Hi, I’m Brian, a former senior software engineer and now software engineering mentor at Pathrise. I have worked with hundreds of software engineers to help them land their dream job. Check out my review of RubyTapas.
- What does RubyTapas do?
- Who is RubyTapas for?
- What does RubyTapas cost?
- Ratings and reviews of RubyTapas
- Alternatives to RubyTapas
- How does RubyTapas compare to Pathrise?
What does RubyTapas do?
RubyTapas is an online resource for developers with some experience programming in Ruby on Rails who want to take their skills to the next level. They offer 2 episodes (lessons) per week that introduce subscribers to intermediate and advanced Ruby concepts, including object-oriented design, test practices, refactoring skills, and more. Episodes are held live as well as recorded and archived. Therefore, users can always refer back to previous material. In general, episodes include a short video, code walkthroughs (with illustrations), and written explanations. Plus, many episodes feature guest instructors, so users learn from a diverse range of field experts and experienced developers.
They have over 600 short lessons that cover design, style, APIs & libraries, testing, and more. RubyTapas is a good option for those looking to learn new tricks and techniques. However, users should note that RubyTapas does not offer interactive lessons, access to a community discussion board, or support from instructors.
Who is RubyTapas for?
Intermediate and advanced web developers and software engineers who have prior experience programming with Ruby on Rails can benefit from RubyTapas. In addition, the program is a good option for those who are self-motivated, as they do not offer hands-on projects, 1-on-1 instruction, or job-seeking guidance.
What does RubyTapas cost? How much work is involved?
While RubyTapas offers some free resources, including a few free episodes, users must subscribe to access most of the material. Users choose from two subscription options: hungry and ravenous. The hungry option costs $18 per month and includes local access to every episode. Those who select the ravenous option pay $35 per month and can download episodes for offline viewing. They also have access to the bonus material on the RubyTapas RSS (iTunes) video feed. Users receive 2 additional free months if they pay for 12 months upfront.
To register, users fill out a brief form that includes their name, desired username, email address, and password. They then select their subscription option, add their payment method, and begin learning.
Ratings and reviews
There are not too many online reviews of RubyTapas. But, users and developers generally view the online resource favorably.
Netguru listed RubyTapas on their list of top 7 Ruby on Rails podcasts. Ideamotive listed the creator of RubyTapas, Avdi Grimm, as one of their 30 Ruby on Rails experts to follow in 2020.
Experienced Ruby on Rail developers felt that they learned many new skills from RubyTapas. According to one experienced developer on Reddit, “I learn so many useful details about the Ruby language that I didn’t know about.” He mentioned “many lesser-known enumerable methods, null object pattern, tempfiles, composition over inheritance”. The reviewer also emphasized that RubyTapas “teaches me general knowledge and patterns about programming in Ruby that I can apply in any environment.”
While users on another Reddit thread also found the lessons to be beneficial, they had differing opinions on how useful it was to have access to all of the lessons. While one user who subscribed enjoyed “binge-watching” the episodes. Another, who nonetheless enjoyed the lessons, unsubscribed because “the episodes were coming out much faster than I could watch them and I just stopped after a while. I got overwhelmed and found I was forgetting most of the content immediately anyway, unless it was something I could use that day.”
Alternatives to RubyTapas
If you decide not to use RubyTapas, there are a number of alternatives online resources and boot camps that teach Ruby on Rails and other programming languages.
- You can check out Udacity and Springboard. These online educational platforms can help you brush up on the basics or advance your current tech skills. Read more about Udacity and Springboard in our reviews.
- edX is one of the largest online learning platforms. They have courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.
- Those who are interested in online learning platforms can also try Coursera, Udemy, Ruby Koans, GoRails, and egghead to learn Ruby on Rails and other programming languages.
- Codecademy is one of the most popular coding programs online. They provide free courses on many different programming languages. They also offer membership options ranging from $20 to $40. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
- One of the most well known bootcamps is General Assembly. They offer full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on a variety of topics like software engineering with Ruby on Rails, as well as data science, UX design, digital marketing, product management, and more. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- SoloLearn, freeCodeCamp, and W3Schools are free online learning tools with tracks in Ruby on Rails, as well as other languages.
- Aspiring software engineers and web developers can also consider CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp with mentorship opportunities. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our review.
More alternatives
- Bloc is a tech bootcamp with a track that teaches Ruby on Rails for web dev.
- You can also check out Bubble no-code bootcamps to learn how to make products without coding. Learn more about Bubble in our review.
- Merit America is a nonprofit that teaches tech sales and software engineering to people without college degrees.
- Students can also consider Kenzie Academy. A full-time tech bootcamp, Kenzie offers in-person and online courses in 2 tracks: software engineering & UX design and front-end engineering. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
- With online and in-person options, Actualize, Flatiron School, Fullstack Academy, Coder Foundry, Launch Academy, and Holberton School offer software engineering bootcamps that cover programming with Ruby on Rails.
- People looking for self-paced online bootcamps that teach Ruby on Rails can check out OpenClassrooms.
How does RubyTapas compare to Pathrise?
RubyTapas is a useful tool for experienced software engineers and web developers looking to learn new techniques for programming in Ruby on Rails. While RubyTapas provides in-depth code walkthroughs and recorded lessons, they do not offer other resources, such as a discussion board, job-seeking resources, or 1-on-1 instruction or mentorship.
Pathrise is a full service organization that works with fellows on each step of their job search. We place a big focus on preparing for technical interviews by providing workshops, 1-on-1 mentoring, and pair programming sessions. We also assist fellows with resume and LinkedIn optimization, portfolio building, behavioral interview preparation, salary negotiation, and more. Fellows in our program interact with their mentors 1-on-1 each week. They have the opportunity to schedule additional sessions as needed.
Furthering technical skills is an important aspect of landing a job as a software engineer or web developer. So, fellows in our program should feel free to use RubyTapas, as well as our technical workshops, to deepen their programming knowledge.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that works with students and professionals 1-on-1 so they can land their dream job in tech. With our tips and guidance, we’ve seen our fellows interview performance scores double.
If you are interested in optimizing your job search by working 1-on-1 with a mentor, become a Pathrise fellow.
Apply today.
