Explore the Ruby on Rails Developers Career Path

Ruby on Rails Developers Career Path

Ruby on Rails is a full-stack web development framework dominantly used in writing server-side logic. Ruby developers not only develop web applications but can also connect different applications and integrate front-end and back-end for seamless function. If you are looking for a Ruby on Rails developers career path, you should know that there are many fields you can work on. 

A Rails developer is equipped enough to work with frontend developers, can be a backend developer, quality assurance engineer, or project manager, can design databases, and maintain servers. Each role varies yet requires a good knowledge of the framework and the programming language it is based on. Let’s read on to find what the Ruby on Rails developers career path looks like and how you can make a career out of it.

Why You Should Learn Ruby On Rails Framework 

Ruby on Rails, ever since its inception, has grown to become a popular web application development framework, and for a good reason! It is flexible and fast. Also provides ease of coding by removing code complexities and size. As a programmer, you can experiment with it and try out new things. The latest upgrades of Ruby: JRuby, Ruby 1.9, and Rubinius are already getting used in various organizations for their agile development, and quick processing. 

From a business perspective, many big organizations such as eBay, Twitter, SlideShare, Scribd, Hulu, etc are already utilizing the framework, with other medium and small-sized companies also joining the list. This has created a huge demand for Ruby on Rails developers. Even for higher prices!  Yes, the competition is increased and a developer has to be trained properly to bridge the demand and skill gap. 

Organizations also understand its importance hence, are training their in-house developers in the framework. Learning the crux of the Rails framework will help immensely in the growth of your Ruby on Rails developers career path.

Why do Professional Web Developers Prefer Ruby On Rails?

 Programmers prefer Ruby on Rails because of its gems and functions which help them write cleaner codes, cut through repetitive tasks, and many other reasons. Some of them are- 

• Open Source – The framework, libraries, gems, and other important features are mostly open source.
• Fast Process– The ease of coding and reduced code complexity not only provides a clean code base but also boosts the speed of the development process. You can also reuse existing components. 
• Flexibility – You can easily add new features, modify data models and apply other changes as per your use.
• Reduced Cost – It is open source, automated, and saves cost by reducing development time on significant sections of the project. 
• Better Choice – One major benefit of Ruby language is that it combines the best characteristics and solutions of both dynamic and static languages. Learning the technicalities can have a major significance in your Ruby on Rails developers career path.   

Jobs and Career Positions in Ruby on Rails

Just like any other programming language, Ruby on Rails developers' career path starts from a junior level. After that, as you gain experience, you get into other leading roles and positions-   

• Entry-level developer > Junior-level developer > Lead developer > Senior-level developer > Principal software engineer.

Non-Developer Role-

• Engineer/Programmer > Consultant > Senior level consultant > Principal consultant.

Above is a common hierarchy to give an idea. The positions can differ according to the individual’s expertise and interest or the organization’s need.

Education expected for a Career in Ruby on Rails

For a successful Ruby on Rails developers career path, you first need to educate yourself. 

• One way is to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science engineering or Information Technology and learn the basics and core fundamentals of programming. 
• Basic concepts such as Data Structures, Object Oriented programming, modules, algorithms, etc are mandatory.
• That way, you can easily understand the Ruby language and will be quick to adapt to it. 
• After learning the basics of programming and the language, hop on to the frameworks and gems.
• Also, understand how Model-View-Controller architecture works.
• Write programs and start to develop some applications to get practical knowledge.
• Another way is to get help from online communities, tutorials, and video courses.

Skills and Responsibilities in The Ruby on Rails Developers Career Path

As I stated, there are a variety of career paths you can choose. But each path requires a certain set of skills.

For Entry Level- 

• Skills- Knowledge of Rails framework, basics of Sass, MVC, knowledge of databases, jquery, and fundamentals of coding. Basic Knowledge of frontend tech- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Role and Responsibility- database management, testing and debugging, request handling, writing basic programs, setting up the environment.

For Junior Level- 

• Skills- Practical knowledge of application development and a few important libraries, Knowledge of JS frameworks for front-end developers.
• Role and Responsibility- Object-oriented programing, designing and maintaining databases, developing a full shorter-level application, and integrating different apps.

For Senior Level- 

• Skills- Full practical knowledge of application development, Ruby metaprogramming, analytical, planning, and monitoring skills.
• Role and Responsibility- Managing the whole development process, database modeling, and developing a whole application on one end. Also, be able to detect and correct performance issues.

Salary of Ruby on Rails Developers

Being a popular framework, the RoR developers usually have a bigger paycheck than other similar technologies. According to Indeed, the average Rails developer has around 86% higher packages than other developers in the US. However, the salary depends a lot on the role the developer is hired for. 

The annual salary of an average RoR developer is $100,000 and can go up to $154,000. Many organizations can pay even higher salaries. Organizations don’t have to invest much in the open source framework and its libraries, hence can provide a better pay scale. Even the entry-level developers of Ruby have a bigger check than other developers. Ruby on Rails developers' career path provides the highest salaried jobs.

Conclusion

Getting a career in Ruby on Rails is beneficial but requires hard work and persistence. Organizations are constantly looking out for skilled developers who can provide rapid development and scalable applications. The framework is known for its flexibility, components reusability, automation, and speed which makes it a trusted technology. For making a successful Ruby on Rails developers career path, you have to make sure you bring the required skills to the table and are ready to adapt and learn as per the changing market requirements. If you want to learn more, you can check out Optymize. We at Optymize hire the top 3% of the best ruby on rails developers and connect them with global clients and companies looking to build scalable applications. We can help you by providing the best solutions.