全书主要分为两大部分。在“构建应用程序”部分中，读者将看到一个完整的“在线购书网站”示例。在随后的“Rails框架”部分中，作者深入介绍了Rails框架的各个组件。 除了上述两部分外，对Rails缺乏了解的读者应该首先阅读“起步”部分，通过一个最简单的应用示例感性了解这个时下热门的web框架。不熟悉Ruby的读者应该阅读“附录”部分中的“Ruby简介”，以便了解Ruby的基本语法与常见用法。 本书第1版曾荣获Jolt大奖“最佳技术图书”奖。在前两版的内容架构基础上，第3版增加了对Rails 2中新特性和最佳实践的内容介绍。相比第2版中的内容，Rails 2增加了REST、资源、轻量级web service等新特性。本书涵盖了这些全新的内容，因此能更好地体现出Rails框架的发展现状。 整体而言，全书既有直观的实例，又有深入的分析，同时还涵盖了web应用开发中各方面的相关知识，堪称一部内容全面而又深入浅出的佳作。

Ruby on Rails helps you produce high-quality, beautiful-looking web applications quickly. You concentrate on creating the application, and Rails takes care of the details. Tens of thousands of developers have used this award-winning book to learn Rails. It's a broad, far-reaching tutorial and reference that's recommended by the Rails core team. If you're new to Rails, you'll get step-by-step guidance. If you're an experienced developer, this book will give you the comprehensive, insider information you need. Rails has evolved over the years, and this book has evolved along with it. We still start with a step-by-step walkthrough of building a real application, and in-depth chapters look at the built-in Rails features. This edition now gives new Ruby and Rails users more information on the Ruby language and takes more time to explain key concepts throughout. Best practices on how to apply Rails continue to change, and this edition keeps up. Examples use cookie backed sessions, HTTP authentication, and Active Record-based forms, and the book focuses throughout on the right way to use Rails. Additionally, this edition now reflects Ruby 1.9, a new release of Ruby with substantial functional and performance improvements.