What is the Ruby language?
Ruby is an open-source programming language developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto (known as “Matz” by the Ruby community) in 1995 in Japan. It's recognized by developers for being a language that beautifully implements the object-oriented programming principle. Primarily used for developing web applications, Ruby is frequently used with its framework, Ruby on Rails.
Quentin, what are the advantages of Ruby for project development?
Ruby has the particularity of having a simple programming syntax and “with logic close to natural language”. Accessible, Ruby appears to be an easy language to write and maintain. Personally, I find Ruby to be a simple language for beginners, but which, like all languages, requires understanding its philosophy.
Ruby is an undeniable asset to IT startups. Thanks to this, we can quickly create something functional. Here, I'm referring to the MVP (“minimum viable product”), which is a development strategy used to bring products/features to market quickly.
Another of its advantages is its community. The Ruby community is growing and welcoming; you can find training, forums, open-source projects, etc. It's very important for us developers to have resources for our projects and Ruby's are particularly rich and of quality.
Which leads me to talk about RubyGems, which is the Ruby community's package manager. A real gold mine where we can find all sorts of modules that we can integrate into our projects. A real time saver!
What do you think about the rumors that Ruby is dying out?
I think Ruby had its heyday with the expansion of the web, especially after the release of the Ruby on Rails framework in 2005. Today, the community is reliable, updates are regular, the latest version, 2.6.3, is from April 2019. We develop in Ruby because we love the language, not because it's “in style”.
Ruby is not a language supported by big companies like Microsoft, for example. But it remains competitive, you just have to look at the surveys conducted in recent years. Click here. Moreover, many well-known platforms like Airbnb, Groupon, Shopify, and GitHub were developed in Ruby. Here is a list of known web applications developed in Ruby
I have developed various types of projects in Ruby, including: Web applications using Ruby on Rails, such as e-commerce platforms, social networking sites, and content management systems. APIs for mobile and web applications. Command-line tools for automation and scripting. Data processing and analysis scripts. Prototyping and proof-of-concept applications. I am also familiar with various Ruby gems and libraries for tasks like database management, testing, and deployment.
With Ruby, you can easily develop all sorts of projects, primarily for the web. Throughout my career, I've developed projects such as:
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An online directory,
Yellow.lu Henri.lu, A local assistant - A web app that simplifies connecting individuals with professionals.
A real estate booking web app
- A financial data management platform
A web app for an NGO to register and protect children worldwide
- Personal projects, etc.
- An online directory,
What are your professional plans for the coming years?
In the short term, I'd like to continue training in new languages such as React and Node.js. I think they'll be a good complement to my Rails and Ruby skills.
In the long term, I would like to advance in my professional career and have a position with responsibilities, consulting, and expertise, for example.
Written by Quentin Decoudier & Charline Pennisi
