Hi there, my name’s Volodyya, and I’ve been a Ruby engineer for many years now. I’m on the Pivorak Ruby Community core team and a Ruby mentor.
Ruby engineers have been quite in demand lately, while when it comes to hiring them, there’s not that much of a choice for recruiters to make. This is the 2010 whirlwind hype at its notorious best: the year witnessed Ruby on Rails hitting the popularity charts, while in 2015, we saw many Ruby developers leaving for Node.js, React, Python, and Elixir, as well as other contiguous web technologies like JavaScript.
Nonetheless, the projects built on Rails did not vanish into thin air. What’s more, today’s full-stack software development lets us observe the technology’s renaissance. It took years to form the best practices and write copious books and articles – everything a newbie might need to feel more confident. Yet, we are nowadays short of experienced engineers and not newcomers. So, where do we find them?
If you are a talented Ruby engineer looking for challenging engineering projects or mentorship to scale your skills, SPsoft is hiring! Collaborate with our senior software engineer team on complex backend systems and resilient software!
Table of Contents
The Mid-Career Bottleneck: Why Ruby Developers Get Stuck
I’ve been prompted to write this article by a hypothesis that’s been getting on my nerves for the last couple of years. Having started their professional journey, Ruby developers find it hard to reach the next career level if not being mentored by experienced Ruby engineers; the fear of plunging into something new and unfathomable only exacerbates the situation.
The accessible information pool is over-saturated with varied literature, articles, and limitless online courses, prevailed by converse views regarding the very same issues. Thus, folks get to feel behind the trends and, as a result, lose their motivation to continue learning. Finding your own roadmap amid this smokescreen is a tall order to deal with. The key bottleneck is often the lack of a structured path beyond basic coding.
The Call for Senior Software Engineer Mentorship
The question is why so many specialists, with years of tangible project development and production experience, are still beating around the bush of Ruby basics, unable to form their individual vision of professional development. How’s that even possible that a Ruby engineer with one year of experience knows how to harness SOLID and patterns, while the others – with more than ten years into the industry – haven’t made it further than the service objects and still think that infused business logic models and callbacks are just fine?
Evidence suggests that Ruby engineers lack refresher and advanced training courses. People need help with not only “becoming IT”, but also moving forward: from junior to middle, from middle to senior. I’m not much of a fan of those “labels”, but as long as the market standards go by this terminology, I’m fine with that. This article is your guide to becoming a senior Ruby on Rails engineer.
The Roadmap: Crucial Knowledge Sources for a Ruby Developer
When interviewing junior developers, they often say, “Books are tedious and boring.” When I hear this, I feel like crying. Humanity has not yet come up with a better training method than reading. Reading is a long and meditative process that does not require you to learn the entire text by heart. It’s all about choosing the essential parts, analyzing them, and forming your vision of the absorbed information.
Information Sources & The Coding Mindset
Googling stuff is a helpful habit, yet not that efficient. When solving an issue, you should have 2-3 viable variants to choose the most optimal out of them. Only real-life cases described in books and articles can supply you with the volumes and quality of information needed to opt for that variant.
- The RubyWeekly digest is the best platform to stay constantly updated on the news, scandals, and everything that’s worthwhile in the Ruby world.
- ruby.libhunt – this is my compass when it comes to searching for relevant libraries. I always use Ruby libraries when the question boils down to finding ready-made code instead of coding it all myself. This improves productivity.
- X (former Twitter) is where software developers often share insights and news faster.
Ruby Fundamentals and Computer Science
At its core, Ruby is a simple language. The main building blocks are not that many. Everything’s an object. The primitive data types are powerful; nonetheless, Struct, OpenStruct, Set, Queue, and others are also worth your attention. You don’t need to use everything, but knowing how to apply them all is a must for any competent developer.
The books I recommend reading for a strong foundation:
- The Well-Grounded Rubyist, Third Edition by David A. Black and Joseph Leo III – there is nothing better for newbies to read to solidify Ruby basics.
- Ruby Programming Language by David Flanagan and Yukihiro Matsumoto – was the first book on Ruby that I’ve read. It still delivers the ruby-way idea just fine.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Asking whether a programmer must know what OOP is when working with a language where everything is an object is a rhetorical question. Ruby developers need an object-oriented design and implement clear descriptions of the program’s business processes. Ruby engineers write software for folks and not machines. Merely knowing SOLID is not enough; you have to use it actively to improve code quality.
When I interview the new candidates, I often ask them to describe any interior object – be it a chair, table, or guitar hanging on the wall – within the OOP context. As a rule, newbies often get stuck when it comes to design and implementing solid principles.
The books I recommend reading on OOP and Design:
- Practical Object-Oriented Design, An Agile Primer Using Ruby by Sandi Metz – this is interesting research on the OOP design. It is deemed classic among Rubyists.
- 99 Bottles of OOP by Sandi Metz, Katrina Owen, and TJ Stankus – a great follow-up on the OOP design topic, providing practical implementation examples.
Metaprogramming and DSLs
Magic is a hoax. This is just the code that was written by someone else. Metaprogramming is a code-writing method that generates another code. This is the dark side of the force and you have to know about it. When it comes to building a DSL (Domain Specific Language), Ruby developers use tools like class_eval, instance_eval, define_method, send, and public_send. Knowing this allows a senior software engineer to understand and optimize the underlying Rails framework.
The book I recommend reading on the topic:
- Metaprogramming Ruby 2 by Paolo Perrotta.
Testing: Your Seat Belt
It does not matter whether you’re writing tests prior to code; what matters is whether you write them at all. A poorly written test is better than an inexisting one. Tests must be written. Full stop. Ruby engineers saying that “development goes faster without testing” does nothing else but testify to their scarce qualifications. Testing is an inalienable part of software development. “Client does not pay for testing” is just an excuse used to mask one’s sloth. Tests are your seat belt. While RSpec is the testing standard in the world of commercial Ruby development, every developer should know how to properly test a complex backend application.
Here, my book recommendations include:
- Effective Testing with RSpec 3 by Myron Marston and Ian Dees
- Everyday Rails Testing with RSpec by Aaron Sumner
Mastering Ruby on Rails and Backend Architecture
As I’ve already mentioned, magic is a hoax. This is just code that someone else has written. First of all, you must know the Rails components: ActionPack, ActiveRecord, ActiveModel, ActionView, and others. The very framework module matters a lot, and keep in mind that you can always adjust the components you need.
Moving Beyond CRUD: Modular and Resilient Architecture
Injecting business logic into controllers and models – that’s a no-go by default; the rest shall come with experience. A senior backend engineer knows that complex software requires clear separation of concerns and a resilient architecture. This is achieved by:
- Service Objects. Encapsulating complex business logic outside of the Model.
- Modularization. Breaking a monolithic Rails application into smaller, independent modules (engines or microservices). This makes the application more scalable and manageable for large development teams.
- Infrastructure. Understanding how the database schema impacts application performance and how to effectively optimize performance using caching and background jobs. A key part of the backend role is database design and optimization.
Architectural Books for Senior Growth:
- Crafting Rails 4 Applications by José Valim. The principles described here about advanced Rails usage and architecture are still highly relevant.
- Modular Rails by Thibault Denizet. This book will show a whole new world of Rails app architecture.
- Fearless Refactoring Rails by Andrzej Krzywda.
The Role of the Senior Software Engineer in Deployment
The distinction between a senior developer and a junior developer often lies in their ability to handle end-to-end deployment and architecture. The senior software engineer is responsible for ensuring the application is scalable, secure, and easily maintainable. This includes:
- Designing and implementing effective CI/CD pipelines.
- Writing clear documentation for APIs and system integration.
- Setting up monitoring and alerting.
- Conducting code quality reviews.
The Career Path: From Junior to Senior and Beyond
The demand for talented senior Ruby on Rails engineers is strong, particularly at top companies like GitHub, Shopify, and Airbnb, which all use Ruby heavily. While many new software developers choose JavaScript (React) for the frontend, Ruby remains a premium backend choice due to its productivity and the maturity of the Rails framework.
Salary and Roles: A senior backend engineer or senior full-stack engineer specializing in Ruby on Rails commands a high salary due to the scarcity of high-level expertise. Roles range from backend developer to full stack developer and ultimately principal engineer, which focuses purely on system architecture and long-term technical strategy. Ruby companies are actively seeking those with deep expertise.
What’s Next? Expanding Your Software Tool Stack
Practice. Lots of it. Programming must not rest in your head but reach your fingertips. Your head, in turn, must be nothing else but storage for the most efficient solution to an issue at hand. Do not expect your work project to become a playground for learning things. Professional development is your sole responsibility.
- The Polyglot Engineer. You cannot be a great Ruby engineer if you know only Ruby. New techniques and paradigms enhance and extend the potential for generating effective solutions within Ruby. Learning a new language like Elixir (with the Phoenix Framework) or Go can make you a better Ruby developer.
- Side Projects and Open Source. I do recommend you create a side- or a pet-project of your own that will serve you a sandbox, where you’ll be able to try out everything you’ve read about. Contribute to open source projects to gain real-world collaborative experience and have your code reviewed by experienced engineers. This boosts your resume for developer jobs.
Conclusion: Continuous Learning is the Only Way Forward
Programming is hard. I find it hard to believe that there is a simple way of professional development but for continuous learning and practice. Do not deceive yourself with illusions that you can learn everything in practice without reading books and articles. Spare yourself time and effort, and adopt the experience of others. Eventually, our occupation is about automation and the world’s betterment.
If you are struggling to achieve the level required of a senior full-stack engineer or need external expertise to optimize your development teams’ workflow, reaching out for mentorship or partnership is the smart move.
Are you ready to transition from being a proficient developer to a senior-level architect? SPsoft is seeking experienced Ruby engineers for challenging backend projects and offers dedicated mentorship to close the knowledge gap. Stop beating around the basics — let’s collaborate on defining the future of software!
FAQ
What is the key difference in expectations for a senior Ruby on Rails engineer versus a junior developer?
A junior developer focuses on completing well-defined tickets and coding features under supervision. A senior Ruby on Rails engineer is expected to design and implement the entire architecture of a complex backend application, ensuring it is scalable, resilient, and performant. They prioritize business outcomes, mentor junior developers, and contribute to project management and system documentation.
How critical is database optimization for a backend developer working with Ruby on Rails?
Database optimization is extremely critical for a backend developer on Rails. ActiveRecord can often mask inefficient queries, creating a performance bottleneck in high-traffic web applications. A senior backend engineer must deeply understand SQL, indexing strategies, query planning, and how to optimize performance to ensure the entire system remains responsive. They are responsible for the long-term health of the database architecture.
Should a full stack developer focus on JavaScript frameworks like React before mastering Ruby?
No. A full stack developer should achieve mastery in one stack first. Since Ruby on Rails is designed to handle the backend, database, and much of the frontend through ActionView, a developer should master Ruby and Rails principles (OOP, testing) first. While proficiency in React or Vue is necessary for the interface and modern frontends, a weak backend foundation will create significant problems in the long run.
What is the role of microservices in modern Ruby on Rails architecture?
Microservices are used to break down large, monolithic Rails applications into smaller, independently deployable services. This allows large development teams to collaborate more effectively and makes the overall system more scalable and fault-tolerant. While Rails can handle the primary service, Ruby engineers often use Ruby alongside languages like Elixir or Go for specific, high-performance backend microservices.
How does learning a second language like Elixir make me a better Ruby developer?
Learning Elixir exposes the Ruby developer to the functional programming paradigm and concurrency models (like the Actor Model). This knowledge provides new tools to solve problems and enhances your understanding of immutability and highly resilient backend architecture, allowing you to write cleaner, more effective code even when you return to Ruby. It broadens your software engineer skillset.
What steps can a junior engineer take to actively improve their code quality?
A junior engineer should actively seek code reviews, not just receive them. They should read open source Ruby projects, apply SOLID principles strictly to every new application feature, and focus obsessively on writing comprehensive unit and integration tests (RSpec). They should also write internal documentation for complex modules to ensure their logic is understandable by others on the development teams.
What does end-to-end responsibility mean for a senior full-stack engineer?
End-to-end responsibility means the senior full-stack engineer owns the feature from the interface (frontend React), through the APIs, the backend Ruby on Rails application, down to the database queries and deployment. They are expected to design the entire workflow and ensure the feature is scalable, secure, and provides the necessary documentation and monitoring required for production stability.
How can a Ruby engineer proactively ensure system resiliency?
A Ruby engineer ensures system resiliency by implementing strategies such as circuit breakers for external integration, strong error handling, and separation of critical and non-critical workflows using background jobs (e.g., Sidekiq). They must also leverage the software framework to write code that is highly testable and deployable quickly, enabling fast rollbacks if issues occur in production.
