90 Minutes of Code
Our goal: code for 90 minutes at least once (ideally more).
What is Coding? It’s solving a specific problem using some kind of programming language. Coding includes learning a new skill by building examples, prototyping and testing a new idea, or fixing and refactoring an existing project.
The Format
- Set aside 90 minutes during at least one day this week to work on some coding challenge.
- Start by blogging, sketching or otherwise brainstorming, for 10 minutes, establishing your goals and motivations. This gets your brain churning by thinking about what problem you’d like to solve and how you’d like to approach it.
- Code for 60 minutes, keeping in mind (or writing down) of any notable lessons or resources.
- Blog for 20 minutes, summarizing what you accomplished and elaborating on any notes you made while programming.
Motivation
We’d like to give ourselves a reasonable timeline in which to accomplish some deep learning. Inspired by the 100 Days of Code movement, this practice is aimed at inspiring others to either begin or return to programming. The difference is being more interested here in the quality of code than the quantity of the “streak” (how many days in a row you stayed true to your commitment).
In my experience, 100 Days of Code emulates feelings of failure if not accomplished. Here we offer a template of how to code once a day, week, month or even year. We care less about how many lines of code we write and more about the quality of those lines. Specifically, we care about the pride you feel in producing high quality bits of software that strengthen your skills and hopefully enlighten your readers.
Additionally, blogging about the experience can prove to be valuable over time. I find the learning experience can sometimes be more valuable than whatever answer it produced, as many programming choices are difficult and nuanced in even the simplest of cases.
So good luck! And happy coding. Feel free to use the #90MinsOfCode hashtag if you’d like to share how it went.