Here’s a comprehensive list of Ruby language features and topics to include in a tutorial series, structured to build from beginner to advanced concepts. Each topic includes the core areas that would be valuable for a well-rounded understanding of Ruby.
1. Introduction to Ruby
- History and Overview of Ruby
- Installing Ruby (Different OS Instructions)
- Setting up a Development Environment (IRB, Editors)
- Basic Syntax and Structure
- Running Ruby Code (Interactive Ruby and Ruby Files)
2. Basics of Ruby Syntax
- Comments and Code Documentation
- Variables and Constants
- Data Types: Strings, Numbers, Symbols, Booleans
- Type Conversion and Type Checking
3. Operators in Ruby
- Arithmetic, Comparison, and Assignment Operators
- Logical Operators
- Operator Precedence
4. Control Structures
- Conditional Statements (
if
,else
,elsif
,unless
) - Loops (
while
,until
,for
,each
,times
) - Iterators and Block Control (
next
,break
,redo
) - Case Expressions (
case...when
)
5. Methods and Functions
- Defining and Calling Methods
- Parameters and Return Values
- Default Parameters and Keyword Arguments
- Method Overloading and Aliasing
- Variable Scope and Visibility (Local, Global, Instance, Class)
6. Blocks, Procs, and Lambdas
- Understanding Blocks and Block Syntax
- Yielding to Blocks
- Introduction to Procs and Lambdas
- Differences between Procs and Lambdas
- Passing Blocks, Procs, and Lambdas to Methods
7. Data Structures in Ruby
- Arrays: Creating, Accessing, and Modifying
- Hashes: Key-Value Pairs, Hash Methods
- Set, Range, and Matrix
- Nested Data Structures (Multi-Dimensional Arrays, Nested Hashes)
8. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in Ruby
- Introduction to OOP Concepts
- Creating Classes and Objects
- Instance Variables, Class Variables, and Constants
- Accessors and Mutators (
attr_accessor
,attr_reader
,attr_writer
) - Class Methods and Instance Methods
- Method Visibility (
public
,private
,protected
)
9. Inheritance and Polymorphism
- Class Inheritance and the
super
Keyword - Overriding Methods
- Modules as Mixins
- Method Overloading and Overriding
- Duck Typing in Ruby
10. Modules and Mixins
- Creating and Using Modules
- Including and Extending Modules
- Namespacing with Modules
- Mixin Techniques and Composition
11. Exception Handling
- Error Classes and the Exception Hierarchy
begin
,rescue
,ensure
, andelse
- Custom Error Classes
- Retrying and Raising Exceptions
- Logging and Debugging Techniques
12. File I/O and Serialization
- Reading from and Writing to Files
- File Handling Modes and Permissions
- Working with JSON and YAML in Ruby
- CSV Parsing and Serialization
- Using
File
,IO
, andDir
Classes
13. Ruby Gems and Libraries
- Introduction to Ruby Gems and Bundler
- Finding and Installing Gems
- Creating and Publishing a Custom Gem
- Popular Gems (e.g., Nokogiri for XML parsing, Pry for debugging)
14. Metaprogramming in Ruby
- Reflection and
self
Keyword - Dynamic Methods and
define_method
- Method Missing (
method_missing
) - Using
send
,eval
,class_eval
,instance_eval
- Singleton Methods and
extend
15. Advanced Ruby: Threads and Concurrency
- Introduction to Concurrency in Ruby
- Working with Threads and Fiber
- Thread Safety and Synchronization
- Concurrent and Parallel Processing
- Handling Exceptions in Threads
16. Testing in Ruby
- Introduction to Unit Testing and TDD
- Writing Tests with
RSpec
- Mocking and Stubbing
- Using Minitest for Testing
- Testing Frameworks and Best Practices
17. Ruby on Rails Overview
- Brief Introduction to Ruby on Rails
- Rails Framework Basics and MVC Structure
- Setting Up a Rails Application
- Integrating Ruby and Rails Concepts Together
18. Best Practices in Ruby
- Code Readability and Style Conventions
- Ruby Style Guide and
rubocop
- Optimizing Ruby Code
- Common Ruby Anti-patterns and How to Avoid Them
19. Useful Ruby Projects
- Mini Projects to Apply Skills (e.g., To-Do App, Calculator, Web Scraper)
- Building CLI Applications
- Simple REST API with Ruby
- Web Applications and Integrating APIs
20. Building a Portfolio in Ruby
- Project Ideas for Practice and Portfolio
- GitHub and Open Source Contributions
- Preparing for Ruby Job Interviews