When a user first visits Edabit and creates an account (using Google, Facebook, or email), they are given a choice to learn JavaScript or Python. Choosing one leads to a set of beginner tutorials that eases them into the basics of programming, introducing common methods and syntax for the chosen language. The tutorials have a natural progression for the most part and cover programming concepts such as variables, functions, loops, and objects. These serve as a foundation to apply to a library of seemingly endless challenges. (New users on a free account can complete 15 of these challenges before being prompted to create a pro account.) The library seems endless because users can create and submit their own challenges, adding to the already massive library. Still, the challenges get easier after a while as concepts solidify and become routine. When this happens, the user can use a drop-down menu to load a new set of challenges at a higher difficulty level, ranging from very easy to expert.

Particularly interesting is that users can also change which programming language they are using at any time, and see an almost identical set of challenges. What’s more, the list of languages is fairly extensive: C#, C++, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Swift! This lets someone easily compare languages to understand the syntax of different ones as they attempt to solve these common challenges. Educators can set up milestones for standard progress through a semester, but it’s best for learners to do at their own pace. If in a classroom or afterschool setting, learners may benefit from paired coding: having two learners share the same screen so that they can talk about the challenges and strategies to solve them together. That said, Edabit may be better suited for individual at-home work due to the nature of the tempo or rhythm of the tutorials should one get stuck. Also, even in the beginner levels, the language and interface might be daunting to new users.

Website: https://edabit.com/

Overall User Consensus About the App

Learner Engagement

Quick tutorials and bite-sized challenges keep learners engaged, but jumping in without any coding vocabulary or background can be frustrating.

Curriculum and Instruction

Provides immediate feedback and allows the user to fine-tune the difficulty of challenges.

Customer Support

Each challenge has easy access to outside web resources, a built-in community, and a variety of languages to choose from.