Beginning Ruby on Rails introduces web development with Ruby on Rails, a powerful new framework. You will learn how to develop basic applications by implementing four projects. Some of the topics covered through the projects include form handling, CSS, security, database integration, model-view-controller architecture, and test-driven programming. Projects include a task manager, a RSS aggregator, a community manager (similar in nature to MySpace.com), and one that utilizes the Amazon API. You'll like how user-friendly this book is:

In addition to the concepts presented in the four projects, you will learn how Ruby on Rails compares to other web application development frameworks. You'll understand the fundamentals of the Ruby language, and you will see how Ruby compares to other current programming languages (primarily Java). You will also learn how to integrate AJAX into your Ruby on Rails applications.