November 1, 2018 (Vol. 38, No. 19)
Rating:
Strong Points: Courses available for many languages, easy to navigate, fun to use
Weak Points: None
Platform:
iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost:
Free
Summary:
Coding has become an essential tool for scientists in all disciplines and knowing how to code helps enormously when you’re trying to streamline experiments or data processing. For those just starting out with coding, SoloLearn: Learn to Code is an excellent app that makes learning how to code fun. The app includes short courses on every major coding language and a few additional topics, such as machine learning. Courses include information about the language’s syntax and contain short exercises where users can actually write and run pieces of code within the app. In addition to the courses, there’s also a Play feature, which pits users against each other in a short challenge of their coding skills. There is also a Code Playground where users can code freely and a discussion forum for those who find themselves stuck. Overall, SoloLearn: Learn to Code is an excellent app where users can learn to code and have fun doing it.