Description:

If your first thought when deciding to build a web application with Ruby is to run "rails APPNAME", I'm here to tell you: You're doing it all wrong.

Ok, that was a bit harsh. But you needed to hear it. Q: Has Ruby on Rails transformed the way we think about building web applications? A: Yes. Q: But isn't it true that using Rails is extremely simple to use even if I haven't done Ruby before? A: Yes. Q: So Rails is what I should you use build Ruby web applications? A: Maybe.

If Rails is a hammer, it's my goal to show you that your next project may not need nails. I hope to show you the benefits of how using simple Ruby can put you on the path to better application design. I'll also show you a few tools of the Rubyist's trade that enable you to build a modular web application from emerging needs of your problem space. In the end we'll come full circle and I'll show you how the Rails philosophy is shifting in the direction of modular design and how we can leverage all of our knowledge with Rails to build powerful Ruby applications for the web.