science

Ruby Document format

Ruby Document format is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ruby Document format rather than just read about it. In short: RD (Ruby Document) is a lightweight markup language for writing Ruby-related documents. It can be embedded in Ruby source code.

Key takeaways

Ruby Document format belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ruby Document format to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ruby Document format from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

RD (Ruby Document) is a lightweight markup language for writing Ruby-related documents. It can be embedded in Ruby source code. RD is a traditional format. In modern Ruby, developers tend to write documents in RDoc instead of RD.

Use Originally, most documentation in the Ruby world, including for Ruby itself, had been written in RD. Then in 2002, much of it was converted to RDoc format. Although, the Japanese version of the Ruby Reference Manual still remains in RD format. RD is designed to be written by hand and easily read in its raw form. Most end-users however experience it after it has been converted into HTML or man pages. RD can be embedded in Ruby code, and pure RD files usually have the extension .rd.

Sample RD document This document is syntactically correct RD, which attempts to follow the major conventions on section naming as well.

See also Markdown Plain Old Documentation

References

External links RDtool - Framework to translate RD document into other formats. rd-draft.rd - full description of RD markup languard (in RD format) rd-draft.html - full description of RD markup language (converted to HTML)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ruby Document format

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ruby Document format claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ruby Document format before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ruby Document format ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ruby Document format

In research: Ruby Document format appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ruby Document format in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ruby Document format is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Lightweight markup languages, Programming language topic stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ruby Document format outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Ruby Document format in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ruby Document format means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ruby Document format out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ruby Document format in simple terms?

RD (Ruby Document) is a lightweight markup language for writing Ruby-related documents. It can be embedded in Ruby source code.

Why does Ruby Document format matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ruby Document format?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ruby Document format.