Ruby on Rails vs. Python

With so many coding languages to choose from, it’s difficult to decide which one to opt for, or even if there are some you should learn over others. When it comes to Ruby on Rails vs. Python, it’s important to remember there’s no particular winner — they’re just different.

Both are fairly simple to learn and often used for web development. Let’s get into the details of Ruby on Rails vs. Python to better understand this matchup.

Ruby on Rails

One of the five “easy” programming languages you could start learning today, Ruby on Rails is a web application framework that uses the Ruby programming language. It’s crafted to simplify programming by making assumptions about what developers need to get started.

Top Features of Ruby on Rails

There are a number of features of Ruby on Rails that define it for what it is and help it stand out from its other programming language counterparts.

One is its open-source nature. This means that anyone can contribute to the Ruby code. People are constantly working with the language, the database, and the framework, and then their solutions become available for other people to work with as well.

Ruby on Rails also has a variety of built-in features, such as Action Mailer, and a built-in testing framework. This enables you to try out your application to ensure it’s working properly before you fully deploy it.

Ruby on Rails also follows the Model View Controller (MVC) architecture, which is a standard way to organize web application code. This helps make Ruby on Rails an efficient programming option.

Advantages of Ruby on Rails

Beyond its basic features, there are a number of reasons why you might choose Ruby on Rails for your programming project. One is that there’s a large and supportive community of developers behind Ruby. Because it’s open source, there are plenty of people working to improve the program and share their findings.

The community also tends to focus heavily on web development, which can be helpful if that’s your area of interest and expertise.

Along the same lines, Ruby has a framework for almost everything. These libraries of code that can help you speed up your own development project are available to you through the open-source community.

Additionally, Ruby on Rails has an easy-to-read and understandable syntax. It’s actually somewhat similar to English. This makes it easy for new developers to learn.

Another advantage of Ruby is that developers with skill in this programming language are often in high demand. The average salary for a Ruby on Rails programmer in the United States is around $107,381.

Some websites that you probably use regularly — such as Twitter, Basecamp, and Shopify — are built on Ruby on Rails.

Disadvantages of Ruby on Rails

No programming language is perfect, and Ruby on Rails doesn’t come without its downsides.

One of which is that bugs tend to get hidden in Ruby. It has so many built-in features, and the documentation of the language isn’t as complete as for some others, that it can sometimes be more difficult to find and fix bugs in your code.

Ruby on Rails can also sometimes take longer to boot up, and it might also have a slower runtime than other programming platforms. This can become frustrating if you’re working against a deadline.

Python

Python was created in 1991 by Guido van Rossum and named after the Monty Python comedy troupe. Like Ruby on Rails, it’s also used for web development and has an intuitive syntax.

Top Features of Python

Python’s intuitive syntax makes it easy to read, so the programming language can be a good choice for beginners who are just learning.

It’s also commonly used for server-side web development, system administration, and dev ops tasks. Python can be used with web development frameworks such as Django and Flask.

Python has also stepped into the ring in areas such as data science, artificial intelligence, automation, and game development. Data scientists use python for data analysis, machine learning, and deep learning tasks. When it comes to AI, Python can help with natural language processing and computer vision.

It’s also useful for automating repetitive tasks, such as web scraping, bot development, or creating routine workflows.

Advantages of Python  

If you’re looking to get a project done fast, then Python might be your programming language of choice. It can be useful for rapid development since it doesn’t often require a lot of code to get it up and running.

This could be due in part to the fact that Python tends to follow the DRY principle or the “don’t repeat yourself” principle. This states that you should avoid repeating yourself in your code, which leads to a more concise and readable product.

Similar to Ruby, Python also has a large and supportive community, which can come in handy if you find yourself stuck on a problem or need help with a bug.

Finally, due to Python’s long-standing presence, there are a large number of modules and libraries available for it, which helps support its versatility as a programming language. It can be used in many applications, and there are several frameworks and tools to make development easier and more efficient. It’s also an in-demand skill — the average salary for a Python programmer in the U.S. is around $118,929.

Disadvantages of Python

Despite a vast number of reasons that make Python so popular, it’s not without its flaws.

First, Python is not a fully object-oriented programming language. This means that some features you may be accustomed to with other languages are not available here.

Its large and supportive community also tends to focus heavily on academic applications of Python. If you’re more focused on practical applications, such as web development, this can make the community harder to navigate.

Ruby on Rails vs. Python: Similarities

These two different programming languages are not without their similarities. Both Ruby on Rails and Python are:

• Powerful service-side technologies
• Cross-platform
• Advanced scripting languages
• Useful for building scalable, portable web applications

Ruby on Rails vs. Python: Differences

These coding languages, however, also have their differences. There are certain areas where you might find that they diverge:

• Ruby supports single inheritance, while Python supports multiple inheritance
• Ruby is often used for functional programming and web development, while Python is often used for scientific programming and AI
• Python seems to be more popular than Ruby

Where are Ruby on Rails and Python Used in the Real World?

While we’ve already walked through how Ruby tends to be more popular for functional web applications and Python is more common in more scientific applications, both these programming languages have been used for websites or applications that you’re familiar with.

Some notable applications that were built on Ruby on Rails include:

• Shopify
• Basecamp
• Fiverr
• Dribble
• Myfitnesspal

Some companies that built their applications on Python include:

• Instagram
• Netflix
• Spotify

No matter which language you choose to learn, both Ruby on Rails and Python developers are in high demand. Armed with the knowledge of one or both of these languages, you’ll easily be able to pursue a successful career in web development.

Ready to Get Started?

Here at App Academy, we teach both Ruby on Rails and Python in our different software engineering bootcamps. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, we can help you increase your knowledge to level up your career.

If you’re interested in learning Ruby on Rails, explore our Campus Programs. For those looking to master Python, explore our online bootcamps. We offer a full-time online coding bootcamp and a part-time, online coding boocamp option.

Reach out to us today if you have any questions about how to start your journey to a new career.

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