Coding is a skill that’s especially relevant in the technologically-savvy era of today, but if you have zilch interest or aptitude in computer science, learning it would be akin to a nightmare, making it more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.
With Grasshopper, a mobile game designed to teach adults the fundamentals of coding, Google is set to bring more fun into the coding craft. It seems to have worked well, too, with 5,000 people already graduated from the app’s Javascript Fundamentals course while it was still in testing.
And while game-ifying code lessons is hardly a new concept, Grasshopper aims to provide a comfortable introduction for those who are too afraid to take the plunge into the realm of coding, rather than just the mere providence of online classes.
The app’s focus on the three main issues that adults face – time, access, and money – also means that users are able to learn on-the-go, allowing for an easier fit into a hectic schedule.
Taking on a simple aesthetic, the self-explanatory game gives players the freedom to choose their practice method of choice. Daily play comes recommended, but there are other options as well, such as twice per week, every few days or so, or no reminders at all.
Apart from the usual inputting of code lines to reach a goal, Grasshopper quizzes students occasionally as well, with the resident friendly grasshopper Grace encouraging them along the way.
Now available for iOS and Android, the app is a good start to learning the ropes of coding, and definitely a more fun alternative to the droll of a physical classroom, where jargon like console.log(x.val) and const a = Object.freeze ({}) constantly serve as sources of frustration and irritation.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Natalie
