In this book you'll learn:

• How to develop web applications quickly and easily with the Ruby on Rails framework
• The basics of programming principles and Ruby syntax, so you can begin to understand what’s going on under the hood
• How to implement must-have web application features, such as user accounts, data validation, sending e-mail, image uploading, and more
• How to use Ajax techniques with Rails and when not to use them
• How to implement other Web 2.0 features in Rails, such as tag clouds and microformats

If you're a web designer or developer who thinks that the coding involved in developing dynamic web applications is too difficult, think again. This book, and the framework it covers, is the perfect solution to your needs. Ruby on Rails provides an easy-to-use method for quickly developing web applications, simplifying potentially complicated subjects such as web architecture, JavaScript, and SQL/database creation. The simplicity of Rails belies its power, though—this technology is used by major companies such as 37Signals and Google.

The book provides an introduction to Ruby on Rails with the web designer in mind. Instead of focusing on the intricate syntax of each method, the book focuses on the tasks you’ll want to perform on your website and then walks you through how to implement that functionality with Rails. Design and usability are kept in mind throughout, ensuring that your site both looks and works great.

The book begins by covering how to set up your computer as a Rails development environment (including the MySQL database) and then follows with an introduction to Ruby and the basics of the Rails framework. Next, you are taken through several practical examples that work together to build up a complete modern web application, covering essential and useful website features such as user login, adding and editing data, data validation, image uploading, and much more. The book even covers more-advanced Rails topics such as the Rails test suite, plug-ins and components, debugging techniques, and deploying your web applications using Capistrano.

Summary of Contents:

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Ruby on Rails
• Chapter 2: Installing Rails
• Chapter 3: Ruby for Rails Developers
• Chapter 4: Getting Started with Rails
• Chapter 5: More Advanced Rails
• Chapter 6: Formatting Data
• Chapter 7: Introduction to Ajax
• Chapter 8: Bringing Forms to Life with Ajax
• Chapter 9: Uploading Files and Sending Attachments
• Chapter 10: User Authentication and Session Management
• Chapter 11: Customizing Rails Views
• Chapter 12: Using Rails Plug-ins and Engines
• Chapter 13: Deploying with Capistrano
• Appendix A: Caching Your Content
• Appendix B: Testing Rails