This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Ruby Buzz
by David Heinemeier Hansson.
Original Post: Getting started with Ruby
Feed Title: Loud Thinking
Feed URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LoudThinking
Feed Description: All about the full-stack, web-framework Rails for Ruby and on putting it to good effect with Basecamp
What Ruby lacks more than anything is good starting points for getting into the language. There's a bunch of absolutely excellent resources out there, though. I've attempted to summarize the best of them by category.
Language (latest release by time of writing: 1.8.1)
Ruby Core Library: Complete methods listing and explanation for all the built-in Ruby classes, such as strings, hashes, and IO. Only covers 1.6.8 — supplement with What's New in Ruby 1.8.
Ruby Standard Library: Ruby ships with about a hundred standard libraries. They're all documented in varying degree and collected in one easy bundle with this site.
Guides and books for programmers
Ruby in Highlights: An introduction to Ruby by its creator Matz. Excellent for a quick overview and feel of the language.
Programming Ruby: A thorough introduction and guide to Ruby for programmers written by the Pragmatic Programmers duo. Available in full-length form for free!
The Ruby Way: Includes more advanced Ruby topics including an especially excellent chapter on OOP and Dynamicity in Ruby. Requires a Safari membership, though.