Rails is known as a model-views-controllers, or MVC, framework. In this type of framework, the model (the program’s logic), the views (the user interface), and the controllers (which handle user interaction and view selection) are housed separately. They’re closely connected, but they’re inherently different in the framework.

One of the big advantages of an MVC framework is that each of these different elements can be developed in parallel, further speeding up the development process. As long as Ruby on Rails developers understand how the different elements will interface, they can all be developed at the same time, without programmers having to wait for each other.

This framework type also makes it easier to manage complex projects; issues can be broken down by the element in question, instead of requiring a developer to look at the entire project at once.

If you’re looking for development work, you’ve probably wondered whether RoR or Python was a better choice. Here are a few of the things that you should keep in mind when considering Ruby vs. Python.

First, Ruby on Rails and Python are inherently different. Rails is a web framework, while Python is a programming language. The most popular web framework for Python is Django—so when comparing Ruby and Python, it’s good to keep that in mind.

The languages are quite similar in many ways. They’re both server-side scripting languages. They’re both high-level languages. They’re both relatively easy to read compared to some of the other options out there.

However, Python has a stronger focus on being explicit, while Ruby aims to be more elegant. This can result in code that’s slightly more difficult to read in Ruby; it won’t likely be a problem for an experienced Ruby developer, but it’s not always clear what a particular line of code is doing.

Despite that, Ruby places a strong emphasis on developer happiness . . . which seems strange, until you think about it. Developers are going to be the ones working with your code, and if they’re happy, you’re going to be happy. This is a different philosophy from other programming languages, and while it isn’t likely to affect your Rails development, there’s a good chance your developers will be glad you chose it.

Finally, Python development has strong ties to data science and academics. This probably doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a web developer, but it’s good to know, just in case.

In the end, both are great options for web development. And which is better largely depends on what you’re doing. Your best bet is to speak with an experienced developer who’s familiar with both languages to see which they’d recommend for your project.

Yes! The framework is completely open-source, so it’s free to download, use, and modify. In fact, that’s one of the reasons that it’s popular—it’s always great to get something for free. As with other open-source software, there’s a very large community that seeks to help out budding Ruby on Rails programmers learn the ins and outs of the system.

That large community and open-source nature also means that many people have contributed to making Rails better. When you have thousands of people working with it every day and contributing code to improve it, you end up with a very powerful framework.

Again, this might not matter all that much to you when you’re looking to hire a developer to help you build a website. But if you’re into supporting open-source ideas (which is great!), Rails is a good choice.