# Learning by example: reading ruby code

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/learning-by-example-reading-ruby-code/154144>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [November 25, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/learning-by-example-reading-ruby-code/154144 "2008-11-25T21:17:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/leveille)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/learning-by-example-reading-ruby-code/154144/1 "2008-11-25T21:17:41Z")

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I would like to take an existing Ruby program and read through the  
source code to learn how someone else would program. Ideally for me it  
would not be Rails, but something in just pure Ruby to help me learn to  
be a better programmer. Can someone point me in a good direction?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/leveille)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/learning-by-example-reading-ruby-code/154144/2 "2008-11-25T21:45:57Z")

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Jason L. wrote:

> I would like to take an existing Ruby program and read through the  
> source code to learn how someone else would program. Ideally for me it  
> would not be Rails, but something in just pure Ruby to help me learn to  
> be a better programmer. Can someone point me in a good direction?
> 
> Thank you.

RubyGems: [http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group\_id=126](http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=126)  
Rake: [http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group\_id=50](http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=50)  
Mongrel: [http://mongrel.rubyforge.org/](http://mongrel.rubyforge.org/)  
Merb: [GitHub - wycats/merb: master merb branch](http://github.com/wycats/merb/tree/master)

Actually… I should do this too 🙂

best,  
Dan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@leveille](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/leveille)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/learning-by-example-reading-ruby-code/154144/3 "2008-11-26T16:34:53Z")

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Jason L. wrote:

> I would like to take an existing Ruby program and read through the  
> source code to learn how someone else would program. Ideally for me it  
> would not be Rails, but something in just pure Ruby to help me learn to  
> be a better programmer. Can someone point me in a good direction?

A similar question was asked about a month ago. You can see the  
suggestions at  
[http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/166560](http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/166560)

My choice:  
[http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/246304](http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/246304)

HTH,

Brian.