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Project Guide

Projects are at the core of Get coding. Actually building something is the most important part of learning how to code. From the very first session, you will start working on a project.

Most students work on 2 projects during Get Coding:

  1. A simple web-based application during the first module using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  2. A more complex web application throughout the rest of the program using React, Node or Python, and Databases

Idea​

You should come up with your own project idea. It is very important that you are genuinely interested in it. It could be something that you wish you had, or something that helps you in day-to-day life or something you would really enjoy building.

Be creative. It doesn't have to be a big idea, it can be something small and simple. The coach will assist you in "right-sizing" the project: if it's too simple the coach can suggest ways to expand it and vice-versa.

tip

If you can't think of a project, this might help:

During your everyday life, or during your interests or hobbies - is there any problem that you would like to solve? Or a nice thing to have?

Example 1: Becca likes Dungeons and Dragons, but she found that creating new characters for new players is always overwhelming, so she created a Dungeons and Dragons character builder that helps new players get started easily.

Example 2: Do you like investing? Why not build a simple dashboard that tracks how some stocks are doing?

Scope​

Things you can't do in the first module/project:

  • Information entered by a user cannot be accessed from other computers
    • but, you can store information in the same browser and access it again later in the same browser
  • This also means that you cannot have a real login and user profile system
    • but, you can have a fake login system where the user creates a mock account and you store it in the browser

Cool things you can do even in the first module:

  • Getting information from public APIs, like the weather, or the price of a stock
  • Simple video games
  • Integrating Google Maps into your project
info

Why do these limitations exist?

Most web applications are built of a front-end and a back-end:

  • The front-end runs in the browser and shows information,
  • while the back-end runs in the servers (the cloud) and stores or processes information.

Without a back-end/server, we are not able to share information between different browsers and users. In the first module, we are building front-end only project.

You may think every web application needs these features, but look at what our students have built.

Document & Design​

  • Write down the features of the web application you want to build
  • On a piece of paper sketch what it should look like

These will help you communicate your idea with your coach and also keeps you on track during the project, so you don't get into rabbit holes or lose focus.

Next Steps​

  1. Schedule a meeting with Sahand to discuss these steps and to be assigned a coach
  2. Continue to the next guide which helps you prepare for your first coaching session:

👉 Preparing for your first session