Picking up Ruby Fast, as a Python Dev

So, I've been working with (read: learning and building projects with) Python for the last year and a half or so. It's been great. I like it, but who doesn't like their first language? Anyway, I'm in the market looking for jobs, and only knowing or being familiar with one language is kinda limiting. I wanted to add "what I'm willing to learn" on my resume, LinkedIn, and so on. That would open up more opportunities.

Why Ruby?

So, why Ruby? I don't have any fancy tech bro reasons. It seemed popular enough. Ruby has been around a while. Most importantly, I'd heard the syntax was rather similar to Python. So, basically, I took people's word for it that it would be a reasonably simple transition.

So, I had made a post on a discord community in our "Hire Me" channel about how I'm currently underemployed and looking for something better.

So, here I am learning some basics and hoping that will be enough to get in at a job that sounds pretty damn exciting.

How was I gonna learn fast?

This was legitimately just yesterday. I pulled up the Ruby docs and saw they had a quickstart guide.

Vicki Langer

@vicki_langer

So, the Ruby quick start guide is legit written for beginners. I need more of this! Everything needs to be written like this.

18:39 PM - 11 Nov 2020

The Ruby quickstart guide is fantastic! I could only wish Python had something similar. They for real ELI5 and it's wonderful! I really thought it would be harder to get started with Ruby. Then! It got even better. The docs have a try-Ruby-in-browser thing and it has all sorts of practice stuff. It's set up a bit like Free Code Camp.

I used their little browser editor/playground to throw together an example with the bits and pieces I picked up.

If you've seen any of my other posts, you know I can't fathom using examples that are based on math or crappy variables like x, i, foo, or baz. So, expect the same here.

def give_Cat_Snacks(name = "the cat")
  snack_Level = 0  # according to the cat
  if snack_Level < 10
    until snack_Level == 10 do
      snack_Level += 1
      puts "Gave #{name.capitalize} some snacks"
      puts snack_Level
  elsif snack_Level > 10 and snack_Level < 20
      snack_Level += 1  # just enough to pretend you added snacks
      puts "pretended to give #{name.capitalize} snacks"
      puts snack_Level
  else
      puts "tell #{name.capitalize} no, quit lying"
end

give_Cat_Snacks("puppy")

Now, the function wasn't working, but I threw it in the discord chat anyway. I got tons of great feedback. Here's what I got:

• I messed up my comparison. Should've been ==
• Could use 10.downto(1).map instead of until snack_level == 10
• map can be substituted for each and it's better for speed

A Few Quick Points of Difference

Okay, I need to stop writing and go back to the docs and the playground to learn some more. In the meantime, let me go give this ungrateful cat some snacks. He is STILL claiming zero snacks are in the bowl