Rating: Excellent
Strong Points: Many languages available to choose from, can set reminders to work on your skills
Weak Points: None
Platform: iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost: Free
More and more, modern science is beginning to rely on new technologies to acquire and analyze ever-growing datasets. Coding has become a vital skill for navigating this data, and there seem to be new apps available every day promising to teach you how to code quickly. Py is one of these apps, which stands out for its intuitive user interface and ease of use. The app has a familiar setup for users who have tried to learn a foreign language using popularly available apps. After users choose which coding language they want to learn, the app guides them through discrete modules that cover major topics important for learning the syntax and using the language. Each module comes with straightforward exercises, such as replacing a word in given code to make it run, or typing in what you think the output of a line of code will be. Py makes learning to code into a fun game and is a great app for beginners trying to expand their skillset.