Watch Should I Learn Ruby or JavaScript? Video Tutorial

Should I learn Ruby or JavaScript? Ruby runs on the server side. Javascript runs on the client-side. You make it sound like they are totally different. The two are not entirely exclusive. You could have a Javascript app running in a user's browser talking to a Ruby program on the server. I'm wondering which is better to learn if I want to work as a software developer. In theory, using Ruby makes you more productive. The supporting tools let you skip a lot of the setup code and jump directly to developing your particular apps. That's a mark in its favor. JavaScript has a larger user community. Only because it has been around so long. A lot of newer development is done in Ruby. That's primarily because it is the code de jour in Silicon Valley right now. Ruby on Rails comes with a lot of tools to automate repetitive tasks. Ruby is starting to be used primarily on the API layer. And Ruby and Rails has less support for those trying to build apps. What does JavaScript have going for it? JavaScript is the de facto language of apps running within browsers, such as Google maps. It is both highly interactive and works with almost any browser. I know what JavaScript does. It generates tons of incomprehensible error messages when a page errors out. JavaScript is too often mistaken for a patch slapped on top of a browser's HTML page. A lot of programmers don't recognize it as its own object oriented programming language. I want to work with apps, not web design. It can run whether you are working in a browser or not. And Javascript is more easily used to put many pieces together to make larger programs. What should I do? You should learn one programming language at a time. Given the ubiquitous of JavaScript, you should learn it first. You're assuming Ruby will go away once it's no longer cool. Both are object oriented languages. JavaScript is more widely used. As long as I can get paid to program in it, fine.