The primary teaching method that this book will employ is "learning by doing". This is an approach that many developers are familiar with and is used in some of the most effective tutorials on software development.
The project we will be implementing is the flash card challenge created by Open Hatch. There are several reasons this project was chosen:
- It has a clear goal with targeted users
- It is simple to define and yet can be extremely broad
- The guide is written in python which largely reads like pseudo code. You should be able to follow along in any language
One of the best tutorials on C, learn C the hard way has this to say about itself:
[This tutorial] teaches real robust C coding and defensive programming tactics on real hardware rather than abstract machines and pedantic theory. The book emphasizes breaking your code on purpose, and in the process teaches a plethora of important topics.
There are three important aspects to the "Learn The Hard Way" method that this tutorial will use:
- It is designed for absolute beginners: you should know the basics of a programming language and revision control, but that's all you need.
- It focuses on teaching simple concepts and tools which deliver immediate real-world value.
- It uses exercises as the primary teaching method. You must actually do the excersies if you want to understand how the tools and processes you are reading about are useful.
Before we start
Before we start, install the following tools:
Now run the following:
mkdir ~/quality # or whatever directory you want
cd ~/quality
art tutorial
git init
This will set up your project as an artifact tutorial project and initialize git.
Exercise 1:
Create a
README.mdfile in this directory and take notes while you read the flash card challenge webpage. Pay close attention to:
- what is the use case (how will this software be used)?
- what are the inputs/outputs of the program?
Then write a paragraph answering the question "how would I develop this application, knowing only what I know now?"