Fun Apps To Squeeze in Coding Time

Note: These app reviews are based on my personal experience using them to learn Python as a complete BEGINNER. Not recommend for seasoned coders-unless you’re looking for an on the go review tool.

I drive a LOT for work. Sometimes up to 10 hrs a day. That being said, most days it’s not convenient for me to lug around my laptop, and even when I do, I usually don’t get around to using it. I tend to do my hardcore studying on my off days. The plus side about my job, however, is that I tend to get a ton of mini breaks. I used to fill those spare minutes playing Candy Crush, (Yes I still play that game…currently on level 1150) but then I started thinking about how much time I spend a week playing. The number was large O_O so I won’t disclose it here, but I found some amazing code apps to help replace (kind of) my gaming time.

LRN

LRN is my favorite of the two apps in terms of fun. It’s easy to use and I was able to breeze through the lessons. Before I go any further, if you’re an Android user you’re going to want to scroll down to the next app, because unfortunately, this one is not yet available to you :(

Now back to my Apple peeps. This app does cost a whopping (sarcasm) $2.99, however, you get to try out a few lessons for free before deciding if you’re ready for that kind of investment. I really enjoyed the copy on this app. They kept it light and funny at times.

LRN (Python) Screenshot: Nothing like a little humor to make learning fly by

And the fact that they offer multiple coding languages such as Ruby and JavaScript is such a bonus. For those of you who haven’t yet decided which language to start with, this gives you the ability to test out a few and see which one you vibe with the most.

I only have two negative things to say about this app:

  1. It was super short. Or at least it felt that way to me. I wasn’t ready for the lessons to end.
  2. It teaches very basic concepts. Which is only bad once you’re past the beginner level. I would have loved to continue using it on my learning journey.

All in all, this app is awesome for beginners because it gives you a nice foundation to build upon and its simpleness provides a great confidence boost for learning something new.

SoloLearn

Welcome back my Android friends :) SoloLearn for Python is a great app because it goes a bit beyond beginner concepts (and it’s completely FREE!). If you already have a bit of experience and don’t want to start from scratch you can test out of sections to get to the ones you need to work on the most. This app is packed with great features such as access to an online community, a leader board, and an in-app Code Playground (basically Python on your phone).

For a beginner, this app can get challenging fast, but that’s what makes it such a great tool to use. While you don’t need an internet connection to use it, doing so will allow you access to the online community to ask or answer questions. I really enjoy their Code Playground feature because it allows you to test code ideas on the go. It was a big help to me when I was creating my First Original Python Script. SoloLearn offers other coding languages besides Python but you have to download a separate app for each.

SoloLearn (Python) Screenshot: Offers a decent sized online community for when you get stuck. Plus test out the code lessons (or you own scripts) in their Code Playground.

The only negative thing I have to say about this app is that sometimes the wordage can be confusing. Like one of those trick questions from a standardized test. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does a quick check in the comments usually helps me figure out what they were trying to say. The app has been updated several times since I first used it, however, and these issues seem to be improved each time.

That’s all I have to say for now. Have you used these apps before? If so what did you think about them? Or if you have some favorite code apps of your own (for Python or another language) share them with me below.

Crystal J.M. Crawford

Written by

Aspiring Designer of Smart Garments sharing lessons learned along the way.

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