# Best rails bookcook?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 26, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012 "2007-08-26T03:36:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/fred)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012/1 "2007-08-26T03:36:46Z")

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Hi everyone,

I was wondering which rails cookbook book people would recommend? The  
O’Reilly one,or the Pragmmatic one.

Thanks for your time,

Fred

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**Author:** ![fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/fred)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012/2 "2007-08-26T03:37:46Z")

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Eumh…no idea why the heck I typed bookcook in the title…oups I  
guess…

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**Author:** ![fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/fred)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012/3 "2007-08-27T15:13:24Z")

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I have them both and I find the Pragmatic one to be a bit better.  
However, I still recommend getting both of them, because they don’t  
overlap much and one usually fills the spots the other one has missed.  
For example, the O’Reilly cookbook shows how to do authentication  
using only gems and plugins, whereas the Pragmatic one shows you how  
to do it by hand.

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**Author:** ![fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/fred)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012/4 "2007-08-31T18:36:13Z")

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I use the Pragmatic one two or three times a week just for  
inspiration. I try to practice the recipes even if I can’t apply them  
directly to my project because I find it’s a good way to learn a  
little bit more about Rails.

-Roberto

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**Author:** ![fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@fred](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/fred)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-rails-bookcook/113012/5 "2007-08-31T18:01:26Z")

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Srdjan P. wrote:

> I have them both and I find the Pragmatic one to be a bit better.  
> However, I still recommend getting both of them, because they don’t  
> overlap much and one usually fills the spots the other one has missed.  
> For example, the O’Reilly cookbook shows how to do authentication  
> using only gems and plugins, whereas the Pragmatic one shows you how  
> to do it by hand.

Do you find that you use them often?