The first program most people write in a new language is, of course, "Hello world." The first two web applications most people build in a new framework are a to-do list manager and a blog. These are cliched actions, but they work for a reason; writing Hello World gives you a feel for a language's syntax, and simple web applications allow you to get a handle on how a framework deals with the standard tasks (interacting with a database, templating views, etc.).

Recently, I've set out on the next stage of that journey by writing my own web framework. In the process, I'm learning more about how Ruby works, how the web is put together, and even more about the existing frameworks that I use. In this session, I'll review the tools that make building a custom framework easier than ever, and pass along the interesting things I've learned along the way.

About Ben Scofield
Ben Scofield is Development Director for Viget Labs' NC office, where he builds Rails applications for web startups. He's been working on the web for about ten years, and using Ruby and Rails for over three and a half years, during which time he's stayed active in the community by speaking (at conferences in the US and Europe) and writing (for the inaugural issue of The Rubyist, and the book Practical REST on Rails 2 Projects). He lives in Durham, NC with his wife and daughter, and (when he can find the time) blogs at http://www.culann.com/.