Definately want to check out this tutorial.
Using Ruby on Rails for Web Development on Mac OS X
Why Ruby on Rails?
First, you might be wondering: Web application frameworks are a dime a dozen, so what’s different about Rails? Here are a few things that make Ruby on Rails stand above the crowd:
- Full-Stack Web Framework. Rails is an MVC web framework where models, views, and controllers are fully integrated in a seamless fashion. That means you automatically get all the benefits of an MVC design without the hassle of explicitly configuring each component to play well with the others.
- Real-World Usage. The Rails framework was extracted from real-world web applications. That is, Rails comes from real need, not anticipating what might be needed. The result is an easy to use and cohesive framework that’s rich in functionality, and at the same time it does its best to stay out of your way.
- One Language: Ruby. Everything from business logic to configuration files (there aren’t many) are written in the Ruby programming language. With just one language, you hope it’s a good one, and Ruby doesn’t disappoint. Ruby is a full object-oriented language with clean syntax and it has a way of making programming truly fun. Using one language means you don’t have to juggle between multiple languages and dialects as you’re building your application.
- Convention over Configuration. Rails works hard to take care of all the repetitive and error-prone chores associated with starting to build a web application, and maintaining it over time. Rails uses simple naming conventions and clever use of reflection to make your work easier with near-zero configuration.
- It’s Productive! At the end of the day, Rails is all about helping you stay productive.