10 Jokes Only Coders Will Understand

Coding is important work — it’s the backbone of many of the most productive careers and requires the utmost levels of patience and focus. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun too! Scroll on to read through the top 10 jokes only coders will understand.

1. The best knock-knock jokes? Computer knock-knock jokes.

(Very long pause) … (very very very long pause).

2. Try not to get this stuck in your head.

Because we all have had times of programming as tedious as singing this ENTIRE song.

3. A truly beautiful poem.

What coder wouldn’t be impressed to receive this joke on a romantic card?

4. I only accept computers which load every application instantly.

To be fair, once you’ve experience super fast technology, how can you ever go back to anything less?!

5. Use this in your next coding rap battle.

Drop a beat — I’m ready.

6. I CAN’T STOP!

That feeling when you keep thinking you’ve found the fix, but it just digs you deeper into a mess. (Real tip: Take a breath, walk away and revisit in a few minutes.)

7. Should’ve locked the keyboard.

Ouch, was that a cringey one? Or so cringey that it’s genius?

8. A joke? Or great advice?

Version 1.0: Setting up for future success!

9. Bonus points if it’s only a few minutes after falling asleep.

…Or waking up at 3am with the solution right in your mind. Every time.

10. Hunger: 32%, time for a refill.

In the end, we all have basic care needs anyway — what’s so different between us and tech?

Want to see more hilarious, pun-filled computer jokes? Make sure to follow our social media pages, where we regularly post the best coding memes. 😎

Web-Scraping and Its Uses

By Noah S., Age 16

Web-scraping is exactly what it sounds like. Scraping the web for specific stuff, determined by the engineer. For example, instead of copy and pasting every book on a library website into a spreadsheet, a web-scraper can programmatically find every book title and paste it into an arraylist. The engineer then can take this arraylist and turn it into a spreadsheet. The result is the same, but without human errors and a lot of time saved. As a result, web-scraping has many, many uses. For example, one could make a list of dog species, find a specific link that is hard to find within a large website, or even generate the upcoming release date of a new Star Wars movie. There is one big roadblock, however. Scraping google, along with many websites, is considered illegal since it violates the terms of service that most companies enforce. Afterall, you are stealing data from companies, which may have spent lots of money acquiring. There are few ways of getting around this issue, but the best way to not get in trouble is to never release the information or use it to churn a profit. After all, why would a company be angry at an individual for making a list of cat videos?

To conclude, web-scraping is a very versatile option for both lazy and efficient people to get ahold of lots of data without having to individually look up every single option and click every single link. It can be written in many languages, specifically Object Oriented Programming languages (like Java and python), making it a skill many programmers can understand. While there are some roadblocks, if the user is fairly smart with their use of web-scraping, it should result with lots of data obtained and even more time saved.

What to Do When You Feel Burnt Out

Whether you are studying for an exam or trying to solve an elusive coding problem when you challenge your mind, burn out is a real concern. It’s a real conundrum because you know you must put in the hard work to succeed but where do you draw the line in the sand to avoid causing your brain to shut down? It’s enough to make you wonder if there is a way to balance it all. Luckily there are steps you can take to circumvent burn out and still reach your studying or coding goals. We’ll investigate four ways to help you de-stress and succeed.

Plan and organize

It’s understandable, you have a challenging problem you want to solve, and you are excited to delve right in and get to work. Not so fast. Before you sit down and begin flexing your brain, plan and organize. Even if you are just taking on a single problem, you want to ensure you have allotted enough time to get your work done with enough padding to take breaks. Trying to work non-stop is not a recipe for success. Give your mind a rest and you’ll notice your productivity will increase and your focus will return.

Sleep and eat well

It’s the stuff of studying legends, the overworked student staying up all night chugging coffee while cramming for the big exam. Although there are times when working late is a necessity, getting plenty of sleep is vital. So, before beginning your study session, have a hard stop time in mind. Try to allow enough time to get at least six hours of sleep. Oh, and speaking of chugging coffee. Unfortunately, along with everyone’s favorite caffeinated beverage, students tend to eat poorly during study sessions. Instead of opting for unhealthy snack foods that provide empty calories with very little nutrition, try to eat solid meals and snack on fruit and vegetables. It doesn’t sound exciting, but your brain needs fuel, healthy fuel.

Ask for help when you’re stuck

You’ve tried for hours but you just can’t conjure a solution. When you encounter a problem that seems nearly impossible, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether you ask a friend, tutor or an instructor, don’t let your ego get in the way of receiving a much needed helping hand. You’ll notice a significant drop in your stress level once you clear that difficult obstacle.

Remove distractions

You have three friends trying to text you and the café you chose for your study session is becoming a bit too lively. Does this sound familiar? Distractions are the enemy of successful studying, so putting away your phone and locating a quiet place to do your work is prudent. If you need to use your phone, try your best not to get tempted to converse with friends, play games or browse your social media accounts. Additionally, find a quiet location that enables you to concentrate on your work. When you focus, stress tends to melt away.

Now you’re prepared to solve any problem or study for any subject with less stress and more success. When you plan and organize your study time, provide your brain with plenty of rest and nutrition, ask for a helping hand when you’re stuck and eliminate distractions, burn out will become a thing of the past.

Coding Battleship with Game Theory

By Noah S., Age 16

Game theory is actually not the name of a youtube channel. It is, but that term is actually derived off a complex study called “Game Theory”. Game theory is the study of interactions between intelligent “things”. Whether this thing is a human, AI, or some other kind of rational thinking thing it up to you. Game theory is most commonly used in political science and economics, although its use can also be widened to cover topics like logic and computer science. This is what I researched while I made my battleship, which utilized 2 intelligent things as well, the player (you) and the AI. This topic is very broad, so I will discuss some examples and try to tie them together at the end of this post.

One famous study of game theory is the “prisoner’s dilemma”. Two prisoners, A and B, are being interrogated for the same crime. If both prisoners rat each other out, they get 5 years of prison. If A rats out B, A is set free while B must serve 10 years, and vice versa. If they both stay quiet, however, they each only have to serve 2 years in prison. Even though they both have a significantly better outcome if they both stay silent, the probability of them cooperating is actually very low, and the odds of at least one of them ratting the other out is significantly high. While the reasons are really implied since there is no direct answer (like how in english class there are many ways to interpret something, while in math there is only 1 answer), the risk of getting rewarded by being set free outweighs all other costs, including not receiving the most severe punishment of 10 years, leads many to do so. In addition, mistrust of the other also magnifies this effect.

Another example is battleship. I actually made a program that runs battleship with a complex AI. The board layout is actually determined both a combination of statistics and game theory. When playing battleship, one of the player’s primary goals is to aim for more open spaces to shorten the game and give themselves a better chance at winning. But where should a player aim to give themselves the largest chance at hitting a target? This is determined by game theory. While there is no way to play battleship to give yourself a 100% chance at winning, as it is a luck-based game, there are spots you can fire that give yourself a slight edge. For example, if you see a 4 space opening, you know that a carrier (5 slots) cannot fit there. If you see a spot completely surrounded on all sides by misses, you know that there cannot be a ship in there, and as a result that space may as well count as a miss. This is what I coded into the AI in my battleship game to make it more human-like. By covering the board with probabilities of locations that are most likely to harbor a ship (pun intended) in relation to the amount of ships left and the different types they are, a player (or AI) can use game theory to their advantage to win the game.

To tie these together, game theory is a super broad study that has many different uses. Anything that requires an interaction between intelligent beings all comes back to this idea of game theory. Being able to mathematically predict the most possible and reasonable outcome is very useful in many occupations. I hope I can apply game theory to many different projects in the future. But for now, I will continue to improve upon the battleship game I am making right now.

How a Coding Background Offers Work/Life Success

Imagine a skill that would make you more marketable as a job candidate and increase your earnings potential. Now envision that you can start learning this skill at any age and at any time. Of course, we are referring to coding. Having a background in coding will open doors to dream careers with outstanding future possibilities. If you need more convincing here are four reasons that coding improves your chances for success.

Exceptional high-paying career opportunities

STEM jobs are all the rage in our modern economy, and yes that includes coding. A study conducted by Burning Glass revealed careers that require coding pay an average of $22,000 more per year. Just imagine, in ten years that would equate to $220,000. The same study also found that half of the highest paying jobs (in the top quartile) require coding skills. A rewarding career that makes more money chalk one up to coding.

Flexibility

Would you like a career that would enable you to work from home either part- or full-time? Jobs in coding tend to offer flexible schedules allowing you to work from just about anywhere. A high paying career that allows you to choose your work environment and, in some cases, even your schedule is appealing to those who want to spend more time with family or travel to other cities. Or perhaps someone who just doesn’t enjoy the office life. Regardless, having a background in coding provides more opportunities for high-paying jobs that offer more flexibility.

Choice of industries

Whether you want a job in technology, banking or health care, having a background in coding will help you land a great career. Looking for more excitement? Being a skilled coder can catapult you into a cool, fast-paced field like artificial intelligence. A field that is growing at a rapid rate. A report by the World Economic Forum states that AI will create 58 million new jobs by 2022. You can work on the cutting-edge helping to develop new technologies that will shape the future world. No worries if you opt to steer clear of advanced fields like AI, with a background in coding you’ll have your choice of incredible industries.

Coding improves your problem-solving abilities

Beyond providing a tangible skill you can add to your resume, coding can teach you to become a better thinker with improved problem-solving abilities. Why? Because coding takes attention to detail and an ability to break down problems into smaller pieces. This approach can be utilized in different areas of your professional and personal life. The more you practice coding and solving the issues that arise, the more skilled you will become at tackling problems.

From high-paying job opportunities to more flexibility and even improved problem solving, coding is a skill that will increase your chances for success in business and life. Don’t wait, start your coding journey today and get ready for an amazing future.

Tips for Learning Coding Languages

Learning a new language can be difficult, no matter the origin. That’s not to say that it’s impossible! We have put together some tips for learning almost any coding language:

First off, there are over 100 languages that coders and programmers use (actually, we’ve heard that there’s even more than 2,000, and that’s just because languages are developing every single day!), so don’t feel overwhelmed. You can just simply pick from a list of 10, or whatever serves your coding goals best! Some of the most popular are JavaScript, Python, Java, Go, Elixir, Ruby, Kotlin, TypeScript, Scala, and Clojure.

You know what one you want to learn? Great! (If not, don’t stress, these tips apply to ALL languages.)

1. Actively practice.

You can’t just read something and then let it be. You have to continuously keep practicing and using the language in order to become fluent in it. A fun way to practice is by solving coding challenges. There are websites such as LeetCode that can help you increase your fluency, and will teach you more about the structure and syntax of the language.

2. Write things down.

While typing on a keyboard is the way you’ll be using the coding language in the future, writing it down helps burn it into your memory and store it somewhere where you can easily access it. We’re no brain experts, but have you ever noticed that you remember something better after writing it down? That’s why. Give it a shot!

3. Don’t over-do it.

It’s exciting, yes, but we’re not machines. Our brains need a break — even though it’s for fun, and you WANT to do it. You still need a break, to give your mind time to store what you’ve learned, give your eyes a rest, and get the blood moving through your body again. Don’t be a coding zombie.

4. Read a lot.

While you might not understand the language as a whole yet, reading the language in question — and reading a LOT — can’t hurt, because you’ll find yourself picking up on things as you go. Eventually you’ll train yourself to read almost effortlessly.

5. Build something!

Use the language that you’ve learned, and use it often! Even if it’s in something small, you’re still applying the knowledge that you’ve gained, and making it part of your life. This ultimately helps build fluency and recognition.

6. Use a linter.

Linters are code-analyzing tools that flag any errors or bugs you may have created in your newly-learned coding language, so that way you can go back and fix the problem. Think of it as a SpellCheck for coding.

It might be hard to do at first, but don’t give up! Once you beat that learning curve, you’ll find that learning these new languages is fun and effective! Go on! Try it!

New Year Goals for Coders

It’s the end of another year, your mistakes behind you, your successes looming above them all like a brilliant golden trophy. You made it, and now it’s time for another year of growth and learning! Have you gotten more into coding over the last year? Want to get into it next year? Well here’s a list we’ve come up with, featuring goals for our coding friends to conquer in the next year!

1. Increase your typing speed.

Typing is an important aspect of the coding world, and you need to have a good speed going if you want to be able to master any other coding-related skills. You can do this simply by practicing, or using games and software specifically for building your typing speed. You can read more about increasing your typing speed here.

2. Learn about a new area of coding that interests you.

You can do this in several different ways, such as doing your own personal research, watching Youtube videos, or even taking a class or attending a camp. This gives you the opportunity to expand your knowledge, give you something challenging, and another way to practice.

3. Learn a language!

We’re not talking about Spanish or German here, we’re talking about a coding language! There are over 100 different coding and programming languages (some lists even say over 2,000!!) to choose from, some are rarely ever used, so the sky’s the limit. You may be able to find information on a language at the camp list we gave you in number 2, however, some might require a little more. Do some research and see which one appeals to you, or will serve you in a future career and look good on a job application!

4. Upgrade your computer.

BONUS: upgrade your computer MANUALLY. What we mean is, you can get software add-ons to boost the speed and space on your machine, and get a new keyboard or a mouse. That’s a job in of itself, but what if you took it to another level? What if you took your machine apart and added other things? Sound fun? Scary? Impossible? Well, it’s not, but it’s definitely a project. While it may help you get to know your machine better, you need to have the patience to do it, so if the project sounds too big for you and your busy schedule, settle for a lesser upgrade!

The possibilities for the upcoming year are endless! Tackle something new, big, or just downright not like you. Triumph over it all and show 2020 who’s boss!

The Best Gifts for Coders, Programers, and Engineers

The Best Gifts for Coders, Programers, and Engineers

Christmas shopping is a real pain, especially when you’re shopping for someone who, while you love them dearly, you know nothing about their likes and dislikes. So, here to throw some inspiration your way, here are some of what WE think are the best gifts to give your coder and programmer loved ones!

1. Classes, courses, workshops and camps.

This one might be a little tricky, but ask around and see if there is a specific skill area your gift receiver has been wanting to work on, or learn more about, and see if you can find some relevant classes/course/workshops/camps! A great place to start your search would be at theCoderSchool where they offer custom classes and seasonal camps teaching all kinds of languages ranging from javascript, python, java, and much more.

2. Computer gear.

Providing you’ve asked around a little and know what it is the coder needs, you can get them anything ranging from a new keyboard to an updated software package and even to a brand new monitor or computer system! There are thousands of choices when it comes to smaller items like a keyboard, or a mouse, or even headphones. Look for comfort as well as quality!

3. Apparel.

Believe it or not, clothes are a great option, too. There are tons of shirts and hoodies that have fun jokes, puns and references that only programmers can understand, and those tend to be perfect gifts. Plus, these can be fun and inexpensive gift ideas for any coder!

4. Sustenance and ironic mugs.

So as it turns out, food is always an amazing gift to receive. Maybe consider an “energy box” full of healthy snacks to keep their minds going and fingers moving. While mugs might not be just for coffee, they sure are fun to have around for late-night coding sessions. A quirky mug says a lot in just a small package!

Hopefully these can spark an idea in your probably overwhelmed, holiday-worn mind and save your from a last minute panic! Have any other ideas? Let us know in the comments!

How Does Google Maps Work?

By Noah S., age 16

Hi! Today I’m going to be explaining graph theory, a complex algorithm used almost exclusively in object oriented languages that shines when you want to know the shortest path from something to another thing. Some applications include finding the shortest route to a location, the smallest number of moves to win a chess game, and the fastest way to solve a Rubik’s cube. Overall, graph theory has a lot of potential when applied to something large, and can really be utilized in many amazing ways. Without further ado, let’s jump right in.

Let’s try to visualize the graphs that are mainly used in graph theory. Imagine a bunch of points, with every single point connected to one or two other points. These are called nodes. Nodes are used in many other types of searching algorithms, such as linked lists and trees. Since there are two types of graphs used in graph theory, imagine these two scenarios. First imagine the same points and connections as stated above. This is an undirected graph. An undirected graph is when every line between the points is unmarked. To contrast, now imagine the same graph, but every line between the points has a direction, marked with an arrow. This shows how one node connects to another. Undirected graphs use unmarked lines to indicate that information flows both ways, while directed graphs use marked arrows to indicate information that flows only one way.

Now that we have understood what kinds of graphs exist, let’s discuss the ways they can be utilized. Commonly known as simple graphs, any graph without a clear pattern or shape, and doesn’t loop whatsoever is deemed so. Most graphs used in graph theory are simple graphs. Other types of graphs are non-simple graphs, which can be identified with their use of loops (for example, three nodes all pointing to the next node to form a triangle shape). Another type of graph is an isomorphic graph. These graphs are just simplified versions of the non-simple graph. Since many non-simple graphs end up showing some kind of pattern, usually it can be arranged to form a particular shape. Imagine a bunch of nodes all pointing to each other to form a pentagram or such.

There is one type of graph that stands out, however. It is the weighted graph. A weighted graph is just a normal graph with a catch: Every line that connects two nodes has a weight, usually an integer, of how much it “costs” to use this line. As a result, a path that connects two nodes might end up being longer than a path that goes through 4 or 5 nodes. Knowing the weight allows the algorithm to show signs of sophistication. For example, maybe you see a lot of traffic going to your destination. Weighted graphs allow you to determine the fastest route, and you may end up arriving there a few minutes earlier. Of all the graphs mentioned in this post, weighted graphs are the most complex, but the most fundamental in properly understanding and utilizing this code.

Now let’s talk about how to actually make this code work. If you have experience with linked lists or trees, or basically anything with nodes, it’s pretty simple to understand. You traverse through the graph, starting with node 1, you traverse through the graph (test out every option) until you hit your destination. Then, it calculates the fastest possible route. If weights are not present, it is simply the path with the least amount of lines. If weights are present, however, it will calculate which path has the least weight.

This is graph theory in a nutshell. There are some other small nuances and such, but knowing the stuff that I have written will set you pretty well off. Understanding graph theory will help you understand other object oriented algorithms, like trees and linked-lists (although I would start there if you have no coding experience with nodes).

Why Learn to Code? Top 4 Benefits of Coding

Why Learn to Code? Top 4 Benefits of Coding

Knowing how to code unlocks many job opportunities.

It’s true! Being skilled in coding is a very desirable skill in the tech industry. It provides you with the means to understand the language that is used to program the tech that impacts your life every single day. What a commodity!

Learning the skill would provide you with a meaningful challenge.

Sure, it’s easier to coast and avoid learning new things, but where is the fun and fulfillment in that? Learning how to code is definitely a challenge. You will struggle and fail sometimes, but it’s all part of the process and you will come out better for it. You’ll gain a new perspective on the world around you and exactly how tech plays into it.

You’ll potentially be able to craft solutions to real-world problems.

The world of tech development is ever-evolving and ever-expanding. Coding is foundational in those functions. By knowing how coding works (and how to do it yourself), you could flex that skill by, for example, crafting an app or website for an organization that helps people in need. Your options on making an impact on the world around you would be virtually limitless!

You’d become part of a powerful, supportive, and collaborative community.

Coders love collaborating on their development projects and are always in constant communication with each other. Whether you’d be struggling or excelling in your endeavors, you’d have a knowledgeable and skilled network supporting you the whole way through. It would provide you with the opportunity to create fruitful professional and personal relationships alike.

Let’s be honest, the reasons to learn coding far outweigh the reasons to not. Part of living a well-rounded life is committing to being a lifelong learner, and coding is a great choice for deciding where to focus your efforts. We hope this post has inspired you to consider learning this interesting and all-important skill and we also hope you have a fantastic start to the new decade!