| Scaffolding won't write your app for you, otherwise DHH would have called it "foundationing". | |
| Find inefficiencies using the development log. | |
| Use :include where possible to minimize the number of db queries. | |
| Learn SQL, including joins; it will help you to make your queries more efficient. | |
| Learn to "feel" the presence of helpers and shortcuts -- chances are, if you think there should be one, there probably is one. | |
| Create models to handle your data. Models aren't just database tables. | |
| Write a plugin if you think you'll ever use the code in another app or across different controllers and models. | |
| Learn to use the console. Try out complex code there before you put it in your app. | |
| Instead of just "testing your app," write "tests for your app." | |
| Keep http://api.rubyonrails.com in a Firefox tab and turn on "begin finding when you begin typing." |