Ruby on Rails has become a popular choice for web development due to its efficiency and speed. One of the key benefits is its Convention over Configuration approach, which allows developers to focus on building the application rather than spending time on configuration. This feature simplifies the coding process and accelerates development, resulting in faster time-to-market for web applications.

Another significant advantage is the vibrant community support surrounding Ruby on Rails. The extensive collection of gems (libraries) available enables developers to easily implement functionality without having to build from scratch. Additionally, the community continuously contributes to improving the framework, ensuring it remains updated with the latest trends and best practices in web development.

Building your first app with Ruby on Rails can be an exciting journey, especially for beginners looking to dive into web development. To start, ensure you have Ruby and Rails properly installed on your computer. You can verify your installation by running ruby -v and rails -v in your terminal. Once you've set up your environment, you can create a new Rails application by running rails new my_app.

After generating the app, navigate into the project directory using cd my_app. The next step involves starting your Rails server with the command rails server. You can then open your web browser and go to http://localhost:3000 to see your application in action. As you build your Ruby on Rails app, remember to explore the built-in scaffolding feature. This not only speeds up development but also helps you understand the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture essential to Rails.

Developing applications with Ruby on Rails can present several common challenges that developers often encounter. One notable issue is the steep learning curve for newcomers who are not familiar with the Ruby programming language or the Rails framework itself. Understanding the framework's conventions can be difficult, and many developers struggle with grasping the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, which is fundamental to Rails. To overcome this challenge, aspiring Rails developers should invest time in learning Ruby thoroughly and utilize online tutorials and community forums to enhance their understanding of Rails conventions and best practices.

Another significant challenge in Rails development is managing dependencies and ensuring that the application's performance remains optimal as it scales. As your application grows, it may become cluttered with numerous gems and other dependencies, leading to slower load times and potential conflicts. To address this issue, developers can employ tools like Bundler to manage dependencies more efficiently, regularly update libraries, and refactor code to reduce the reliance on unnecessary gems. By implementing these strategies, developers can maintain a clean and performant Rails application, allowing for smoother development processes and user experiences.