Computersight -

Ruby is a dynamic object oriented programming language, is focused in simplicity. Ruby is also multiplatform and open source. Here will see some basics, with some easy code examples.

First of all you have to install the Ruby platform for your OS

http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/ 

Install Netbeans IDE: It provides font highlighting, refactor, and code complete for ruby. I recommend netbeans but you can use notepad++, emacs or a simple text editor

http://www.netbeans.org/ 

Open Netbeans and make a new ruby project in the screen you will see the first aproach to every programing language.

Hello World

puts ”Hello World”

Output:

Hello World

If you add a multiplication. 

puts ”Hello World” * 3 

Ruby Output:

Hello WorldHello WorldHello World

Variables

In ruby you don’t have to declare variables, they are dinamically typed

word = “This is a String”

puts word.class

Ruby Output:

String

As you see it recognizes the word variable is a string, if you assign a number ruby will recognize it as a fixnum.

Types of variables in ruby

$variable = 1 #Global variable

@variable =1 #Instance variable

variable = 1 #local variable

Constant=1 #Constant

# means code commentary

Classes in ruby

def add(a,b)

  a + b

end

value = add(1,2)

puts value

Ruby Output:

3

This is how you create classes in ruby, you can notice that is no “return” sentence. this is because ruby returns the last evaluated sentence “a+b”, you don’t have to declare data type like c or java.

Arrays in ruby

array = [1, "two", 3]

array.each { |item| puts item  }

Ruby Output:

1

two

3

In Arrays you can store, every type of data yo see in the example you have two Fixnum and one String, the .each method print in the console each item in the array.

This is a little approach to ruby, it have a lot more. It really reduce time to market, but a interpreted language is slower than a compiled one, you have to see your problem, to make a good choice, ruby is a option.

Links :

Try Ruby in your browser

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_(programming_language)

Why (Poignant) guide to ruby (web book)

If you learn ruby you can also take a look to the web framework Ruby on rails. An example is creating a rails weblog in 10 minutes