Hey Rails Developer!

You’ve worked hard on your Rails app. Maybe it’s been around for a few years. Maybe it’s been passed through several hands. You know there’s value in the code, even if it isn’t always pretty.

This course is for mid-to-senior developers who care about evolving what already works. Each email covers practical ways to extend the life of your application so it stays reliable, adaptable, and ready for what’s next.

Because good software deserves a second act.

What You'll Learn

How to spot the difference between real technical debt and background noise
Techniques for improving a Rails codebase without a rewrite
How to make small, consistent changes that build long-term stability
Ways to modernize your stack at a sustainable pace
How to explain the value of incremental progress to non-technical teammates

Who This Is For

This course is built for developers who:

Maintain or inherit Rails applications at work
Are tired of hearing “we just need to rewrite it”
Want to take pride in improving the systems they already have
Believe progress can happen without burning everything down

Why This Matters

Most Rails apps don’t need a full rewrite. They need care, attention, and a clear plan for their next chapter.

AI might help generate code, but it can’t replace the experience you’ve earned understanding the tradeoffs in your system. This course helps you use that experience to guide your app into its second act.

📫 FAQs

Who is this course for?

Each email shares one focused idea that helps you evolve your existing app. You’ll learn ways to modernize safely, reduce complexity, and communicate technical tradeoffs with your team. The goal is to help you extend the life of your codebase, not replace it.

If you enjoy the course, you might also like the Planet Argon Blog, where we publish case studies and modernization stories from real client projects.

What will I learn?

Each email shares one practical idea or example that helps you evolve your existing app. You’ll learn ways to modernize safely, reduce complexity, and communicate technical tradeoffs with your team. The goal is to help you extend the life of your codebase, not replace it.

How much time will this take?

The course is short and designed for busy developers. Each email can be read in under five minutes and includes one focused idea you can try immediately in your Rails app.

What if I’m already experienced with Rails?

Perfect. This course isn’t about Rails basics. It’s about how experienced developers work within existing systems, make careful improvements, and keep technical debt under control. It’s the kind of work that defines a strong senior engineer.
You might also enjoy episodes of the Maintainable Podcast, where experienced engineers share how they keep software healthy over time.

Do you cover Rails upgrades or legacy codebases?

Yes. Several lessons cover how to approach upgrades, dependency cleanups, and long-lived applications. You’ll learn how to plan these changes without halting development or starting from scratch.

For a deeper dive, check out Planet Argon’s guide on Rails Upgrade Services.

Is this really free?

Yes. No strings attached. This course is a way for our team at Planet Argon to share lessons learned from years of helping organizations extend the life of their Rails apps.

How is this different from a typical Rails newsletter?

This isn’t a collection of random links. Each email builds on the last, guiding you toward sustainable patterns that make your app more adaptable and easier to change over time. It’s a roadmap for your app’s second act.

Will this be relevant if I’m exploring AI tools for development?

Absolutely. AI and LLMs can help you understand, refactor, and document legacy code faster, but they can’t replace your judgment. This course helps you pair those tools with experience so you can build smarter, not just faster.

Who created this course?

The course was created by Robby Russell, CEO of Planet Argon, creator of Oh My Zsh, and host of the Maintainable Podcast and On Rails Podcast.

His team has helped dozens of organizations extend the life of their Rails applications through modernization, upgrades, and long-term support.

🫶 Testimonials

“I like the fact your emails are short, covers only one topic each, and have few links. Also, thanks for the huge ruby/rails survey interpretation video.” -Juliette N.

“The emails are great, I always read them top to bottom. Thanks!” -Josh F.

“I really enjoy reading your newsletter. Often times it deals with situations I experienced myself in the past. Great content!” -Milos B.

“I love the kind of topics you are covering. I personally refer to them as real-rails-world-problems, and I've always felt that there is not much coverage about those topics.” -Sabri B.