The great thing about coding is that you can make your own fun. You can improve your coding by simply doing it. By taking on challenges and building things for yourself. For example, if you want to build an app that checks stock levels on a certain web product, you can build on somebody else’s work, you can start from scratch, and everything in between. As you code, you come across new problems that require innovative solutions, and those challenges alone will make you a better coder.

For example, you make your app, but you discover that you can only check one item at a time because if you check two at the same time, or even with a slight delay, the website throws up a Captcha puzzle. So, you get around this problem by having the app generate a new IP address and location each time a search is run.

However, the website also recognizes human intervals vs. computerized intervals, meaning you need randomize your app’s search requests a little. So, you create a randomization algorithm, and you a weather tracker’s air pressure sensor readout as the starting number. You have solved the problem, and now your app works. Challenges, solutions, and everything in between. Still, if you are looking for a less labor intensive way to improve your coding, you could try a For example, games and challenges.

Coding Games Online

You can find coding games online that allow you to learn a little more code and perhaps challenge yourself a little with a few problems. Ideally, you should look for content that is both educational as well as challenging. Coding games that give you the answers without explaining them may not help you learn how to become a better coder. The Coding Games Online platform is part of Code Monkeys, which is a platform that teaches you how to write code. It is suitable for absolute beginners and kids.

RoboCode

This is a robot battle tank game where you code in .NET or Java, and you use your coding to battle within the game. This is one of those cases where you will need to know .NET or Java I order to play. The setup is not easy and getting to grips with how the game works is not easy either. However, on an academic level, this game is going to help you become a more confident coder (i.e. more confident about your skills). Perhaps one of the saddest things about this game is how boring the YouTube videos are of people trying to explain it. In truth, it is a shame they didn’t make this game easier to install, learn and begin playing.

CodingGame

You can tell that the creators put a lot of effort into this game and into how it works and how it is shown on their website. Yet, if only they would push the virtues of the game above the fact you can learn coding through it. They push the idea that this game teaches you coding, rather than bragging about how good the game is (or even explaining what the game is). That is like trying to sell a car by describing the journeys you are going to take in it.

In truth, all the games on offer are puzzle games, which is a bit of a shame, but you can tell that this series of games (and the entire setup) was built to help intermediate-to-advanced programmers flex their skills a little, so it is unfair to complain. Still, if Mario can have a golfing game and a typing tutor, perhaps maybe CodingGame will one-day have a first person shooter game that developers can play.