximum code reuse with filters and helper functions.
- Debug your application using the ruby_debug client.
- Analyze your application's performance using the Rails logging infrastructure.
- Benchmark your application to determine performance bottlenecks.
- And a whole lot more
Request Your Free eBook: "Simply Rails 2"
Learn how to be an accomplished Ruby programmer in no time!
Simply Rails 2 is an easy-to-follow, practical and fun guide to Ruby on Rails for beginners. It covers all you need to get up and running, from installing Ruby, Rails and SQLite to building and deploying a fully featured web application. Unlike other Rails books, this book doesn't assume that you are an experienced web developer, or that you've used Ruby before. An entire chapter is devoted to learning Ruby in a fun way, using the interactive Ruby console, so you can follow along at home.
Geographic Eligibility: USA, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom
Publisher: SitePoint
What's inside
Chapter One: Introducing Ruby on Rails
The first chapter takes a look at the fascinating history of Rails, as well as the key concepts and features that will be built in to the example application.
Chapter Two: Getting Started: Intro
It’s go time! In chapter two you’ll cover the installation of required software and the setup of the Database for the example application.
Chapter Three: Introducing Ruby
Ladies and Gentleman, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Ruby. Chapter three will look at object oriented programming language and more specifically the Ruby syntax.
Chapter Four: Rails Revealed
Forget the ropes, learn the Rails. The fourth chapter digs deeper into the Rails framework and introduces you to model-view-controller architecture.
Chapter Five: Models, Views and Controllers
This is where you’ll generate the first few lines of code. You’ll also create a class for storing data, as well as learning about the interaction between storing and displaying data.
Chapter Six: Helpers, Forms and Layouts
In chapter six you’ll see how the Rails built-in features reduce the amount of code required. You’ll also get stylish, creating a form that incorporates CSS. You’ll learn how to write unit and functional tests.
Chapter Seven: Ajax and Web 2.0
In chapter seven we really get down to business. Learn some nifty Ajax effects that you can add to your application to update parts of a page without reloading it. Learn about the different relationships you can establish between your objects.
Chapter Eight: Protective Measures
Chapter eight shows you how to turn away the ne’er-do-wells by adding user authentication. You’ll also learn about sessions and cookies, as well as the benefits of data migration.
Chapter Nine: Advanced Topics
It’s time to let the example application out of the cage! You’ll get through a truck load of added functionality, and take a look at model call backs and join models.
Chapter Ten: Plugins
This chapter shows you how to add plug-ins so that you can expand the functionality of your application. More advanced model associations are discussed also.
Chapter Eleven: Debugging, Testing and Benchmarking
The eleventh chapter touches on the theory and practice of testing and benchmarking. It outlines why you need to comprehensively test all of your code. You’ll also learn some tips on how to debug your application if something goes wrong.
Chapter Twelve: Deployment
Your shiny new train has been built, now it’s time to take it out of the station. The final chapter explores options for deploying your feature-packed, fully functional application to a production server.
About the Author
Patrick Lenz has been developing web applications for more than ten years. Founder and lead developer of the freshmeat.net software portal, he and his Rails consultancy and web application development company, limited overload, are responsible for several community-driven web applications developed using Ruby on Rails. Patrick also authored some of the first articles to appear on the web about architecting and scaling larger Rails applications.
Patrick lives in Wiesbaden, Germany, with his wife Alice and his daughter Gwendolyn.
When not working in front of a computer, he can often be seen with a camera in his hand, either taking artsy pictures or documenting the progress of his baby girl conquering the world.1 He also enjoys cars, music, and extended weekend brunches with friends.
His weblog can be found at http://poocs.net/.
About the Expert Reviewer
Luke Redpath is a programmer with over seven years’ experience in the web design and development field. A recovering PHP and ASP developer, Luke has been using Ruby and Rails professionally for nearly two years and has released and contributed to several Ruby libraries and Rails plugins, including UJS—the Rails unobtrusive JavaScript plugin.2 He currently resides in North London with his long-term partner Julie.
About the Technical Editor
Andrew Tetlaw has been tinkering with web sites as a web developer since 1997 and has also worked as a high school English teacher, an English teacher in Japan, a window cleaner, a car washer, a kitchen hand, and a furniture salesman.
At SitePoint he is dedicated to making the world a better place through the technical editing of SitePoint books and kits. He is also a busy father of five, enjoys coffee, and often neglects his blog at http://tetlaw.id.au/.
About the Technical Director
As Technical Director for SitePoint, Kevin Yank oversees all of its technical publications— books, articles, newsletters, and blogs.
He has written over 50 articles for SitePoint, but is best known for his book, Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL. 3 Kevin lives in Melbourne, Australia, and enjoys performing improvised comedy theater and flying light aircraft.
About SitePoint
SitePoint specializes in publishing fun, practical, and easy-to-understand content for web professionals.
Visit http://www.sitepoint.com/ to access our books, newsletters, articles, and community forums.
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