Author Topic: Learning Ruby on Rails!  (Read 2976 times)

CatamaranSailor

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Learning Ruby on Rails!
« on: November 10, 2016, 06:51:41 AM »
I've always been a hardware guy when it comes to IT. I can learn new applications quickly. But coding (other than HTML and CSS) has always been a deep dark hole.

No more!

Last week I embarked on a self learning project to learn Ruby on Rails.

Yesterday I finished my first project (an Etsy like demo site) that actually works! :)

Scared the hell out of the two rabbits I share the basement with when I jumped up and down giggling after fixing a database problem!

My goal is to actually build something useful from scratch!

BudgetSlasher

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2016, 03:38:38 PM »
What resources where you using to teach yourself? I've been considering getting back into coding after flirting with HTML/C++/Java 15 12 years ago.

CatamaranSailor

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2016, 07:16:21 AM »
What resources where you using to teach yourself? I've been considering getting back into coding after flirting with HTML/C++/Java 15 12 years ago.

The first thing I did was go through several refresher courses on HTML 5 and CSS 3 through Lynda.com. Then I set up a development environment using Bitnami's Ruby stack, as well as Aptiva Studio and Sublime 3. I've been dedicating two hours a day in the morning where I turn off everything else...phone, Internet, etc...and just concentrate on learning. I've started with some basic "Ruby on Rails for Newbies" type courses through Udemy and Stack Skills and Lynda to learn how Rails does things. I'm to the point now where I'm able to create basic applications and deploy them on Heroku. Nothing that would impress a seasoned developer ("Look! A Web form! And you can enter DATA!") but enough to motivate me to keep going.

I've also been modifying other people's existing Rails applications....adding or changing functionality either by coding or installing different gems. My next step is a standard "Learn the Ruby Language" course while continuing to experiment with the rails framework. I have a friend who sent his code for a Rails app he built a few years ago for a shipping/receiving system that I have up and going and he's been sending me "challenges."

Hope that helps!

the_gastropod

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2016, 07:34:46 AM »
Congratulations, that is awesome! Keep at it, and you'll become a wizard in no time. When you move onto learning more about Ruby specifically, spend a bit of time with enumerables. Using them a lot will help you think more functionally, and just makes for really pretty code. Keep cruising!

independence

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2017, 03:41:59 AM »
I've been learning Python recently. My plan is Codecademy and then Learn Python the Hard Way. I'm about 40% of the way through the Codecademy Python section.

I already know HTML and CSS but I'd really like to learn more full-stack stuff once I'm comfortable with Python.

Maybe we should have a learning to code thread?


dreams_and_discoveries

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2017, 09:24:49 AM »
I'm interested in this topic - I'm a database programmer by trade, and often fancy dipping my toes into other areas.

So far Python and Ruby on rails are under consideration.....but  I think I'll need to dedicate a considerable amount of time, to make sure I learn properly....and ideally I'd want a real project to play with.

I'm very impressed you are managing 2 hours study each day, no wonder you are making such good progress.

mizzourah2006

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2017, 09:52:13 AM »
I've been learning Python recently. My plan is Codecademy and then Learn Python the Hard Way. I'm about 40% of the way through the Codecademy Python section.

I already know HTML and CSS but I'd really like to learn more full-stack stuff once I'm comfortable with Python.

Maybe we should have a learning to code thread?

I'm down for that, I'm also teaching myself Python. Finished Code Academy and the MIT course on Edx.org. Now I've moved on to machine learning specific resources. I'd definitely be down for a learning to code thread. I had a buddy that was supposed to be learning with me, but he flaked out after like 4 weeks and it's made me not focus as much too. I need to get back into the groove as the best way to learn is to be doing it every day.

lchu

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2017, 07:10:39 AM »
Following -- I'm game to participate!  I'm a self-taught coder (just enough to help high school students learn basics), but I'm struggling with how to challenge more advanced students.  Since , so I'd like more practical practice.

I found the Codecademy and Make School style tutorials to be very clunky.  They're helpful for teaching syntax, but IMO, you need previous programming experience to make some of the mental leaps that are expected of you.  I'm also disappointed that a lot of Codecademy's projects moved behind a subscription paywall -- even though you can go through their tutorials for free, you come out the other side feeling like you still don't quite know what to make or do.


I'm down for that, I'm also teaching myself Python. Finished Code Academy and the MIT course on Edx.org. Now I've moved on to machine learning specific resources. I'd definitely be down for a learning to code thread. I had a buddy that was supposed to be learning with me, but he flaked out after like 4 weeks and it's made me not focus as much too. I need to get back into the groove as the best way to learn is to be doing it every day.

I made it to Week 5 of the MIT EDX class for Python, but got frustrated with spending 3 hours every night just staring at code by myself with nobody to talk to or ask questions.  That said, it was EXCELLENT in terms of great projects that you needed to solve by coding/programming.  But man, if you aren't MIT material, plan to double the amount of time they recommend for studying/solving.

A suggestion -- assuming it wasn't discontinued in the Gawker Media debacle, LifeHacker's "Spring/Summer University" free online class recommendations are usually published around this time of year (although a quick google shows that there wasn't a 2017 post...)  They do a nice round-up of the free MOOC classes that run "live" sessions and they usually highlight both the classics and new courses.

independence

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2017, 09:55:49 AM »
I've got to almost half way through the Codecademy Python course and I'm definitely finding it a bit difficult too. I already knew HTML and CSS but parts of the course seem to be missing huge chunks. The amount of times I've had to use their live chat for their advisers to provide me with some code that was never taught in the course...

I am paying for the subscription (only for a month) and the interactive lessons are great but I can definitely see why they're planning to completely revamp some things. It really needs it. I love the idea though and it's definitely gave me some confidence in Python.

I'm thinking I'll start on the MIT OCW lectures if I can't make any more progress with Codecademy today.

mizzourah2006

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Re: Learning Ruby on Rails!
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2017, 01:30:23 PM »
I've got to almost half way through the Codecademy Python course and I'm definitely finding it a bit difficult too. I already knew HTML and CSS but parts of the course seem to be missing huge chunks. The amount of times I've had to use their live chat for their advisers to provide me with some code that was never taught in the course...

I am paying for the subscription (only for a month) and the interactive lessons are great but I can definitely see why they're planning to completely revamp some things. It really needs it. I love the idea though and it's definitely gave me some confidence in Python.

I'm thinking I'll start on the MIT OCW lectures if I can't make any more progress with Codecademy today.
If you are willing to pay I think Jose Portilla's Complete Python Bootcamp on Udemy is a good one. You can usually find codes where the cost of the course is only $10-$15. IMO it's much better than Code Academy.

https://www.udemy.com/complete-python-bootcamp/
« Last Edit: April 14, 2017, 01:32:36 PM by mizzourah2006 »