Introduction to Ruby

[Jessica Brown]

Ruby is a dynamic, object-oriented programming language focused on simplicity and productivity. Its elegant syntax makes it enjoyable to read and write. Ruby is widely known for powering the popular web framework Ruby on Rails, but it’s versatile enough for general-purpose scripting and automation.

What is Ruby Best Used For?

• Building web applications using Ruby on Rails.
• Writing scripts for automation and system administration.
• Developing APIs and backend services.
• Creating prototypes and MVPs due to its developer-friendly syntax.

Example Ruby Script

This example demonstrates variables, a loop, and output.

# Declare variables
greeting = "Hello, Ruby Programmer!"
count = 5

# Display greeting
puts greeting

# Loop through numbers 1 to count
(1..count).each do |i|
  puts "Iteration: #{i}"
end

# Print completion message
puts "Loop completed! Total iterations: #{count}"

Explanation:

1. Variables: greeting holds a string, and count is an integer specifying the loop range.
2. Loop: The (1..count) range creates a sequence of numbers, and the each method iterates through them. String interpolation (#{}) dynamically inserts values into strings.
3. Output: The script uses puts to print the greeting, each iteration, and a completion message.

Sample Output:

Hello, Ruby Programmer!
Iteration: 1
Iteration: 2
Iteration: 3
Iteration: 4
Iteration: 5
Loop completed! Total iterations: 5

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Ruby’s elegant and concise syntax makes it a favorite among developers for building scalable web applications and automating repetitive tasks. Share your Ruby projects, scripts, or questions in this thread to engage with the community!