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
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.
In retrospect, it was kind of ridiculous that I shoot my first paid video course outside, but it was so much fun. 🤣
I highly recommend coding outside if you can swing it. You'll feel way better at the end of the day and the glare isn't really that bad.
Go outside and touch grass! 🌱
I highly recommend coding outside if you can swing it. You'll feel way better at the end of the day and the glare isn't really that bad.
Go outside and touch grass! 🌱
I made the Phlex on Rails video course off-the-grid with Starlink internet, solar power, and a MacBook Air. Everything fit in a 35 lb backpack.
This video shows how I built the portable dev setup & recording studio.
I have a list of all the gear at beautifulruby.com/articles/por...
✌️
This video shows how I built the portable dev setup & recording studio.
I have a list of all the gear at beautifulruby.com/articles/por...
✌️
Creating the Phlex on Rails Video Course Outside: an Off-the-Grid Dev Setup & Recording Studio
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:19 AM
In retrospect, it was kind of ridiculous that I shoot my first paid video course outside, but it was so much fun. 🤣
I highly recommend coding outside if you can swing it. You'll feel way better at the end of the day and the glare isn't really that bad.
Go outside and touch grass! 🌱
I highly recommend coding outside if you can swing it. You'll feel way better at the end of the day and the glare isn't really that bad.
Go outside and touch grass! 🌱
I’ve been looking forward to showing off this source code because it’s so well written.
Last week Shopify announced they deployed Falcon to production, which gave me an excuse to dive into it and RTFSC.
🤿
Last week Shopify announced they deployed Falcon to production, which gave me an excuse to dive into it and RTFSC.
🤿
Shopify deployed Falcon, an async IO Ruby web server that’s been a labor of love by @ioquatix.bsky.social, to a production Rails app.
I’ve been using it for a while in my Rails app and love it, so of course I had to RTFSC.
It’s very beautifully written code, and fast too.
Enjoy! ✌️
I’ve been using it for a while in my Rails app and love it, so of course I had to RTFSC.
It’s very beautifully written code, and fast too.
Enjoy! ✌️
Falcon Async Ruby Web Server: Read The Friendly Source Code
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
youtu.be
October 13, 2025 at 9:29 AM
I’ve been looking forward to showing off this source code because it’s so well written.
Last week Shopify announced they deployed Falcon to production, which gave me an excuse to dive into it and RTFSC.
🤿
Last week Shopify announced they deployed Falcon to production, which gave me an excuse to dive into it and RTFSC.
🤿
Finished the last videos and I have a registration system in place.
The old paywall was a 🔓 in the URL, like this `https://beautifulruby.com/🔓/phlex` 🤣
Now the browser has to be activated via email, and I'm using SQLite on the server to store course & registration data.
The old paywall was a 🔓 in the URL, like this `https://beautifulruby.com/🔓/phlex` 🤣
Now the browser has to be activated via email, and I'm using SQLite on the server to store course & registration data.
Week 12 update: last video is done!
I still have to finish editing, encoding, and uploading, then finish the copy.
Prices are still $289 and will go up to $329 when that's all done.
beautifulruby.com/articles/phl...
I still have to finish editing, encoding, and uploading, then finish the copy.
Prices are still $289 and will go up to $329 when that's all done.
beautifulruby.com/articles/phl...
Phlex on Rails: Week Twelve Update
Videos have been shot & registration is live
beautifulruby.com
October 10, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Finished the last videos and I have a registration system in place.
The old paywall was a 🔓 in the URL, like this `https://beautifulruby.com/🔓/phlex` 🤣
Now the browser has to be activated via email, and I'm using SQLite on the server to store course & registration data.
The old paywall was a 🔓 in the URL, like this `https://beautifulruby.com/🔓/phlex` 🤣
Now the browser has to be activated via email, and I'm using SQLite on the server to store course & registration data.
Check it out, SF Ruby Conf got Wes Anderson to shoot their intro video. 😏
This November in San Francisco... 💎❤️
Grab your tickets before October 20 at sfruby.com
youtu.be/m2P9PZwi8W4
Grab your tickets before October 20 at sfruby.com
youtu.be/m2P9PZwi8W4
The San Francisco Ruby Conference: join in at sfruby.com
YouTube video by Evil Martians
youtu.be
October 9, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Check it out, SF Ruby Conf got Wes Anderson to shoot their intro video. 😏
Also: leave because of the confusing SF weather, but come first.
only 7 weeks left until the SF Ruby conference! come for the incredible speakers, stay for the confusing SF weather
plus tickets get more expensive in 3 days, so now is the best time to join us luma.com/sfrubyconf20...
plus tickets get more expensive in 3 days, so now is the best time to join us luma.com/sfrubyconf20...
The San Francisco Ruby Conference ♦️ · Luma
Full program is live. Tickets are on sale now.
The San Francisco Ruby conference is the place to meet the most ambitious Ruby and Rails founders, leaders, open…
luma.com
October 5, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Also: leave because of the confusing SF weather, but come first.
Every time I have to do this, I think about @indirect.io's `rv` presentations at the @sfruby.bsky.social meetups.
October 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Every time I have to do this, I think about @indirect.io's `rv` presentations at the @sfruby.bsky.social meetups.
Remember when I launched Supermail last week as an easier way to work with emails in Rails?
Turns out the simplified abstraction made it easy for me to generate mailto: links.
I also forgot to mention it works alongside ActionMailer for those with existing Rails apps.
Video & code 👇
Turns out the simplified abstraction made it easy for me to generate mailto: links.
I also forgot to mention it works alongside ActionMailer for those with existing Rails apps.
Video & code 👇
Supermail mailto links
Start more conversations with your users over email
beautifulruby.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Remember when I launched Supermail last week as an easier way to work with emails in Rails?
Turns out the simplified abstraction made it easy for me to generate mailto: links.
I also forgot to mention it works alongside ActionMailer for those with existing Rails apps.
Video & code 👇
Turns out the simplified abstraction made it easy for me to generate mailto: links.
I also forgot to mention it works alongside ActionMailer for those with existing Rails apps.
Video & code 👇
Could somebody explain why its a bad idea or mis-aligns incentives if a mature OSS infrastructure org uses a funding model where the top 20% of for-profit users pay a service fee that supports operations?
Assume if there's "profits", prices are cut, and if there's not, they're raised.
Assume if there's "profits", prices are cut, and if there's not, they're raised.
September 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Could somebody explain why its a bad idea or mis-aligns incentives if a mature OSS infrastructure org uses a funding model where the top 20% of for-profit users pay a service fee that supports operations?
Assume if there's "profits", prices are cut, and if there's not, they're raised.
Assume if there's "profits", prices are cut, and if there's not, they're raised.
Sharing my toolkit for how I debug my computer in the morning before I get to work on @beautifulruby.com.
youtu.be/tv3BTKgz2uY
youtu.be/tv3BTKgz2uY
How I debug my computer
YouTube video by BeautifulRuby․com
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Sharing my toolkit for how I debug my computer in the morning before I get to work on @beautifulruby.com.
youtu.be/tv3BTKgz2uY
youtu.be/tv3BTKgz2uY