Learning a new language can be tough enough but learning a new framework can be even tougher. So while some .NET developers may be tempted to try out Ruby On Rails, learning both a new language, Ruby, and a new framework, Rails, may prove to be a daunting prospect. For some people, the sheer unfamiliarity of everything may prove to be an insurmountable barrier.
Now Jeff Cohen and Brian Eng’s book comes to the rescue. The book assumes a readership familiar with Microsoft languages and technologies and it quickly explains the fundamental differences between these and Ruby On Rails. It starts with a quick ’hands on’ session to give users a flavour of Rails development and then moves on to look at features such as the MVC (Model, View, Controller) methodology, unit testing and the nitty gritty details of crucial Rails classes and methods many of which may seem alien to.NET programmers.
As one of the developers of the only Visual Studio Ruby On Rails IDE for professional developers (Ruby In Steel), I am surprised that no more than two very brief mentions are given to that IDE in the entire course of the book. However, putting that prejudice to one side, I have to say that Cohen and Eng have generally done a pretty decent job of getting across the fundamental features of Rails development for .NET users.
The book won’t explain everything a .NET user needs to know about Rails. Indeed, it only covers the elementary details of the Ruby language itself. So if you are a .NET user, don’t think that this will teach you everything you need to know about Ruby On Rails development. However, it’s a good place to start learning.
More information on the book’s contents here: http://www.pragprog.com/titles/cerailn/rails-for-net-developers
The authors’ web site here: http://www.softiesonrails.com/
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