Week Five: Codecademy

Recently I had a chance to try my hand at programming with the help of Codecademy. Codecademy is an interactive website that allows users to participate in free coding classes using a variety of programming languages including Python, PHPO, jQuery, and Ruby. Codecademy offers millions of exercises and encourages learning by awarding users badges that allow them to show off their skills and track their progress.

                Seeing as this was my first attempt at writing any type of code, I found the process to be a little frustrating, yet rewarding. Following the on screen instructions (and with a few hints) I was able to complete the first exercise with a little effort. What’s great about Codecademy is that it provides beginning programmers a starting point. Not only does it provide a starting point for newcomers, but it allows those that are interested in programming to gain some exposure to it before choosing it as a career path, which is a good thing because programming isn’t for everyone.

                The first exercise that I completed on Codecademy was a very simple one that animated my name when the user moves their mouse over it. At first I didn’t find the process very intuitive, probably because the concept of programming is very foreign to me. I was, however, able to complete the process with a little time and patience. This exercise introduced me to the Javascript and jQuery programming languages. Also, it introduced me to programming features such as variables, functions, and Boolean operators.

                I think one of the most difficult aspects of programming for me was the formatting and the use of semicolons. I did not find the instructions for this to be very intuitive and struggled to understand why and when a semicolon was used. I also found there to be a lack of instructions explaining the formatting. Overall, I enjoyed using Codecademy and would recommend it to anybody interested in learning about coding.