Look at Frameworks as Just a Useful Tool
I’ve never really understood the argument against libraries and frameworks. They’re tools and nothing more. Perhaps they allow some to get up and rolling without fully understanding the dependent technologies but that in itself isn’t my sticking point. In some ways the abstraction can prevent the novice from creating awkward solutions for easy problems within the context of their project. Although I would suggest its important to learn the underlying language.
James Bennett wrote a great article this week titled Lets talk about frameworks (again) where he points out the difference between frameworks, libraries and snippets. I think its a must read. It offers a larger perspective, albeit not the only one, about what frameworks might or might not achieve for us as developers. The technician versus the artist. Without doubt there are many like myself who are somewhere between the poles of technician and artist.
Recently I’ve been working through Build Your Own Ruby on Rails Web Applications by Patrick Lenz. And why not? I am at the end of a Bachelor of Computing which heavily focused on Object Oriented Programming (OOP). I am an intermediate level Java Programmer in Java 2 Standard Edition and have completed work in Java 2 Micro Edition as well as C, PHP, SQL, machine and assembly code, UNIX, JavaScript and other languages. I think on the whole the leap into Ruby and then into Rails isn’t something that should be thrown back at me simply because I’ve decided to adopt a framework for a project. I have worked in web standards semantic markup for at least the last four years so have paid my dues. I would hardly describe myself as someone who just jumps into a framework as if its day one of my programming career.
So I think its wrong to slate everyone who uses a framework as getting a free ride. Maybe there are those who do get a free ride from frameworks and libraries but many of us can actually program to some extent already or worked with semantic markup and Cascading Stylesheets before picking up a framework. At least significantly enough that the framework is not a black box solution.
Yes I do think people should at least learn some fundamentals of the underlying language before they embark with frameworks and libraries but that of itself isn’t a condemnation of the methodology. Its a suggestion to the implementers in just the same way I would suggest the use of a mattock over a shovel in some situations.
In the end it comes down to where the rubber meets the road - your current abilities, the project at hand and the constraints which make using a framework significantly beneficial to spend time to learn. I’m enjoying riding the rails at this point. Toot, toot. All aboard.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:17 am
The use of frameworks is interesting. Day to day at the moment I just need to “get more done” and I’ve started look at some of the CSS frameworks and you right that need understand the the language etc first because a framework really only gives you higher level short cuts. I’m also looking at the as way to improve my OO practices.
What are your thoughts on Ruby ? do you think that it’s quick and easier than php ?
November 25th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Actually I like Ruby. I’m probably comparing it to Java when I say its much easier from a syntax perspective - more intuitive perhaps. Everything is an object. But then I’m reasonably strong on OOP having had the concepts beaten into me over a number of years.
I also have 3 books coming in from Amazon next month - Jeremy Keith’s DOM Scripting and Bulletproof AJAX as well as Sitepoint’s DHTML Utopia: Modern Web Design using JavaScript and DOM. I think I might pick up a more advanced Ruby on Rails (or even plain Ruby) text as well - busy summer. I need to pick up on the JavaScript as in the past I’ve let it fall behind.
Rumour has it I’m also picking up a Bamboo Fun drawing tablet for xmas as well… touch wood. Pays to diversify.
Anyway… yep Ruby isn’t too bad at all. And I like the idea of using a framework for the kind of thing I’m looking at in the new year. As compared to PHP - yes Ruby is easier to pick up than PHP in my opinion, definately.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Jeremy Keith Bulletproof AJAX looks great. I’ve been a classic designer recently and started to work with the new Dreamweaver AJAX stuff and got myself into a mess really quickly !!!
Ruby on Rails isn’t still be used much in Australia and in Tassie I don’t think anyone is using it. Do you think this is going to change ? sometime before people will go with a tech they feel like they need a massive of people around can work with it.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
There are a growing number of Tasmanian developers now looking at AJAX but nowdays as far as programming skills go it wouldn’t be hard to pick up a decent programmer overseas. It doesn’t really matter where their physical locale is on many jobs. But locally, yes I think its growing. Only two weeks ago another developer in Hobart mentioned he’d been up all night working on Ruby on Rails too.
I’m also not sure its a silver bullet - PHP for some projects and Ruby on Rails for others.
I decided to pick up some books via Amazon recently seeing as our dollar rose to 93 cents against the US greenback - nice conversion rate.