00:00:10
Our next speaker has been both a mentor and one of my earliest Ruby friends. Contributing to Rails seemed so out of reach for me until he introduced me to the source code. He's here today to inspire us by sharing a recent example of going from an odd error message to Rails contribution. Please join me in welcoming Colin.
00:00:37
As long as we've been friends, she still messed up my name. More about that though in a minute. First of all, thank you all for coming; I appreciate you all being here. This talk is titled 'From Cryptic Error Messages to Rails Contributor.'
00:00:52
First, a little bit about myself. My name's Adam Driver, but my friends call me Colin. You may know me from a few things, primarily my role as Adam Sackler in 'Girls,' but probably more so as Kylo Ren in 'Star Wars.' Here’s another fun fact about me: I was once married to Scarlett Johansson, but unfortunately, that didn't work out so well, and I had to pack my bags and move out. It was a pretty dark time in my life, but I pushed onward, got myself a little apartment, and took some time to pursue other interests, one of which was programming with Ruby on Rails.
00:01:36
Eventually, I got a wonderful opportunity that took me from the big screen to the small screen, where I joined GoRails. I work on a number of software projects and products, and occasionally I make screencasts to share learnings about Ruby and Ruby on Rails. So far, things seem to be going pretty well. I get some nice comments quite often. Every now and then, I get compared to this Dave Grohl character. Anyway, enough about me. I hope he doesn't sue me.
00:02:10
Let's go ahead and get down to business. Often, finding something to contribute to Rails can be quite a challenge, but there's actually a lot of opportunity out there if you keep your eyes open, question things, and explore. For example, something I used to do a lot—and still do—is just read the Rails guides every year. I don't always make it through completely, but as I read the docs, I learned a lot. I also found a lot of little typos and sentences that could use some clarity.
00:02:51
One of the things I learned in reading those guides is that there's actually a 'Contributing to Ruby on Rails' guide, which is very helpful. In keeping with the theme of this year's RailsConf, I wanted to make improvements to the docs to aid my future self and others in building with Rails. If you're really looking to get started, contributing to the docs is a great way to do it. Seriously, some of my commits are just typo fixes, so don't be scared to make those.
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In this talk, we’re actually going to take it a step further and look at some code, using a real-world example that I recently worked on. First, you'll need basic Rails experience—you've made a to-do app or a blog post app—and you'll also need knowledge of what is true and false in Ruby. If you have that covered, you're well on your way. Lastly, curiosity plays a crucial role: question whether something can be improved, and if so, should you work on it? We'll explore more about that as we go on.
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I hope you walk away from this talk with an increased ability to see possible contribution opportunities, an enhanced ability to navigate the source code since it's quite large, and, finally, a greater sense of confidence in your potential to contribute to Rails.
00:04:17
Now, I'm sure we're all familiar with the dreaded red screen of death. However, these screens can often be very helpful. We can also see error messages if we look at our server logs where our Rails server is running. If we take a closer look at some of the error messages, we can follow them and let Rails guide us through solving these errors. Reading server logs is an extremely handy resource when debugging, so if you aren’t looking there often, I suggest that you start.
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For example, if we read this one, we can see it refers to a 'NoMethodError.' This is due to an undefined method. In such cases, following the stack trace can help lead us to the right place. In our 'to-do' apps, understanding where and why the error occurs can significantly help with debugging.
00:05:10
This experience illustrates that when you encounter an error, especially the red screen of death, it is possible to have a smooth debugging experience if you know how to interpret these messages correctly. This insight can be particularly beneficial for new developers who might feel intimidated by these messages. The focus should be on understanding the errors rather than fearing them.
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In conclusion, this talk originated from someone in our GoRails Discord server who raised a question about strong parameters. They believed they were having an issue with strong parameters and shared their code, which looked fine. However, they reported receiving a 'Parameter missing' error when submitting their form. Interestingly, they noted that removing the 'required' part of their strong parameters fixed the issue.
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To troubleshoot, I asked them to share the controller action and the view code so we could figure it out together. This interaction shed light on how the initial confusion stemmed from a mismatch in expectations regarding the parameters expected by the form. Addressing such concerns directly not only helps in solving the immediate problem but also reinforces collaboration in the community.
00:07:10
Reflecting on the topic, I emphasized the importance of understanding naming conventions in Rails, particularly when working with form helpers. When you give a valid Active Record model to the model argument for form_with, it sets that top-level key in your params hash and nests all attributes under it. This knowledge can be incredibly helpful in avoiding common pitfalls.
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Next, I discussed the need for clarity when passing around instance variables, which can lead to confusion if not defined properly. Changing variable names might seem trivial but can cascade into bigger issues, especially if forgotten in a larger codebase. It highlights the need for discipline when coding and keeping track of variable states.
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Additionally, I pointed out how vital it is to understand how these changes affect the application's behavior, particularly regarding error messages and form submissions. We explored how small missteps could lead to an entire process failing, thus emphasizing the role of meticulousness in programming practices.
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I encouraged the audience to question what might be confusing when working with Rails. Celebrating curiosity-driven exploration often reveals opportunities for improving the framework, making it more user-friendly for everyone involved.
00:10:10
After fully addressing the topic, I focused on how to contribute back to Rails and the respective processes. It was vital to communicate that any confusion or frustration in coding could rightfully translate to an inspiration for unwriting existing code to make improvements. The real journey starts not just with solutions, but with understanding the underlying issues.
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By encouraging attendees to bring their own experiences to the table, I aimed to foster an inclusive environment where contributions are welcomed. Everyone has unique insights and perspectives, and the community thrives when diverse voices are heard.
00:11:30
As the talk progressed, I made sure to provide resources for getting involved, specifically routes to submit pull requests and the significance of the contributing guide. This guide serves as a comprehensive lead into the Rails world for newcomers and experienced developers alike, empowering them to contribute effectively.
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While discussing my previous experiences, I shared successes and failures in merging contributions to Rails. This transparency aims to encourage others to engage actively and recognize that it’s okay to make mistakes; it’s all about learning and moving forward together.
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Before wrapping up, I wanted to highlight the importance of keeping abreast of community interactions, as feedback is often constructive and valuable. Ensuring that all contributions align with community expectations strengthens Rails significantly.
00:13:24
To reward engagement, I humorously revealed that there are two golden tickets hidden under the chairs in the audience. The first ticket grants a year-long subscription to GoRails, while the second ensures a spot for one lucky attendee in contributing directly to Rails. This playful interaction not only lightens the atmosphere but also encourages participation.
00:14:05
In conclusion, I hope this talk provides you with the tools to explore and develop within the Rails ecosystem. My goal was to inspire attendees to continue questioning and improving their experiences, paving the way for a better future for all Rails developers.
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Thank you all for attending. I truly appreciate your time and enthusiasm in the Ruby on Rails community!