‘‘If you want to learn web development with Ruby on Rails, how should I start?’’ For years Michael Hartl has provided the answer as author of the RailsSpace tutorial in our series and now the new Ruby on RailsTM3 Tutorial that you hold in your hands (or PDF reader, I guess).

             I’m so proud of having Michael on the series roster. He is living, breathing proof that us Rails folks are some of the luckiest in the wide world of technology. Before getting into Ruby, Michael taught theoretical and computational physics at Caltech for six years, where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000. He is a Harvard graduate, has a Ph.D. in Physics from Caltech, and is an alumnus of Paul Graham’s esteemed Y Combinator program for entrepreneurs. And what does Michael apply his impressive experience and teaching prowess to? Teaching new software developers all around the world how to use Ruby on Rails effectively! Lucky we are indeed!

       The availability of this tutorial actually comes at a critical time for Rails adoption. We’re five years into the history of Rails and today’s version of the platform has unprecedented power and flexibility. Experienced Rails folks can leverage that power effectively, but we’re hearing growing cries of frustration from newcomers. The amount of information out there about Rails is fantastic if you know what you’re doing already. However, if you’re new, the scope and mass of information about Rails can be mind-boggling.

         Luckily, Michael takes the same approach as his first book in the series, building a sample application from scratch, and writes in a style that’s meant to be read from start to finish. Along the way, he explains all the little details that are likely to trip up beginners. Impressively, he goes beyond just a straightforward explanation of what Rails

does and ventures into prescriptive advice about good software development practices, such as test-driven development. Neither does Michael constrain himself to a box delineated by the extents of the Rails framework—he goes ahead and teaches the reader to use tools essential to existence in the Rails community, such as Git and GitHub. In a friendly style, he even provides copious contextual footnotes of benefit to new programmers, such as the pronunciation of SQL and pointers to the origins of lorem ipsum. Tying all the content together in a way that remains concise and usable is truly a tour de force of dedication!

         I tell you with all my heart that this book is one of the most significant titles in my Professional Ruby Series, because it facilitates the continued growth of the Rails ecosystem. By helping newcomers become productive members of the community quickly, he ensures that Ruby on Rails continues its powerful and disruptive charge into the mainstream. The Rails Tutorial is potent fuel for the fire that is powering growth and riches for so many of us, and for that we are forever grateful.