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I am very happy to see more content like this (attempting to teach how to create a real system) becoming available. Few month ago there was a launch announcemen

I am very happy to see more content like this (attempting to teach how to create a real system) becoming available. Few month ago there was a launch announcement of YC backed startup that sell you walk-through labs guiding you to build Redis, Docker, Git and others. (Can't find link to it now.) What is still missing, in my opinion, and is badly needed, is content or even an idea on how to teach taking such projects from toy prototype version to the production quality one.

DylanSp 4y ago
You're probably thinking of https://codecrafters.io/ https://codecrafters.io/. I've been meaning to check them out with my education stipend from work, just haven't had the time to devote to it.
- lprd 4y ago
  Curious if anyone else has checked out their content yet? If so, hows the quality?
  - pizza234 4y ago
    The idea is very good - the tests approach is effective and stimulating; they also provide a range of products to study/experiment with. However, I think that the approach to the learning material is "love it or hate it". By design, the service doesn't provide any documentation; it provides references to existing technical documentation (of any kind, including blog posts). Those who expect a focused introduction to each topic will find it very tedious or hard to proceed (for example, the SQLite exercise has important details buried in a very large and confusing webpage), and likely hate it; those who like the challenge of understanding loads of raw documentation will love it.
    - giancarlostoro 4y ago
      Sounds like I might as well not pay them a penny though if its research that I can do myself instead.
      - pizza234 4y ago
        It's more complex than that. People may need stimulation in order to follow through a certain learning process. Providing a structured path and (automated) test means can be stimulating, and can make the difference between (deciding to) learning something or not. Some people are certainly entirely autonomous, but at the very least, there is a spectrum of need for stimulation when approaching a topic of study.
        giancarlostoro 4y ago
        I get you, but, I can get subscriptions elsewhere with way more resources for significantly less.
        pizza234 4y ago
        AFAIK there are no other services that provide multiple languages, automated testing and team features, but if you know of any, it's certainly useful to report them in this thread. Exercism is the closer service I can think of, but it's based on simple exercises, not real-world projects. There are a few books that have a similar target (build X), but much narrower in scope (either a single language or pseudocode, and certainly no automated testing/team features).
        codeisawesome 4y ago
        I’d love a Manning project subscription but it doesn’t exist..
  - deepGem 4y ago
    I have finished their build your own Redis exercise. It is very well organized and there are hints/discord groups in which you get sufficient help if you make the effort. This model is great for someone who loses patience with all the groundwork setup. However, I do agree that the next leg is taking this MVP/Prototype level to production and ideally sell it as a real alternative to the commercial version of Redis.
- suncherta 4y ago
  Yes, that's the one. Thank you.
- x86hacker1010 4y ago
  So expensive IMO, only reason I'm avoiding it.
  - sarupbanskota 4y ago
    We now have a free tier, so you should be able to try it out :-)
    - sureglymop 4y ago
      Do you provide educational licenses/pricing? It looks really interesting but I can't afford it as a student.
      - sarupbanskota 4y ago
        We do. Feel free to email me sarup@codecrafters.io
        sureglymop 4y ago
        Will do, thank you for replying :)
    - x86hacker1010 4y ago
      It’s free, but isn’t it one lesson per day?
      - sarupbanskota 4y ago
        Correct. For many of our users, doing one stage per day is just the right amount of exercise (especially on the later stages — as it gets more challenging)
        x86hacker1010 4y ago
        Not to by hyper critical but that is just not enough to support learning for more ambitious people. There are too many great learning communities that are way cheaper. I really hope you guys revise the pricing structure. At a $20mo price point, I know a ton of people that would buy it. At the current price point, well, it’s just people with a learning stipend at big corp that don’t like to buy books. Great idea, but only accessible to the rich.

DylanSp 4y ago

You're probably thinking of https://codecrafters.io/ https://codecrafters.io/. I've been meaning to check them out with my education stipend from work, just haven't had the time to devote to it.

lprd 4y ago
Curious if anyone else has checked out their content yet? If so, hows the quality?
- pizza234 4y ago
  The idea is very good - the tests approach is effective and stimulating; they also provide a range of products to study/experiment with. However, I think that the approach to the learning material is "love it or hate it". By design, the service doesn't provide any documentation; it provides references to existing technical documentation (of any kind, including blog posts). Those who expect a focused introduction to each topic will find it very tedious or hard to proceed (for example, the SQLite exercise has important details buried in a very large and confusing webpage), and likely hate it; those who like the challenge of understanding loads of raw documentation will love it.
  - giancarlostoro 4y ago
    Sounds like I might as well not pay them a penny though if its research that I can do myself instead.
    - pizza234 4y ago
      It's more complex than that. People may need stimulation in order to follow through a certain learning process. Providing a structured path and (automated) test means can be stimulating, and can make the difference between (deciding to) learning something or not. Some people are certainly entirely autonomous, but at the very least, there is a spectrum of need for stimulation when approaching a topic of study.
      - giancarlostoro 4y ago
        I get you, but, I can get subscriptions elsewhere with way more resources for significantly less.
        pizza234 4y ago
        AFAIK there are no other services that provide multiple languages, automated testing and team features, but if you know of any, it's certainly useful to report them in this thread. Exercism is the closer service I can think of, but it's based on simple exercises, not real-world projects. There are a few books that have a similar target (build X), but much narrower in scope (either a single language or pseudocode, and certainly no automated testing/team features).
        codeisawesome 4y ago
        I’d love a Manning project subscription but it doesn’t exist..
- deepGem 4y ago
  I have finished their build your own Redis exercise. It is very well organized and there are hints/discord groups in which you get sufficient help if you make the effort. This model is great for someone who loses patience with all the groundwork setup. However, I do agree that the next leg is taking this MVP/Prototype level to production and ideally sell it as a real alternative to the commercial version of Redis.
suncherta 4y ago
Yes, that's the one. Thank you.
x86hacker1010 4y ago
So expensive IMO, only reason I'm avoiding it.
- sarupbanskota 4y ago
  We now have a free tier, so you should be able to try it out :-)
  - sureglymop 4y ago
    Do you provide educational licenses/pricing? It looks really interesting but I can't afford it as a student.
    - sarupbanskota 4y ago
      We do. Feel free to email me sarup@codecrafters.io
      - sureglymop 4y ago
        Will do, thank you for replying :)
  - x86hacker1010 4y ago
    It’s free, but isn’t it one lesson per day?
    - sarupbanskota 4y ago
      Correct. For many of our users, doing one stage per day is just the right amount of exercise (especially on the later stages — as it gets more challenging)
      - x86hacker1010 4y ago
        Not to by hyper critical but that is just not enough to support learning for more ambitious people. There are too many great learning communities that are way cheaper. I really hope you guys revise the pricing structure. At a $20mo price point, I know a ton of people that would buy it. At the current price point, well, it’s just people with a learning stipend at big corp that don’t like to buy books. Great idea, but only accessible to the rich.