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15 Jan 2023

30 Exceptional Ruby Development Interview Questions

Many have heard of the Ruby programming language, as its popularity continues to grow. In fact, according to W3 Techs, 7.2% of all the websites whose server-side programming language is known and that rank in the top 1,000,000 sites online use Ruby for all server-side operations. Now, while Ruby is reaching a reputation of its own, the less-known Ruby On Rails is also worthy of recognition. This is a powerful web development framework that enables developers to quickly create dynamic web applications using the Ruby programming language. 

While it’s impossible to build applications on Ruby on Rails without having an active knowledge of the Ruby tech stack, some Ruby developers have tey to become truly familiar with the platform. Now, if you want to hire Ruby On Rails developers to develop applications using the framework in conjunction with the popular programming language, you’ll need to interview all IT candidates appropriately. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of interviewing potential Ruby on Rails developers, what to look for in a Ruby on Rails developer, and the top 30 interview questions to ask Ruby on Rails developers.

What is Ruby On Rails?

Ruby on Rails is a popular web application framework that is used by developers to create web applications with the programming language Ruby. One of its main advantages is the free and versatile use of this software, as it’s an open-source framework and has been around for over 15 years. It’s highly popular among developers because of its ease of use and flexibility - the framework is based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, allowing them to quickly build dynamic and high-powered web applications with minimal effort. 

Why should companies hire Ruby On Rails developers?

Simply put, companies should hire Ruby On Rails developers as they’re the only ones who can master this framework and use it to create efficient and modern applications. One of the main reasons to choose the Ruby On Rails framework and hire developers for it is that websites built with it can be easily scaled up or down depending on your project’s needs. Moreover, Ruby on Rails development is fast and thorough, allowing developers to build applications faster than if they were using other frameworks. 

Now, before you hire Ruby on Rails developers, your team should ensure they’re qualified to build quality applications with this framework. Still, limiting your assessment of potential Ruby On Rails development candidates to their skills within this framework. It’s best to monitor what other tech stacks or technologies all candidates are proficient in to be able to maximize their skills in the future and work on multiple projects with the same programmer. You can include these topics in your list of interview questions for Ruby On Rails developers, or find another way to evaluate their knowledge and skills in these secondary areas. 

As a baseline, Ruby On Rails developers should have experience with the following technologies besides the main framework:

  1. The Ruby Programming language

  2. Object-oriented programming (OOP)

  3. Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture

  4. Database design and management

  5. Web servers (Apache, Nginx, Passenger)

  6. HTML/CSS/JavaScript

  7. Agile methodology

  8. Testing frameworks (RSpec, Cucumber, etc.)

  9. Version control systems (Git, Subversion)

30 Interview Questions For Ruby On Rails Developers

What is your experience with Ruby on Rails?

What challenges have you faced while working with Ruby on Rails?

What features have you implemented in Ruby on Rails?

What do you think makes Ruby on Rails different from other web development frameworks?

How do you stay up to date with the latest developments in Ruby on Rails?

Do you have any experience with other web development frameworks?

What is the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture and how does it relate to the development of Ruby on Rails?

How do you test the code you develop with Ruby on Rails?

What debugging techniques do you use for Ruby on Rails?

How do you handle database migrations in Ruby on Rails?

What strategies do you use to optimize code written in Ruby on Rails?

How do you approach debugging issues with Ruby on Rails?

Can you explain how you would build a web application using Ruby on Rails?

What strategies do you use to optimize code written in Ruby on Rails?

Have you ever encountered unexpected errors while working with Ruby on Rails? How did you handle them?

How do you handle security issues when developing with Ruby on Rails?

What are class libraries in Ruby?

What is your experience using Agile methodologies?

In Ruby On Rails, what do subdirectory app/controllers and app/helpers do?

What is your favorite project built using the Ruby On Rails framework?

What is Rails Active Record?

How would you perform a Rails migration?

What is the difference between String and Symbol?

How does Rails implement Ajax?

What are the features of Rails Migration?

How can you protect Rails against Cross-Site Request Forgery?

How do you think Ruby On Rails could be improved with future updates?

What are the four types of variables available in Ruby Class?

Is Ruby statically typed or dynamically typed?

What is Gemfile in Ruby On Rails?

Ready to hire Ruby On Rails developers?

The 30 interview questions provided above should help you and your team evaluate potential candidates and ensure they will hire the best Ruby On Rails developers for your company projects. This process becomes increasingly essential for companies hiring remote developers. Because of the online nature of the future working relationship, while recruiting an outsourced development team, it’s important to thoroughly ask the best interview questions for Ruby On Rails developers, including about their experience, unique skillset, and problem-solving abilities in order to assess their knowledge and whether or not they’re the right fit for the job.

At Blue Coding, we understand the challenges that come with remote IT recruiting. Our team has years of experience outsourcing Latin American developers and has built a large network of international IT professionals ready to deploy. To help North American companies looking to save money on development costs (especially after the 2022 tech market crash) we offer nearshore outsourcing services. In a matter of days, we’ll help you hire the best Ruby On Rails developers for a fraction of the cost you’re used to paying for coding solutions. Contact us today to learn more about our services! 

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