I signed up to Codecademy eleven days ago. I’m currently tackling JavaScript Fundamentals.

Codecademy incorporates some gaming elements to keep people optimistic, engaged, and motivated, and applies them to learning how to code. You earn badges and points as you progress. You’re encouraged to progress in a linear fashion through exercises that build in complexity, and, if you’re stuck on a problem, the community can collaborate in the Q&A forums.

At first I didn’t know the answers to all my problems lay in the forums, so I didn’t go there. Then I did, and, well, for me, it just encourages laziness. This has a lot to do with crystallising knowledge before you move on.

Whenever you start something that involves a steep learning curve - learning JavaScript is already challenging me - you have to dig in and struggle with it. I’m a little bit reminded of a trip I once took with friends to the Bolivian Amazon. Specifically, I’m thinking about an early morning excursion to look for anacondas. None of us knew exactly what this might entail, so we were optimistic. Some hours later, up to our waists in stagnant, muddy water, our guide poked the way with a stick, and a caiman crocodile shot out from the murk.

Generally caimans don’t pose much of a threat to humans, but, and this is key, you don’t want to step on one. That uneasy feeling due to a lack of clear waters then is the thing that strikes me again now.

Codecademy is like the most wonderful guide, but they can only make things so clear. So far, I’ve crashed the browser twice - if it freezes, just close it and open it up again - and I don’t always understand the instructions properly. Thanks to Codecademy, though, I’m up-and-running here.

Verdict: I say Codecademy delivers on keeping you productive as you try - and try again - to see things more clearly.

Photo by Phillie Casablanca