For rangers, they start of slightly weaker(unless you talk with your DM about favored enemies, they might not even show up, or you can), but definitely scale a lot better.
The key trick up until your spells and animal companion comes in, is that your fighting styles need not meet prereqs, allowing you to for example, use a high strength two weapon fighting power attacker(not that this is particularly powerful, but it sucks a bit less than the alternative of dexterity based two weapon fighting and getting a secondary stat to damage instead of primary).
Archery - Its not bad by default, though most ranged attacker rangers would qualify for these easily anyway(thus 'losing' the benefit of waiving of prereqs). Deadly Aim, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot are the order of the day, and Rapid Shot not far behind(once you have enough bonus to hit reliably even with exchanging 1/4 of your BAB for damage). Manyshot comes in at later levels.
Archery would be stats in order of Dex Str Wis Con, with what you can spare in Int for skills. If you want mobility, get a composite shortbow and fire from your mount(buy a light horse to use until your animal companion shows up). In emergencies, note that alchemical items can be thrown to benefit from archery feats as well, and they tend to hit for touches.
Use Handle Animal to combat train your mount yourself(hey, it's a class skill for a reason). Remember that as long as your mount only makes a single move, you don't suffer any penalties to your attacks.
Two Weapon - Normally TWF is a headache, you get ability score dependency issues with TWF feats high dexterity requirements and melee being based off str, as well as enemies not standing there for you to full attack. The ranger waives these, so all you need to deal with is hitting, dealing damage and getting there to full attack.
At level 1, you don't have your fighting style feat yet, so grab a double weapon(most of these are two handed weapons as well) or one-handed weapon and fight with Power Attack like other fighters do. Nab Double Slice if you have 15 Dex(preferably getting there with the help of a magic item rather than weaken your Str). The remainder of the feats can go into mounted combat, Improved Initiative or Teamwork feats(if your party has someone willing to invest in them as well or if you can persuade your DM that you can teach them to your animal companion, some of these are awesome), until you qualify for Dazing Assault.
Use the Heirloom Weapon trait if you need it for the exotic proficiency, plus, your +1 to hit applies to that weapon, whichever end you're using and hey, it's a free masterwork. The Urgosh isn't a bad weapon for this.
Of course, for mounted melee, until you qualify for Mounted Skirmisher, you're going to be using single attacks quite a bit as well, so half the time the advice for 2H weapon combat from before still applies(which is also the reason for using a double weapon, since you can just twohand it).
Natural Weapon - This is a bit more effective than two weapon fighting at early levels, but might not fit your character image. Also, at 1st level, you normally don't have any natural weapons, and would be using 2 handed weapon with power attack like everyone else.
So your mileage may vary. Key part is that it qualifies you for Aspect of the Beast, which amongst other things(trading Low Light Vision to Darkvision is really handy at early levels), gives you two claw attacks as primary weapons, which can be used to make 2 attacks while full attacking, at basically no penalty.
The damage dice is flimsy though, so preferably you have access to someone who can put you in a form with more claws and natural weapons. It rather falls behind otherwise once you go past 6th or so.
Two Handed - Well, this is pretty much idiot proof. Not much explanation needed beyond what the fighter uses.
Weapon and Shield - If you're set on sword and board, please use Phalanx Fighter instead. You'd have better AC and the stuff it gives isn't that bad.
Ranger Variants:
Beast Master - Not bad if you're using archery, 2H or some other combat style that you aren't reliant on your combat style feats for. Its definitely an exceptional scout(plus, if your party spellcasters have long ranged attacks, you can use a bird companion or two to scout out the target, and call in air strikes without risking yourself. Animal companions are replaceable. If you can persuade your DM to allow Natural Bond, yay.
Guide - Swap Favored Enemy for the Focus, which is nice, lose the animal companion, which isn't so nice.
Horse Lord - Not worth the trouble, honestly.
Infiltrator - Kinda tricky to use and most of the abilities are pretty trivial.
Shapeshifter - Form of the Bear is nice for combat, though its otherwise fairly regular.
Skirmisher - Never seen it used myself, anyone got thoughts on it?
Spirit - heavily DM dependent on how useful divinations are
Urban Ranger - Well, if you really need a rogue replacement, this could work. Pretty cool in cities though.
Prestige Class wise, a quick dip in Horizon Walker is usually nice, but straight ranger isn't really bad or anything.
Spells:
You can just prepare what seems useful for the day, but generally given how few slots you have, stuff that helps in combat seems more worthwhile.
Aspect of the Falcon - If you're an archery ranger and have any forewarning of a fight(e.g. if you got your pets scouting), use this. Its a hell of a bonus for a 1st level spell.
Entangle - Goddamn awesome spell, even if you're getting it later than a druid. Just be careful not to catch your own guys in the area.
Gravity Bow - Unless you're already riding some size increases, Aspect of the Falcon is more useful
Lead Blades - If you're riding size increases, well, stack em up.
Speak with Animals - train some animals to do spying for you and then use this spell. Strictly utility, but it depends heavily on how you play and your DM.
Speak with Plants - see above, but highly situational
Thats just the lower level ones you'd probably see for now, the rest are a long long way away.