# How do I know if RoR is for me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [August 7, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-ror-is-for-me/145243 "2008-08-07T03:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/randy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-ror-is-for-me/145243/1 "2008-08-07T03:20:18Z")
I’m trying to assemble a web app w/database. My first. This is a personal project; not at the office. I’m an engineer, and I’ve done desktop programming for years (C/C++/ Delphi) with some local database experience. The web app is simple (from my perspective), but I’m overwhelmed by choices of development languages, databases, frameworks, script languages, tiers, technologies, etc… Overwhelmed to a state of paralysis. I need to pick a “package of technologies” that will allow me to convert my concept into a working app. I’ve done some Ruby scripting with Google Sketchup, and have a nice Ruby reference in the bookcase. So maybe RoR would work for me. Or maybe there’s a better way. Or maybe it’s simpler than I think. So what questions do I need to ask/answer to come up with the “best” (and I know there’s more than one) way to do my development? And who do I ask these questions to? Any advice is more than welcome! ---
**Author:** ![randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/randy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-ror-is-for-me/145243/2 "2008-08-07T03:54:20Z")
On Wed, 2008-08-06 at 17:10 -0700, Randy wrote: > Any advice is more than welcome! * * * obviously your skill set is strong enough where you could probably do what you wanted in any framework. Rails has a lot of suppositions/opinions on how things should be done and it’s easier to go with the flow than to fight them. The best way to get started on Rails is to use the publication ‘Agile Web D. With Rails’ of which only the PDF download is current and the dead tree versions track older versions of Rails. > **[Agile Web Development with Rails 7](https://pragprog.com/titles/rails7/agile-web-development-with-rails-7/)** > > Get the comprehensive insider information you need for Rails 7 with the new edition of this award-winning classic. The book takes about 5-8 hours to get the idea and you should be able to rocket into your application after that. Craig ---
**Author:** ![randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/randy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-ror-is-for-me/145243/3 "2008-08-07T04:05:13Z")
Randy wrote: > Any advice is more than welcome! The short answer is you’re not going to know which one is for you without trying at least one. It would be great if you have a friend/acquaintance that has purchased a RoR book that you could borrow. Agile Web D. With Rails is a good one because it starts at the beginning and works through developing a web app. There are other books that do similar things. Since you are just learning, it really doesn’t matter (in my opinion) if it’s with the latest version or not, so even if you only have access to a 1.2.x book, just install the appropriate version of Rails and start learning. [In fact, your local library just _might_ have a RoR book. You never know.] Once you get some experience under your belt, you can always switch to a later version. If you go this route, I would further advise to _not_ work on your application as you’re learning, but instead follow along whichever book/tutorial you’re using. My rationale for saying this is simple: if you write your own application as you learn with an older version of Rails, then you will potentially be looking at considerable refactoring as you move to a newer version. If you start with a bogus app, get some miles on your virgin tires, then start on your app, you might save yourself some work. Of course, that could be avoided by just using the newer version to begin with. Either way, it’s Rails. The bottom line is to use it and make a reasonable assessment based on real, personal experience. \ Delphi, eh? I coded in Delphi for about 6 years. Loved it. If I had to write Windows software (which I did at the time), I much preferred Delphi. \ Peace, Phillip ---
**Author:** ![randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@randy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/randy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-ror-is-for-me/145243/4 "2008-08-07T04:32:55Z")
I think the thing to understand is not so much “which is best for me” but think of it as “I am going to use Rails to build X application”. Don’t worry about which is right, because they ALL can be right with enough learning and tweaking and coding. You can build most all web apps in most all technologies and make it work. What I found easier when deciding on Rails was that I was going to build X app in Rails, regardless of what it took. As others have said, Rails is pretty opinionated, but once you learn the basic flow of it, I think you will really like it. I have only been using Rails for the last few months, but I can already tell that I made a good choice because I decided to use Rails to build something, instead of trying to figure out if Rails was right for what I wanted to build. Good luck with it, there is an awesome community here that are more than willing to help you out when you get stuck. –Cory