CODEWITHSUNDEEP
ruby
Teifion
Teifion

Reputation: 110999

What version of Ruby to learn?

I've wanted to learn Ruby for some time and even started to learn a little bit. I then got distracted and for some reason went with Python. I have now however decided that even though my current project is in Python, I will also be learning Ruby and Ruby on Rails.

If somebody were to ask me what version of Python to start with I'd suggest 2.6 because 3 breaks compatibility with all the tutorials they would google. Knowing so little about Ruby, what version should I install on my computer? Is there a major difference between any two versions etc etc?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 607

Answers (7)

Boris Stitnicky
Boris Stitnicky

Reputation: 12578

Learn the latest version. Current latest version is 2.4., but when higher versions are out, go for them immediately. Ruby team pays attention to only release finished work, you don't need to be afraid to install the newest one.

Upvotes: 0

Bob Aman
Bob Aman

Reputation: 33239

If you're planning on building stuff that you don't release to the public, that makes use of lots of libraries, 1.8.7 or 1.8.6. If you're writing libraries that will be released to the public, please, please, please make sure they work in Ruby 1.9. Ruby 1.9 is a superior interpreter, but we're stuck with 1.8.x because so many libraries are incompatible with it right now.

http://isitruby19.com/

Upvotes: 1

Chuck
Chuck

Reputation: 237060

Ruby 1.9 makes a few breaking changes, but not like Python 3. Any old Ruby tutorials should work just fine for 1.9. There's nothing like, for example, Python changing print and merging range() with xrange().

It really doesn't make that much difference. The core language hasn't changed a lot — 1.9 is just a lot faster and has gained some new features.

There are some changes that broke some libraries, but those have more to do with the finer implementation details rather than what you learn in basic tutorials, so it shouldn't hurt you. If you want to go with 1.8 for the better library support, that's fine. If you want to go with 1.9 for the better core features, that's fine as well. It doesn't make that much of a difference when you're just starting off.

Upvotes: 2

phillc
phillc

Reputation: 7461

The version you learn is not that important.

While there will eventually be a shift from the more stable 1.8.x series, 1.9 isn't game breaking in a way where you will be disadvantaged.

Upvotes: 4

Gishu
Gishu

Reputation: 136633

I don't think Ruby has had that many breaking changes - except 1.9 onwards. So any version in the 1.8.x should be fine.. pick the latest stable version.
Rails on the other hand has changed dramatically in Rails 2.

Upvotes: 3

Mike Woodhouse
Mike Woodhouse

Reputation: 52326

If you're going to be working in Windows, go with the current most stable one-click installer. At time of writing, that would still probably be the 1.8.6-26, although 1.8.6-27 is imminent. 1.8.7 is a small increment and I'm very uncertain about the status of 1.9.1 on the platform.

On OSX or other *nix varieties I'd be prepared to be somewhat more adventurous: the current production Rails release (2.3.2) is supposed to be 1.9.1-compatible (although that may not be the case with all third-party libraries for some time) and learning might be more entertaining with the latest version. It should run a good but faster, too.

Upvotes: 2

Restore The Data Dumps Again
Restore The Data Dumps Again

Reputation: 39335

Rails recommends version 1.8.7, so if you're going to be learning rails, I'd stick with that. This book is pretty good.

Upvotes: 3

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