This book is particularly well suited to those with little or no experience with web application development, or who have some experience but are new to Rails. Beginning Rails assumes basic familiarity with web terms and technologies, but doesn't require you to be an expert.

Topics include:

• A gentle introduction to the Ruby programming language
• Installing Ruby and Rails on a Mac, Linux, or Windows system
• The philosophy behind Rails and why it matters
• The Model-View-Controller architecture
• The basics of relational databases and SQL
• Setting up a MySQL database and creating a schema with migrations
• Experimenting with your live application in the Rails console
• Creating rich relationships between your models
• Using controllers and templates properly
• Leveraging helpers to keep your templates clean and logic free
• Adding Ajax and visual effects to enrich your user interfaces
• JavaScript with Prototype and script.aculo.us
• How to send and receive mail from your application
• Using and creating your own plug-ins
• Ensuring your code against Murphy’s Law through writing tests
• Using Capistrano to deploy your application

Rather than delving into the arcane details of Rails, the focus is on the aspects of the framework that will become your pick, shovel, and axe. Part history lesson, part introduction to object-oriented programming, and part dissertation on open source software, Beginning Rails doesn’t just explain how to do something in Rails, it explains why.

Every programmer fondly remembers the book that helped them get started. The goal of Beginning Rails is to become that book for you, today.