Features of ruby ( programming language)

Ruby has features that are similar to those of Smalltalk, Perl, and Python. Perl, Python, and Smalltalk are scripting languages. Smalltalk is a true object-oriented language. Ruby, like Smalltalk, is a perfect object-oriented language. Using Ruby syntax is much easier than using Smalltalk syntax.

Features of Ruby

• Ruby is an open-source and is freely available on the Web, but it is subject to a license.
• Dynamic typing and duck typing
• Everything is an expression (even statements) and everything is executed imperatively (even declarations)
• Succinct and flexible syntax that minimizes syntactic noise and serves as a foundation for domain-specific languages
• Dynamic reflection and alteration of objects to facilitate metaprogramming
• Ruby is a server-side scripting language similar to Python and PERL.
• Ruby can be used to write Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts.
• Ruby can be embedded into Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
• Ruby has a clean and easy syntax that allows a new developer to learn very quickly and easily.
• Ruby has similar syntax to that of many programming languages such as C++ and Perl.
• Ruby is very much scalable and big programs written in Ruby are easily maintainable.
• Ruby can be used for developing Internet and intranet applications.
• Ruby can be installed in Windows and POSIX environments.
• Ruby support many GUI tools such as Tcl/Tk, GTK, and OpenGL.
• Ruby can easily be connected to DB2, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase.
• Ruby has a rich set of built-in functions, which can be used directly into Ruby scripts.
• Operator overloading
• Exception handling
• Built-in support for rational numbers, complex numbers and arbitrary-precision arithmetic
• Custom dispatch behavior (through method_missing and const_missing)
• Native threads and cooperative fibers (fibers are a 1.9/YARV feature)
• Initial support for Unicode and multiple character encodings (no ICU support)
• Native plug-in API in C
• Interactive Ruby Shell (a REPL)
• Centralized package management through RubyGems
• Implemented on all major platforms
• Large standard library, including modules for YAML, JSON, XML, CGI, OpenSSL, HTTP, FTP, RSS, curses, zlib and Tk
• Four levels of variable scope (global, class, instance, and local) denoted by sigils or the lack thereof

Tools Will Need

For performing the examples discussed in this tutorial, you will need a latest computer like Intel Core i3 or i5 with a minimum of 2GB of RAM (4GB of RAM recommended). You also will need the following software-

• Linux or Windows 95/98/2000/NT or Windows 7 operating system.
• Apache 1.3.19-5 Web server.
• Internet Explorer 5.0 or above Web browser.
• Ruby 1.8.5