while I'm not as strongly against the above example code as the others, specifically because you did call it out as pseudocode and it is for illustrative purposes only, perhaps all of the above comments could be addressed by replacing your query = ... lines with simple query = // Insert case-sensitive/insensitive search here comments as that keeps the conversation away from the SQL injection topic and focuses on what you're trying to show. In other words, keep it on the logic, not the implementation. It will silence the critics.

Updates/edits based on comments should preferably be reflected in the question itself. This way other readers don't have to weed out the whole comment section. You find the edit option under the question.

Having to rebase and cleanup the commits while actively working on something is time and attention consuming.

no need to learn a new framework it's just Ruby's syntax + new methods and actually that's one of the reasons Google invented a simple and stupid language called Golang instead of a magical one to prevent developers from doing magic and just shipping features instead of playing with DSLs.

Such concerns may be valid, but has anyone met a college student who couldn’t tie his own shoes? And although kids may be riding bicycles later, they’re also designing computer programs earlier.