What Is Ruby? Why Its Popular Programming Language?

Why ruby is a popular programming language

Ruby is a among the most popular programming language of web. Many programmers prefer Ruby over Java and Python due to its ease of use and powerful features.

The Ruby language is 20+ years old and has strong association with the open source community that has helped Ruby to be dynamic and productive. This language is a combination of functional programming along with imperative programming.

This is a blend of different languages such as Perl, Smalltalk, Eiffel, Ada and Lisp as well. It can also be assumed that ruby is simple in appearance but is complex from inside like our human body. Ruby has transformed over the years from a young child to strong adult. Ruby has attained acceptance and popularity in domain of web development because of its effectiveness.

Though Ruby is still not as popular as Java programming its still used extensively and variety of applications.

History of Ruby Programming Language

Ruby was developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto in Japan two decades ago. The basic idea behind the creation of Ruby was to provide fun to programmers. It also focused on the assumption that software should be comprehended by humans first and then it should be understood by the computers.

What is Ruby

Ruby is a vibrant and an open source language that has the ultimate aim to provide simplicity and efficiency to its users. This language does possess a stylish syntax that is very much supportive in reading and writing. This language is also known as language of sophisticated balance.

How To Learn Ruby?

Learning ruby can be really easy since there are good resources available on web. Some are listed below.

Best ruby books can help you quickly learn books. These are books recommended by expert developers therefore you can use them as reference too.
Go on interactive tutorial sites to learn programming. Many of these sites also support ruby. The interactive sites make the learning easy and fun for beginners.

Why is Ruby So Popular

Ruby is being used at thousands of applications. Below a google search trend for Ruby that demonstrates its popularity over other dynamic languages.

Search trends show that ruby is very popular dynamic language

Ruby’s Growth

Ruby is considered as among the top ten on the indices that evaluate growth and popularity of programming languages all over the world. This growth has become possible because of the software that has been written in Ruby specifically Ruby on Rails web structure. There are different kinds of reasons that have contributed towards the success of Ruby programming language. These reasons are provided as follows:

Ruby is completely free as it also offers the modification, usage, application, and distribution free of cost.
This language views everything as an object, every bit of information and code is given importance.
Ruby is very flexible in its application, since it allows its user to change or modify its part according to their requirements. Different parts of Ruby can be removed or added, in this way the coder is not restricted.
Ruby’s blocks are also considered as major source of flexibility because blocks are influenced by functional languages. There are different methods in ruby helpful for the coders as coders can write their own block.
This language provides excellent handling features such as the Java or Python, which makes it easy to track errors.
The features of Ruby can be assumed as the efficient mark and sweep garbage collector for all objects.
The C extensions description is easier to write as compared to Perl or Python. The stylish API for calling Ruby from C. The Ruby language can also be embedded in software in order to use as a scripting language.
Ruby is also helpful in loading extension libraries in a vibrant manner provided that operating system allows.
Ruby is extremely moveable as it has been organized on GNU/ Linux, and it works on different kinds of UNIX, and Mac OS X.
This language is helpful in OS independent threading for all platforms where Ruby operates in this way the option of multithreading is available.

Popular Ruby Frameworks

Here a list popular ruby frameworks which will help you much faster web applications in Ruby. Most ruby based applications use one of these frameworks.

Interesting Libraries In Ruby Programming

This aspect is important to consider that Ruby has different sorts of applications that should be observed. These all applications are meaningful in different scenarios as these are supportive in providing added integration feature to other languages. Some of the applications are mentioned as follows:

JRuby

It is that kind of application in which Java Virtual Machine is used in order to enhance or improve the JIT compilers, garbage collectors, synchronized threads, tool ecosystem and huge accumulation of libraries.

Rubinius

Rubinius is the Ruby Gem that is written in Ruby, this application is based on the top of LLVM. The Rubinius exercises an effective virtual machine that other languages are being developed on top of as well.

MacRuby

It is a type of Ruby application that is closely interconnected with the Apple’s cocoa libraries for Mac OS X. This is also helpful in enhancing or writing the desktop applications with convenience.

MRuby

It is the simple application of Ruby language, which can be interconnected and rooted within the application.

IronRuby

It is an application that is closely associated with the .net framework or structure.

MagLev

It is dynamic, rapid, and steady application of Ruby that is incorporated with the object persistence and distributed shared cache.

Cardinal

It is considered as the Ruby compiler for parrot virtual machine.

This aspect is important to consider that some of these applications follow the RubySpec, which is assumed and regarded as the complete practical requirement for Ruby programming language.

Why Pick Ruby

There could be many factors provided in order to support reason of picking Ruby over different programming languages. Ruby is considered as the easiest language to learn. After learning Ruby, Ruby on Rails becomes easy to understand. Moreover, Ruby on Rails is software framework that is utilized for developing web applications.

Where can we use Ruby

Ruby can be applied outside web applications. The Ruby programming language can be used mostly for websites and at the same time Ruby can also be used for gaming purpose as well. Ruby is also very similar to Python as it can be used for Ubuntu desktop applications.

Where should we NOT use Ruby

Ruby should not be used if our task can be easily performed through help of PHP, since it is more convenient and easy to use. Ruby does not work well on windows, because windows do not endorse open source web development. It should not be applied where Java or .net is working.

Job Opportunities in Ruby Programming

Ruby is a popular choice of startups and fresh entrepreneurs. Therefore the job market has plenty of ruby programming options. Ruby has lots of jobs and high paying ones. The job forums are full of Ruby jobs starting from entry level to decades of experience. Thousands of companies use Ruby for creating wide variety of software. This creates a huge job market for even beginners.

Finding Freelance Ruby Programmers

Ruby programmers are spread across the world and most freelancing sites are also full of developers who are good at Ruby programming.

Conclusion

Ruby programming language provides a powerful system to code and implement and Ruby knowledge is in demand. If you want to learn Ruby, the world is open for you. Ruby is also very much supportive and plays important role in learning Python. Therefore, there is strong likelihood that with passage of time, application of Ruby language will increase.

Amelie Millie is the owner of an academic writing company full assignment help that handles academic writing projects in all topics and subjects. She also has a keen interest in web and application development and has written articles on various blogs on this topic.