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Vicki Langer
Vicki Langer

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Picking up Ruby, as a Python Dev & interview questions

This is a continuation of Picking up Ruby Fast, as a Python Dev. Again, expect examples with no math and no crappy names


Variable Assignment in an if statement

In Ruby, you can assign variables in an if statement. This can't be done in Python. Not sure why I'd ever want to do this, but now I know that I can. Seems like it would be a bad idea.

#ruby
if cat_age = 12
  puts "The cat is #{cat_age}"
else
  puts "The cat is not #{cat_age}"
end
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Decisions with if

Making decisions with if in Python is pretty much always the same. It seems there are several options in Ruby.

#python
cat_age = 12
dog_age = 5

if cat_age > dog_age:
    print("Cat is older than dog")
else:
    print("Dog is older than Cat")
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#ruby
cat_age = 12
dog_age = 5

# option 1
if cat_age > dog_age
  puts "Cat is older than dog"
elsif 
  puts "Dog is older than cat"
end

# option 2
puts "Cat is older than dog" if cat_age > dog_age
puts "Dog is older than cat" if dog_age > cat_age
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Checking for Empty String

There are plenty of different ways to do the same thing. Yet, Ruby's empty? method is really intriguing me more than it should. It just makes so much sense. In Python, you'd typically just compare things with the not operator.

#python
username = "Vicki"

if not username.strip():
    print('empty String: please enter a username')
else:
    print("not empty: success")
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#ruby
username = "Vicki"

  if username.to_s.empty?
    puts "empty String: please enter a username"
  elsif
    puts "not empty: success"
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A Few More Quick Points of Difference

Ruby Python
&& and
end not 4 spaces or tabbed in
Can use some characters in nameing. like meal_time? Only underscores like is_it_meal_time

Interview Questions to Ask the interviewer(s)

Not sure if you caught this, but I'm learning Ruby for the sole purpose of a potential job. So, I'm working on some questions to ask the interviewer(s). Here's kinda what I plan to ask:

  • Did I answer all of your questions?
  • Ruby is new to me and I've heard it's expressive. How does that help the job?
  • Did anything change at the start of the pandemic?
  • Is there anything I've said that makes you doubt I would be a great fit for this position?
  • Do you have any unpaid interns or fellows?

And, I was gonna ask something like:

  • How would you score the company on current DEI initiatives

but I got a better suggestion from @robocel

If you have any suggestions on what to ask, I'd love to hear them. I'm super excited about this potential job and hoping they'll know I am very very willing and capable of learning.


If you missed the first post in this series, I've heard it's a good read and there's cats.

Top comments (3)

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yechielk profile image
Yechiel Kalmenson

Here's a demonstration of why assigning a variable in an if statement could be dangerous:

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vickilanger profile image
Vicki Langer

I had a feeling that it could be a bad idea. It just didn't seem right. I hadn't thought about it leading the end of our species lmao

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vickilanger profile image
Vicki Langer

Neat. I’ve never seen that before.