Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Development Tools Console Foundations Installing Software Building Software From Source

Leisa Clark
Leisa Clark
4,531 Points
Posted by Leisa Clark
Leisa Clark
4,531 Points

Why Do I need to learn Linux? How does it relate to Ruby on Rails? Can I use Windows?

I am struggling to understand how Linux and Javascript relates to Ruby on Rails which I am wanting to learn?

3 Answers

Salman Akram
Salman Akram
Courses Plus Student 40,065 Points

Hi Leisa,

Great you bring up this question.

From my experiences from Window to Ubuntu, I don't recommend you to use Rails on Ruby on Windows because you will face alot of issues, massive installations and painfully slow. Linux, Ubuntu, or Mac are much better to develop with Ruby. You don't have to worry about Linux which is 99% similar to Apple Mac, you will learn everything quickly just like you play around with Windows. Moreover, some of gems/libraries wouldn't work well on Windows and alot of documentations based on Unix environment.

Javascript can run both Windows and Linux, depending on with programming. If you just use HTML, CSS along with Javascript, yes, you can use text editor (Sublime text) with Windows. If you decide to bring Ruby on Rails and more gems installations, better choice with Linux.

However, if you want to experience RoR with Windows, try desktop editor with Nitrous.io without having whole installation on Window system, just open Chrome and start with it.

Hope that helps. :)

John Breslin
John Breslin
16,963 Points
John Breslin
John Breslin
16,963 Points

Linux is what many web servers run. So, if you're doing it professionally, you'll probably run into it. Might as well learn a little, just in case. If you're willing to dive deeper, you can get a raspberry pi linux computer for $35.

Ruby on Rails is a server side language, so most of what it does happens on load. Javascript runs on the users computer, so you can do things once the page is already loaded.

Leisa Clark
Leisa Clark
4,531 Points
Leisa Clark
Leisa Clark
4,531 Points

Thanks for your help Salman and John, both very helpful