Brad Gessler
@bradgessler.com
I build stuff people want with Ruby—like BeautifulRuby.com, Terminalwire.com, TinyZap.com, Thingybase.com, LegibleNews.com, Sitepress.cc, and more.
🧑🏻💻 bradgessler.com 🏗️ rocketship.io 🌉 SF Bay Area
🧑🏻💻 bradgessler.com 🏗️ rocketship.io 🌉 SF Bay Area
I've started using ChatGPT's Atlas browser to critique first-draft landing pages to find obvious errors and issues on og.plus.
Overall I've found its useful to map out "completeness", but it will try to make you run in circles, is kinda slow, and requires copy & paste to work with other agents.
Overall I've found its useful to map out "completeness", but it will try to make you run in circles, is kinda slow, and requires copy & paste to work with other agents.
Critique landing pages with ChatGPT Atlas
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 11:18 PM
I've started using ChatGPT's Atlas browser to critique first-draft landing pages to find obvious errors and issues on og.plus.
Overall I've found its useful to map out "completeness", but it will try to make you run in circles, is kinda slow, and requires copy & paste to work with other agents.
Overall I've found its useful to map out "completeness", but it will try to make you run in circles, is kinda slow, and requires copy & paste to work with other agents.
Girl Scout cookies and Phlex on Rails!?
I'm sending people 4 boxes to any address in the US (can't ship i18n 🫠) for people who buy the course at beautifulruby.com/phlex
After you purchase, I'll reach out to get your address & cookie preferences (real cookies 🍪, not browser cookies)
I'm sending people 4 boxes to any address in the US (can't ship i18n 🫠) for people who buy the course at beautifulruby.com/phlex
After you purchase, I'll reach out to get your address & cookie preferences (real cookies 🍪, not browser cookies)
Girl Scouts on Rails: Walk & Talk
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
www.youtube.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Girl Scout cookies and Phlex on Rails!?
I'm sending people 4 boxes to any address in the US (can't ship i18n 🫠) for people who buy the course at beautifulruby.com/phlex
After you purchase, I'll reach out to get your address & cookie preferences (real cookies 🍪, not browser cookies)
I'm sending people 4 boxes to any address in the US (can't ship i18n 🫠) for people who buy the course at beautifulruby.com/phlex
After you purchase, I'll reach out to get your address & cookie preferences (real cookies 🍪, not browser cookies)
Phree Phlex videos are back! This one shows how to cram lots of Phlex components into one file with nested classes and endless method.
I also kept the Black Friday deal going for a couple more days.
I also kept the Black Friday deal going for a couple more days.
Inheritance
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Phree Phlex videos are back! This one shows how to cram lots of Phlex components into one file with nested classes and endless method.
I also kept the Black Friday deal going for a couple more days.
I also kept the Black Friday deal going for a couple more days.
I ditched the 10 minute time-box for the videos so I wouldn’t have to be as rushed.
37 signals released the source code for their latest Rails SaaS called Fizzy. I did a source code read through video and wrote about it.
I think I found 2 potential security issues along the way too.
Enjoy!
beautifulruby.com/code/fizzy
I think I found 2 potential security issues along the way too.
Enjoy!
beautifulruby.com/code/fizzy
37 Signals Fizzy Kanban board
I walk through the source code of the latest Rails application open-sourced by 37 Signals
beautifulruby.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I ditched the 10 minute time-box for the videos so I wouldn’t have to be as rushed.
Last Ruby deals push, this time for Cyber Monday!
I picked up a few more deals and listed them at the bottom of Friday’s list.
There’s some great deals on software & lots of discounted courses if you have some training budget left in the tank this year.
beautifulruby.com/articles/rub...
I picked up a few more deals and listed them at the bottom of Friday’s list.
There’s some great deals on software & lots of discounted courses if you have some training budget left in the tank this year.
beautifulruby.com/articles/rub...
2025 Ruby Cyber Monday & Black Friday Deals
Save money on Ruby books, courses, licenses, & software
beautifulruby.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Last Ruby deals push, this time for Cyber Monday!
I picked up a few more deals and listed them at the bottom of Friday’s list.
There’s some great deals on software & lots of discounted courses if you have some training budget left in the tank this year.
beautifulruby.com/articles/rub...
I picked up a few more deals and listed them at the bottom of Friday’s list.
There’s some great deals on software & lots of discounted courses if you have some training budget left in the tank this year.
beautifulruby.com/articles/rub...
Gearing up for one last push on Cyber Monday! I picked up a few more deals that I put on the page. If there's any more please LMK today so I can include in my final Ruby deal push.
I collected all Ruby Black Friday deals I could find & posted them in one spot. Highlights include:
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
2025 Ruby Black Friday Deals
Save money on Ruby books, courses, and software
beautifulruby.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Gearing up for one last push on Cyber Monday! I picked up a few more deals that I put on the page. If there's any more please LMK today so I can include in my final Ruby deal push.
I collected all Ruby Black Friday deals I could find & posted them in one spot. Highlights include:
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
2025 Ruby Black Friday Deals
Save money on Ruby books, courses, and software
beautifulruby.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I collected all Ruby Black Friday deals I could find & posted them in one spot. Highlights include:
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
$130 off @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course
$81 off @gorails.com annual subscription
+20% @joemasilotti.com Hotwire native content
Lots of @pragprog.com deals
Enjoy! 🦃🔥💰
I've got a few more in the queue from the SF Ruby Conf.
I'm definitely going to be shooting more of these in different locations with other Rubyists and people who are building cool stuff.
I'm definitely going to be shooting more of these in different locations with other Rubyists and people who are building cool stuff.
During the @sfruby.com conference I got a chance to walk with @adrianthedev.com, founder of @avohq.io, and talk about the business of selling self-hosted, installed software to developers.
Turns out it's pretty challenging, but there's some upsides if you can figure out how to do it. 💪
Turns out it's pretty challenging, but there's some upsides if you can figure out how to do it. 💪
Adrian Marin, founder of Avo, talks about the business of selling software to developers
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I've got a few more in the queue from the SF Ruby Conf.
I'm definitely going to be shooting more of these in different locations with other Rubyists and people who are building cool stuff.
I'm definitely going to be shooting more of these in different locations with other Rubyists and people who are building cool stuff.
Where are Ruby devs looking for Black Friday deals this season?
I’ve got an $80 off BFD for the @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course and want to get it in front of more Ruby developers.
beautifulruby.com/phlex
I’ve got an $80 off BFD for the @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course and want to get it in front of more Ruby developers.
beautifulruby.com/phlex
Phlex on Rails
Build amazing user interfaces in Rails with Phlex 💪
beautifulruby.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Where are Ruby devs looking for Black Friday deals this season?
I’ve got an $80 off BFD for the @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course and want to get it in front of more Ruby developers.
beautifulruby.com/phlex
I’ve got an $80 off BFD for the @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails course and want to get it in front of more Ruby developers.
beautifulruby.com/phlex
Kicking off a BFD (Black Friday Deal) for @beautifulruby.com!
Between now and Sunday, December 7, 2025 you can save over 20% off the course with an $80 coupon.
To claim the deal, use the normal Stripe checkout flow at beautifulruby.com/phlex#invest
Between now and Sunday, December 7, 2025 you can save over 20% off the course with an $80 coupon.
To claim the deal, use the normal Stripe checkout flow at beautifulruby.com/phlex#invest
November 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Kicking off a BFD (Black Friday Deal) for @beautifulruby.com!
Between now and Sunday, December 7, 2025 you can save over 20% off the course with an $80 coupon.
To claim the deal, use the normal Stripe checkout flow at beautifulruby.com/phlex#invest
Between now and Sunday, December 7, 2025 you can save over 20% off the course with an $80 coupon.
To claim the deal, use the normal Stripe checkout flow at beautifulruby.com/phlex#invest
Today's phree @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails video reviews the most fundamental concept of @phlex.fun, creating HTML tags & attributes.
One of the most powerful things about Phlex is how certain attributes, like class, style, and data, handle hashes & arrays, making Phlex great for components.
One of the most powerful things about Phlex is how certain attributes, like class, style, and data, handle hashes & arrays, making Phlex great for components.
Tags, attributes, & text
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Today's phree @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails video reviews the most fundamental concept of @phlex.fun, creating HTML tags & attributes.
One of the most powerful things about Phlex is how certain attributes, like class, style, and data, handle hashes & arrays, making Phlex great for components.
One of the most powerful things about Phlex is how certain attributes, like class, style, and data, handle hashes & arrays, making Phlex great for components.
What are some good Ruby podcasts that would want their audience to hear me talk about Phlex, Superform, Supermail, etc?
November 10, 2025 at 11:40 PM
What are some good Ruby podcasts that would want their audience to hear me talk about Phlex, Superform, Supermail, etc?
If you're wondering how I packaged up Ruby code into binaries people can run on Linux and macOS, Tebako is it.
In this RTSFC I walk through the internals of Tebako, which is a lot of scripts that compile ruby, download gems into a package, and set entry points for your code.
In this RTSFC I walk through the internals of Tebako, which is a lot of scripts that compile ruby, download gems into a package, and set entry points for your code.
Portable macOS, Linux, and Windows binaries with Tebako: Read the Friendly Source Code
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
If you're wondering how I packaged up Ruby code into binaries people can run on Linux and macOS, Tebako is it.
In this RTSFC I walk through the internals of Tebako, which is a lot of scripts that compile ruby, download gems into a package, and set entry points for your code.
In this RTSFC I walk through the internals of Tebako, which is a lot of scripts that compile ruby, download gems into a package, and set entry points for your code.
Today's free Phlex on Rails video is all about rendering, which is very polymorphic in Phlex.
Partials, strings, values, components, component classes, and collections all Just Work™ when passed into the `render` method.
Partials, strings, values, components, component classes, and collections all Just Work™ when passed into the `render` method.
Rendering
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Today's free Phlex on Rails video is all about rendering, which is very polymorphic in Phlex.
Partials, strings, values, components, component classes, and collections all Just Work™ when passed into the `render` method.
Partials, strings, values, components, component classes, and collections all Just Work™ when passed into the `render` method.
Today's free Phlex on Rails video kicks off Unit 2, starting with the basics of a Phlex component!💪
If you're a Rails developer that's never heard of Phlex, you'll want to follow along this week as I premiere Unit 2.
If you're a Rails developer that's never heard of Phlex, you'll want to follow along this week as I premiere Unit 2.
Phlex is Ruby
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Today's free Phlex on Rails video kicks off Unit 2, starting with the basics of a Phlex component!💪
If you're a Rails developer that's never heard of Phlex, you'll want to follow along this week as I premiere Unit 2.
If you're a Rails developer that's never heard of Phlex, you'll want to follow along this week as I premiere Unit 2.
Today's free Phlex on Rails video is the last in the introduction unit, "Why Components?"
If you've got some training budget remaining this year, here's a $50 off checkout link beautifulruby.com/courses/phle...
If you've got some training budget remaining this year, here's a $50 off checkout link beautifulruby.com/courses/phle...
Why components?
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Today's free Phlex on Rails video is the last in the introduction unit, "Why Components?"
If you've got some training budget remaining this year, here's a $50 off checkout link beautifulruby.com/courses/phle...
If you've got some training budget remaining this year, here's a $50 off checkout link beautifulruby.com/courses/phle...
Today’s free @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails video covers how the trio of Rails, Phlex, & Hotwire makes a productive framework for quickly building and shipping web apps.
💪🚞🔌
It’s geared more for people who are less familiar with the Rails stack.
beautifulruby.com/phlex/overvi...
💪🚞🔌
It’s geared more for people who are less familiar with the Rails stack.
beautifulruby.com/phlex/overvi...
Why Rails?
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Today’s free @beautifulruby.com Phlex on Rails video covers how the trio of Rails, Phlex, & Hotwire makes a productive framework for quickly building and shipping web apps.
💪🚞🔌
It’s geared more for people who are less familiar with the Rails stack.
beautifulruby.com/phlex/overvi...
💪🚞🔌
It’s geared more for people who are less familiar with the Rails stack.
beautifulruby.com/phlex/overvi...
There's 50 days until Christmas and I have 45 Phlex videos. How about a Phlex on Rails video advent calendar?
I'll do my best to post some videos from the Phlex course starting with "Why Phlex?" since the intro video is free. This one compares to ViewComponent if you're curious.
Follow along!
I'll do my best to post some videos from the Phlex course starting with "Why Phlex?" since the intro video is free. This one compares to ViewComponent if you're curious.
Follow along!
Why Phlex?
This video course teaches you how to use Phlex to build high quality Rails frontends that you can use with existing Erb apps or go all-in and build from the ground up with components. Phlex brings san...
beautifulruby.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
There's 50 days until Christmas and I have 45 Phlex videos. How about a Phlex on Rails video advent calendar?
I'll do my best to post some videos from the Phlex course starting with "Why Phlex?" since the intro video is free. This one compares to ViewComponent if you're curious.
Follow along!
I'll do my best to post some videos from the Phlex course starting with "Why Phlex?" since the intro video is free. This one compares to ViewComponent if you're curious.
Follow along!
I wrote about how pre-sold $13,000 worth of Phlex on Rails video course, some surprises I had along the way, open questions I have around the entire concept, and where I'd like to take @beautifulruby.com now that the first video course has been fully launched. 🚀
Beautiful Ruby: First Update
Pre-sold $13,000 of Phlex on Rails video course
beautifulruby.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
I wrote about how pre-sold $13,000 worth of Phlex on Rails video course, some surprises I had along the way, open questions I have around the entire concept, and where I'd like to take @beautifulruby.com now that the first video course has been fully launched. 🚀
Has anybody used this? I'd personally be reluctant to use it in a project, which sounds crazy given how I'm a big fan of Phlex.
For me the difference is @phlex.fun is barely an abstraction and stays "close the the HTML". Opal had a lot going on, but I couldn't tell that's because of JS or Opal.
For me the difference is @phlex.fun is barely an abstraction and stays "close the the HTML". Opal had a lot going on, but I couldn't tell that's because of JS or Opal.
Did you know there's a project called Opal that makes it possible to write JavaScript in Ruby? I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not, but it won a Ruby award so I decided to dive in and Read the Friendly Source Code.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtRO...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtRO...
Write JavaScript in Ruby with Opal: Read The Friendly Source Code
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
www.youtube.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Has anybody used this? I'd personally be reluctant to use it in a project, which sounds crazy given how I'm a big fan of Phlex.
For me the difference is @phlex.fun is barely an abstraction and stays "close the the HTML". Opal had a lot going on, but I couldn't tell that's because of JS or Opal.
For me the difference is @phlex.fun is barely an abstraction and stays "close the the HTML". Opal had a lot going on, but I couldn't tell that's because of JS or Opal.
Reposted by Brad Gessler
I wrote about the designing the perfect type signature syntax in Ruby.
The journey to the perfect type signature in Ruby
joel.drapper.me
October 21, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I wrote about the designing the perfect type signature syntax in Ruby.
Official launch article for the Phlex on Rails video course.
Huge thanks to @joel.drapper.me for creating @phlex.fun. It was fun making the course for it.
I hope this inspires more people to use Phlex so we can all benefit from building UIs with components without React JS bloat.
💪🚀
Huge thanks to @joel.drapper.me for creating @phlex.fun. It was fun making the course for it.
I hope this inspires more people to use Phlex so we can all benefit from building UIs with components without React JS bloat.
💪🚀
Introducing Phlex on Rails
Officially launching a video course for building component-based UIs in Rails
beautifulruby.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Official launch article for the Phlex on Rails video course.
Huge thanks to @joel.drapper.me for creating @phlex.fun. It was fun making the course for it.
I hope this inspires more people to use Phlex so we can all benefit from building UIs with components without React JS bloat.
💪🚀
Huge thanks to @joel.drapper.me for creating @phlex.fun. It was fun making the course for it.
I hope this inspires more people to use Phlex so we can all benefit from building UIs with components without React JS bloat.
💪🚀
Also testing out a new video format.
Made this video to celebrate finishing the @phlex.fun on Rails video course!
The Phlex on Rails Video Course is complete! Build component UI's in Rails without React or Vue.js
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
youtu.be
October 17, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Also testing out a new video format.
I think @joel.drapper.me gets enjoyment out of the names he chooses for his gems 😂
October 16, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I think @joel.drapper.me gets enjoyment out of the names he chooses for his gems 😂
This is about half way down the 🕳️🐇 for async Ruby.
These repos are incredibly understandable if you know the HTTP specs and are prepared to clone a bunch of repos and open them in the same editor workspace.
It's really good stuff.
These repos are incredibly understandable if you know the HTTP specs and are prepared to clone a bunch of repos and open them in the same editor workspace.
It's really good stuff.
Going deeper down @ioquatix.bsky.social's async Ruby rabbit hole: I RTSFC async-http, a gem that implements http for the Falcon web server that Shopify recently deployed to production.
Turns out it's a few different repos & I tried my best to read 1 in under 10 min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IL6...
Turns out it's a few different repos & I tried my best to read 1 in under 10 min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IL6...
October 15, 2025 at 7:05 AM
This is about half way down the 🕳️🐇 for async Ruby.
These repos are incredibly understandable if you know the HTTP specs and are prepared to clone a bunch of repos and open them in the same editor workspace.
It's really good stuff.
These repos are incredibly understandable if you know the HTTP specs and are prepared to clone a bunch of repos and open them in the same editor workspace.
It's really good stuff.