There are some programming languages that require seemingly endless lines of code to make the smallest of programs. There are some languages that are so complex even experts' heads hurt if they try to use them. And then there's Ruby, which has all of the performance of these aforementioned languages and none of the complexity. Productive, powerful, simple and easy to learn, it's the perfect starter language. Oh, and a huge (and growing) number of companies use it too...

Understand how Ruby Programming Works

This online course focuses on Ruby fundamentals. Some previous programming experience would be useful for those taking this course, but if you're a complete beginner that's fine too. If you want to get started with Ruby and aren't phased by some challenging hands-on projects, you've picked the perfect course.

We'll walk you through everything you need to know about Ruby, starting at the very beginning with installation. Once installed, you'll get an introduction to the language and start building your very first Ruby app. We'll dedicate sections to data types, conditional flow and loops, classes and methods, learning about the intricacies of each with practical projects. Along the way you'll gain a solid understanding of Ruby's syntax and functions.

By the end of this course you will have a good working knowledge of Ruby and will have already used it in practice. You'll be ready to take a 'deep dive' into the language with further coursework if you wish, or head out into the big bad programming world and start using Ruby for real projects. Whatever you choose to do with your newfound knowledge, you'll have a strong foundation of programming fundamentals to back you up. Plus, you'll have had some fun too!

About Ruby

Ruby is an object-oriented, general purpose programming language developed by Yukihiro Matsumoto in the 1990s. Designed for increased productivity and fun, it makes a great starter language for new programmers thanks to its simplicity, readability and focus on fun. Commonly used with Rails applications, it's a very popular language that's always in high demand. Companies such as Twitter and Kickstarter use Ruby.