I agree with the other commenters - RailsApps is a fantastic resource for the community. It's a great way to have a peer reviewed and curated set of high quality examples to learn from.
At the same time, I do agree with many of the points in Tammer's article. I think the danger with Rails templates, scaffolding and even Daniel's work is that it's very easy to take it and use it part and parcel without understanding what's really going on inside, and why certain decisions were made (this gem vs. that gem, or this code technique vs. that). I think there's a lot of value in starting from scratch (Daniel's option #1) and adding things step by step. As Tammer pointed out, this can lead to a positive team discussion and learning dynamic. And I don't mind the extra typing and time required.
The next time I start a new Rails app, I'll probably:
- Look for a good example to learn from in RailsApps or elsewhere.
- But then step back to "rails new" and add in the recommended gems bit by bit, with testing along the way.
- Hopefully contribute back to RailsApp if I learn anything new :)
At the same time, I do agree with many of the points in Tammer's article. I think the danger with Rails templates, scaffolding and even Daniel's work is that it's very easy to take it and use it part and parcel without understanding what's really going on inside, and why certain decisions were made (this gem vs. that gem, or this code technique vs. that). I think there's a lot of value in starting from scratch (Daniel's option #1) and adding things step by step. As Tammer pointed out, this can lead to a positive team discussion and learning dynamic. And I don't mind the extra typing and time required.
The next time I start a new Rails app, I'll probably: - Look for a good example to learn from in RailsApps or elsewhere. - But then step back to "rails new" and add in the recommended gems bit by bit, with testing along the way. - Hopefully contribute back to RailsApp if I learn anything new :)