Ask HN: Suggestion on Ruby programming books to learn advanced concepts?

2 pointsslyv13y ago2 comments

I am looking into learning more about Ruby. I am already well versed in the basics of the language and have written various scripts and assorted easy stuff, just through my knowledge gained by Google and Stack Overflow, etc... But I am looking into getting more serious with the language, and wish to learn more about the concepts and advanced Ruby programming to start programming full-featured applications with it. I really hope to try to master Ruby itself before I move onto Rails, so I am looking for a real Ruby programming book that you would highly recommend. If you have any Rails books that you would recommend, please recommend them too!

So, any recommendations?

2 comments

2 comments · 2 top-level

thedudemabry13y ago

I highly recommend the pickaxe book (http://pragprog.com/book/ruby3/programming-ruby-1-9) for a full examination of Ruby and its standard libraries, as well as for a reference later on.

Sandy Metz's new book on advanced object oriented design in Ruby is amazing and a fun read (http://www.poodr.info/book/)

And Michael Hartl's online Rails tutorial is in my opinion the best place to learn Rails from beginning concepts to advanced strategies (http://ruby.railstutorial.org/)

invalidOrTaken13y ago

One recommendation, and one meta-recommendation:

The recommendation: Mr. Neighborly's Humble Little Ruby Book. Short (maybe 150 pages).

Meta-recommendation: Get a copy of Anki (free), and as you read, make new cards that test a single piece of knowledge (this can mean you make two or three cards for one concept...so be it!).

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse