Basically, for software and web application development, several programming languages are available. However, in recent times, developers have been giving more preference to JavaScript and Ruby because of their features. If you are new to the programming world or wish to develop your coding skills, it is common for you to get confused about which language to learn first or what language suits the best for your project. In case, you are in such a dilemma, then without any hesitation, take a look at this blog post. Here, we have presented a comparative study of JavaScript vs. Ruby.
In particular, you will get to know about the similarities and differences between JavaScript and Ruby on Rails based on various aspects such as functions, performance, community support, career opportunities, and so on. Moreover, this in turn will also help you identify which language to study first and what language to choose for your project.
Before we move on to the comparison of JavaScript vs. Ruby, let us have a look at a brief overview of JavaScript and Ruby.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript or JS is a popular programming language primarily used to develop interactive websites. Furthermore, with JavaScript, mobile applications and back-end code for all types of projects can be developed.
Generally, JavaScript is a versatile programming language and can be used to enhance user experience, improve interactivity, and add several dynamic functions to websites and web applications. Most importantly, the ability of JS to run directly within the web browsers makes it the best for client-side scripting. Also, it helps the developers to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM) of web pages suitable for real-time modifications.
Especially, by using JavaScript, web developers can validate form inputs, build interactive elements like dropdown menus, buttons, sliders, etc, handle events, and enable animations.
Key Features of JavaScript
Here, let us look at some primary features of JavaScript.
- Suitable for client-side scripting
- Enables developers to handle various events like touch gestures, mouse clicks, and so on. Especially, by capturing and responding to these events, interactive user interfaces can be developed.
- Supports asynchronous programming through mechanisms like promises, callbacks, and the modern async/await syntax.
- Provides valuable methods and properties to manipulate the DOM and allows developers to dynamically update and modify the structure, content, and styling of web pages.
- Facilitates modularity and code reuse via functions and objects.
- All major web browsers support JavaScript. Hence, it is an ideal choice for developing cross-browser-compatible web applications. Developers can write the JavaScript source code once and use it across various browsers and platforms.
- Web development is easier with JavaScript’s extensive ecosystem of frameworks, libraries, and tools. Some popular frameworks for creating scalable and interactive web applications include React, Angular, and Vue.js. Furthermore, a variety of tools available in libraries like jQuery and Lodash also make typical programming jobs easier.
Advantages of JavaScript
Listed below are the major benefits of JavaScript.
- Easy to learn
- Simple to add new functionality and interactivity to websites without altering the existing source code.
- Helps the developers to create their own custom elements i.e. Application Programming Interface (API)
- Powerful when used with other frameworks
- Quick execution because it runs directly in the browser.
Disadvantages of JavaScript
The following are some drawbacks of JavaScript.
- JavaScript lacks debugging features. Hence, it is difficult for developers to find out an error.
- Some old browsers do not support certain JavaScript operations.
- Sometimes JavaScript poses a security risk.
What is Ruby?
Ruby is an open-source, dynamic, programming language that highly focuses on developer productivity and code readability. In the mid-1990s Yukihiro Matsumoto popularly known as Matz developed Ruby with the aim of creating a balanced functional language with imperative programming paradigms. The syntax of Ruby is programmer-friendly. Also, the language does not have complex data structures and functions. Hence Ruby is simple to learn and write. Moreover, developers are delighted to use Ruby because of its easy-to-use features and its emphasis on efficiency of development. Ruby is also called Ruby on Rails (RoR), or simply Rails. Ruby on Rails is a framework that is developed on the Ruby programming language.
Basically, Ruby is a high-level language that is widely used to build robust and modern web applications. Additionally, it has the ability to develop games, process data, build internet interfaces, create automation, perform data analytics, and more.
Key Features of Ruby
Here, let us explore some significant features of Ruby.
- It is a highly readable and expressive programming language with clean and concise syntax. Hence, it is easy for developers to write source code that is simple to understand and maintain, improving productivity and collaboration.
- Ruby is a pure object-oriented programming language. Therefore, data encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance are possible.
- Ruby makes use of dynamic typing, which lets programmers create and edit objects without explicitly defining their types. Also, this flexibility speeds up the prototyping process and streamlines development.
- The robust metaprogramming features of Ruby help the developers to write code that can change or create new code at runtime. Developers may construct expressive and compact code with the freedom of domain-specific languages and flexible abstractions made possible by metaprogramming.
- Gems are a huge collection of libraries and frameworks that are part of Ruby’s large ecosystem. Especially, by offering ready-to-use solutions for typical programming tasks, gems let developers use pre-existing code and expedite their work. Moreover, the RubyGems package manager makes it easy to find, install, and maintain these gems.
- Ruby on Rails or Rails is a powerful web application framework developed using Ruby. With its convention over configuration principle, Rails gives developers an organized framework for rapidly and effectively creating web applications. Moreover, with Rails, developers can easily manage databases, routing, and sessions and can also concentrate more on creating other essential features of their apps.
Advantages of Ruby
The following are the benefits of Ruby.
- Easy to learn and use.
- Suits well for doing both simple and complex tasks.
- The majority of the databases support Ruby. Hence, it will be easy to connect applications with the existing databases by not using extra software or libraries.
- Has sophisticated syntax and built-in testing features. Therefore, developers need not spend more time on code debugging.
- Ruby uses MVC architecture and hence web application development will be quick.
- Also, code quality or maintainability is convenient to achieve.
- Has good community support.
Disadvantages of Ruby
Find here, the drawbacks of using Ruby.
- When compared to other programming languages like Python, Ruby performs slowly. Therefore, the scalability of an application is difficult to achieve.
- Ruby often undergoes various new developments. Hence, it is essential to participate actively in the community and stay updated.
- The standards of features of Ruby may not provide the flexibility to make a specific work to be efficient. Sometimes it will be more challenging to use Ruby for certain kinds of unique projects.
Also Read: Swift vs. Java: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Differences
JavaScript vs. Ruby: Major Differences
Till now, we have seen the overview of JavaScript and Ruby. In this section, let us explore the key differences between Ruby and JavaScript.
- Ruby is only meant to be used for back-end development. However, JavaScript can be used for both front-end and back-end development of applications.
- JavaScript is primarily used for client-side scripting in web development. But, Ruby is a versatile scripting language that can be used for server-side scripting, web development, and task automation.
- JavaScript is unable to detect memory usage, whereas Ruby can.
- The syntax of JavaScript is significantly more complicated than that of Ruby. There are several curly braces and other punctuation signs in JavaScript.
- In JavaScript, code readability is complex because of its extensive functionality and various programming paradigms. But Ruby Emphasizes readability with a simple-to-understand source code.
- Ruby is a superior programming language for creating applications that demand a lot of CPU power from the machine but JavaScript is not capable of that.
- In terms of performance, because of its highly optimized engine, JavaScript is quicker than Ruby.
- JavaScript has a large and active community with a vast ecosystem of libraries, frameworks, and tools. Comparatively, Ruby has a smaller yet dedicated community.
- Server-side JavaScript has good scalability options, especially with Node.js whereas Ruby supports scalability of only projects that are smaller and medium-sized.
- JavaScript is one of the popular programming languages for web development and has broad career opportunities. When compared to JavaScript, Ruby has a smaller community but still, it has job opportunities in web development companies and startups.
- Due to simple syntax and abundant learning resources, for beginners, JavaScript is easy to learn. But the learning curve of Ruby is slightly steeper.
JavaScript vs. Ruby: Similarities
Even though the frameworks of JavaScript and Ruby are different, they both share some similarities as listed below.
- Both languages are object-oriented.
- Both are interpreted, which means they are executed instantly as opposed to first being compiled into machine code.
- These two count among the most widely used programming languages.
- Both provide a wide selection of third-party libraries for download.
- Both have very vibrant and involved communities.
- The framework of both JavaScript and Ruby suits well for back-end development.
JavaScript vs. Ruby: Career Opportunities
Currently, the demand for Ruby developers is increasing. However, JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages of the web and its uses extend beyond that. Therefore, there is high demand and plenty of career opportunities for both Ruby and JavaScript.
Probably, those who aspire to become web developers can begin with JavaScript. This is because full-stack developers, software engineers, and web developers widely use JavaScript. Moreover, with JavaScript knowledge, one can start a career as a front-end developer, mobile app developer, UI/UX developer, or game developer. When it comes to salary pay, the national average salary for JavaScript developers is roughly $104,739 per year; however, this varies by area.
On the other hand, Ruby developers tend to be highly technical and desire to solve problems in a creative manner. Hence, they are mostly hired by companies that want them to build new products from scratch instead of maintaining their old products. With the knowledge of Ruby, one can begin a career as a Ruby on Rails Developer, Ruby Backend developer, DevOps Engineer, Automation Engineer, Technical Writer, or Data Engineer. On a national level, the average salary for Ruby developers is $119,529 per year and it also varies based on the location.
JavaScript vs. Ruby: What to Learn First?
What should I learn first – JavaScript or Ruby? This is one common question the majority of the people ask. If you also have the same question, then choose any language according to your skill set and career goals.
If you wish to work for a specific company, consider whether the programmers there use JavaScript, Ruby, or another alternative. In case, you want to become a full-stack developer, learn JavaScript first because it can be used for the development of both the front-end and back-end of applications.
If you have prior programming knowledge, then it might be easier for you to learn JavaScript rather than Ruby. However, due to its simpler syntax, some people believe Ruby is easier to learn than JavaScript.
Ruby has a straightforward syntax and is easy to use. Also, its structure is similar to English and is simple to understand. Therefore, Ruby might be an excellent learning choice for beginners with no programming experience.
Also Read: Code Vs. Script: Which One Should You Learn And Why?
JavaScript vs. Ruby: Which Suits the Best for the Project?
In case, you are confused about what language to choose for your project, first go through your requirements carefully. It will help you identify what language to select for your project. If you are working on a web development project, then you can very well use JavaScript. Also, you can select JavaScript for the development of mobile applications or interactive websites. On the other hand, for building modern web applications or games, you can use Ruby.
Overall, you can choose either JavaScript or Ruby based on your project requirements and goals. Also, when picking a language, consider the features as well. For instance, the performance of JavaScript will be quick when compared to Ruby. Better consider looking at the comparison of JavaScript vs. Ruby so that you can easily determine which language will suit the best for your project.
Conclusion
So far, we have seen the comparative study of JavaScript vs. Ruby. Hopefully, by now, you will have gained a better understanding of the similarities and differences between Ruby and JavaScript. If you have strong knowledge of Ruby and JavaScript, then you can effortlessly work on your project or assignment. In case, you lack the coding skills or if you need help from a programming assignment expert to do your Ruby or JavaScript project, contact us immediately.
