= EdgeCase Ruby Koans
-The Ruby Koans walk you along the path to enlightenment in order to learn Ruby.
-The goal is to learn the Ruby language, syntax, structure, and some common
+The Ruby Koans walk you along the path to enlightenment in order to learn Ruby.
+The goal is to learn the Ruby language, syntax, structure, and some common
functions and libraries. We also teach you culture. Testing is not just something we
-pay lip service to, but something we live. It is essential in your quest to learn
-and do great things in the language.
+pay lip service to, but something we live. It is essential in your quest to learn
+and do great things in the language.
== The Structure
-The koans are broken out into areas by file, hashes are covered in about_hashes.rb,
-modules are introduced in about_modules.rb, etc. They are presented in order in the
-path_to_enlightenment.rb file.
+The koans are broken out into areas by file, hashes are covered in about_hashes.rb,
+modules are introduced in about_modules.rb, etc. They are presented in order in the
+path_to_enlightenment.rb file.
-Each koan builds up your knowledge of Ruby and builds upon itself. It will stop at
-the first place you need to correct.
+Each koan builds up your knowledge of Ruby and builds upon itself. It will stop at
+the first place you need to correct.
-Some koans simply need to have the correct answer substituted for an incorrect one.
-Some, however, require you to supply your own answer. If you see the method __ (a
-double underscore) listed, it is a hint to you to supply your own code in order to
-make it work correctly.
+Some koans simply need to have the correct answer substituted for an incorrect one.
+Some, however, require you to supply your own answer. If you see the method +__+ (a
+double underscore) listed, it is a hint to you to supply your own code in order to
+make it work correctly.
+== Installing Ruby
+
+If you do not have Ruby setup, please visit http://ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/ for
+operating specific instructions. In order to run this you need ruby and rake
+installed. To check the installations simply type:
+
+*nix platforms from any terminal window:
+
+ [~] $ ruby --version
+ [~] $ rake --version
+
+Windows from the command prompt (cmd.exe)
+
+ c:\ruby --version
+ c:\rake --version
+
+If you don't have rake installed, just run `gem install rake`
+
+Any response for Ruby with a version number greater than 1.8 is fine (should be
+around 1.8.6 or more). Any version of rake will do.
== The Path To Enlightenment
-In order to achieve enlightenment you need to follow the path_to_enlightenment. This
-can be done in two ways
+You can run the tests through rake or by calling the file itself (rake is the
+recommended way to run them as we might build more functionality into this task).
*nix platforms, from the koans directory
[ruby_koans] $ rake # runs the default target :walk_the_path
[ruby_koans] $ ruby path_to_enlightenment.rb # simply call the file directly
-
+
Windows is the same thing
c:\ruby_koans\rake # runs the default target :walk_the_path
c:\ruby_koans\ruby path_to_enlightenment.rb # simply call the file directly
-
+
=== Red, Green, Refactor
In test-driven development the mantra has always been, red, green, refactor. Write a
failing test and run it (red), make the test pass (green), then refactor it (that is
look at the code and see if you can make it any better. In this case you will need
-to run the koan and see it fail (refactor), make the test pass (green), then take a
-moment and reflect upon the test to see what it is teaching you.
+to run the koan and see it fail (red), make the test pass (green), then take a
+moment and reflect upon the test to see what it is teaching you and improve the
+code to better communicate its intent (refactor).
The very first time you run it you will see the following output:
[ ruby_koans ] $ rake
(in /Users/person/dev/ruby_koans)
cd koans
-
+
Thinking AboutAsserts
test_assert_truth has damaged your karma.
-
+
You have not yet reached enlightenment ...
<false> is not true.
-
+
Please meditate on the following code:
- ./about_basics.rb:10:in `test_assert_truth'
+ ./about_asserts.rb:10:in `test_assert_truth'
path_to_enlightenment.rb:27
mountains are merely mountains
-
+
You have come to your first stage. If you notice it is telling you where to look for
the first solution:
Please meditate on the following code:
- ./about_basics.rb:10:in `test_assert_truth'
+ ./about_asserts.rb:10:in `test_assert_truth'
path_to_enlightenment.rb:27
-
-We then open up the about_basics.rb file and look at the first test:
+
+We then open up the about_asserts.rb file and look at the first test:
# We shall contemplate truth by testing reality, via asserts.
def test_assert_truth
We then change the +false+ to +true+ and run the test again. After you are
done, think about what you are learning. In this case, ignore everything except
-the method name (+test_assert_truth+) and the parts inside the method (everything
-before the +end+).
-
-In this case the goal is for you to see that if you pass a value to the +assert+
+the method name (+test_assert_truth+) and the parts inside the method (everything
+before the +end+).
+
+In this case the goal is for you to see that if you pass a value to the +assert+
method, it will either ensure it is +true+ and continue on, or fail if in fact
-the statement is +false+.
-
+the statement is +false+.
+
== Inspiration
-A special thanks to Mike Clark and Ara Howard for inspiring this project. Mike Clark
-wrote an excellent blog post about learning Ruby through unit testing. This sparked
-an idea that has taken a bit to solidify, that of bringing new rubyists into the
-community through testing. Ara Howard then gave us the idea for the Koans in his
-ruby quiz entry an Meta Koans (a must for any rubyist wanting to improve their skills).
+A special thanks to Mike Clark and Ara Howard for inspiring this
+project. Mike Clark wrote an excellent blog post about learning Ruby
+through unit testing. This sparked an idea that has taken a bit to
+solidify, that of bringing new rubyists into the community through
+testing. Ara Howard then gave us the idea for the Koans in his ruby
+quiz entry on Meta Koans (a must for any rubyist wanting to improve
+their skills). Also, "The Little Lisper" taught us all the value of
+the short questions/simple answers style of learning.
Mike Clark's post :: http://www.clarkware.com/cgi/blosxom/2005/03/18
Meta Koans :: http://rubyquiz.com/quiz67.html
+The Little Lisper :: http://www.amazon.com/Little-LISPer-Third-Daniel-Friedman/dp/0023397632
== Other Resources
The Ruby Language :: http://ruby-lang.org
+Try Ruby in your browser :: http://tryruby.org
+
+Dave Thomas' introduction to Ruby Programming Ruby (the Pick Axe) :: http://pragprog.com/titles/ruby/programming-ruby
+
+Brian Marick's fantastic guide for beginners Everyday Scripting with Ruby :: http://pragprog.com/titles/bmsft/everyday-scripting-with-ruby
+
+= Other stuff
+
+Author :: Jim Weirich <jim@weirichhouse.org>
+Author :: Joe O'Brien <joe@edgecase.com>
+Issue Tracker :: http://www.pivotaltracker.com/projects/48111
+Requires :: Ruby 1.8.x or later and Rake (any recent version)
-Dave Thomas' introduction to Ruby
-Programming Ruby (the Pick Axe) :: http://pragprog.com/titles/ruby/programming-ruby
+= License
-Brian Marick's fantastic guide for beginners
-Everyday Scripting with Ruby :: http://pragprog.com/titles/bmsft/everyday-scripting-with-ruby
+http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/3.0/88x31.png
-Try Ruby in your browser :: http://tryruby.hobix.com/
\ No newline at end of file
+RubyKoans is released under a Creative Commons,
+Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Version 3.0
+(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/) License.
git://git.eng.unimelb.edu.au / ruby_koans.git / blobdiff