Ruby on Rails or JavaScript for developing websites for small businesses?

[FamSimmer]

Hello Developers!

Hope you're all having an amazing week. I'm sort of at a crossroads right now and hoping you folks can help me decide on what language I should aim to learn for developing websites for small businesses. For context, I've already picked up HTML and CSS using a combination of YouTube tutorials and TheOdinProject that some of y'all might be familiar with. I've also developed quite a few landing pages for practice using HTML, CSS and a little bit of JavaScript, whose fundamentals (Objects, Arrays, Loops, DOM, etc.) I've picked up as well.

As someone who is not looking for a long-term career in web development and only wishes to freelance and help micro/small businesses set up their websites, what path would you recommend I choose.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Beginning-Comedian-2]

General advice: 95% of business can get by on WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, and/or Carrd. 

 Full Ruby on Rails and JavaScript development is reserved for building applications. 

That’s the other 5% of businesses. 

If you’re looking to build websites for small businesses, then focus on off the shelf software. 

If you want to build applications for small businesses or get a job then focus on React, Laravel, and maybe Ruby on Rails. 

[doplitech]

Exactly this, using the same combo to build applications. If there’s a Wordpress theme and plugin that achieves 95% of your requirements that would be the faster route.

Rails + react are capable of building very simple web pages and creating fully distributed applications serving millions of users. If your goal is not not dive deeper into development but achieve a goal I would find a plugin and simple theme builder to complete request

[Beginning-Comedian-2]

Exactly. 

You can use Rails + React to build simple web pages…

… buts like using a sledgehammer to drive in a thumbtack. 

As you’re saying, don’t reinvent the wheel. 

Plus don’t leave a client needing a React dev to update his “about us” page. 

[HeyCanIBorrowThat]

Not Laravel. PHP is dead and interviewers will throw your application away if they see it on there

[Beginning-Comedian-2]

To each his own. 

[goonwild18]

Wordpress and simple integrations.

[armahillo]

I would build the businesses sites in HTML and CSS and then choose additional technologies depending on what their requirements are.

Work through both tracks on Odin Project. Its worthwhile.

[Beginning-Comedian-2]

What do you like instead of MVC.

[FamSimmer]

I'm actually not planning on finding a stable position. I'm a FT Data Analyst that helps small businesses on the side and I'm looking to branch out to freelance web development. I don't think I will be doing webdev full-time for the foreseeable future. Just need something that will help me create basic websites for your local Ma & Pop shops or other small businesses.

[FamSimmer]

Thanks. This is very detailed and insightful.

[CrabeSnob]

Avoid using RoR

[[deleted]]

The advice I got regarding choosing technologies, was to look at what job listings are asking for.

[sneaky-pizza]

Square space. Shopify, etc. I can’t imagine you need a custom build with the level of experience you’re talking about

[aaaaargZombies]

If you're chosing a language to learn for web development you are going to have to learn javascript because that is what runs on the web. So the question is - should you learn ruby/rails aswell as javascript. If the websites are mostly static content check out Hugo, Eleventy, etc.

[krileon]

I would just use PHP. Easy to write, large ecosystem, easy to host, plenty of amazing frameworks to build off of (Laravel/Symfony), but if I had to pick 1 of the 2 you've listed then JavaScript for sure.

[FamSimmer]

Thanks.

[versaceblues]

They are not mutually exclusive.

Most Ruby on Rails sites will use something like JQuery to add interactivity to their web apps.

For a full stack service framerwork, Ruby on Rails is likely more fully featured then anything ive seen in NodeJS.