Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

by csmeyer on 6/29/2024, 4:56:51 PM with 15 comments

  • by chaosprint on 6/30/2024, 8:31:38 PM

    Great project! I'm curious if the main customers are from the US?

    I'm asking because I'm the author of https://glicol.org/ and I have a similar app where teachers can see students' progress and students can form bands. But when I tried to commercialize it, I found that it was almost impossible to sell to schools in Northern Europe. The overall process was very slow and conservative.

    Almost everyone recommended that I go to the US.

  • by wonger_ on 7/1/2024, 2:36:40 AM

    I like it! I fiddled around for a couple minutes. The UI is surprisingly non-buggy. I like how the code editor treats lines as draggable widgets, and I like the limited syntax selection. Props for focusing on school licenses and making individual accounts free.

    Just a couple thoughts:

    - maybe use horizontal editor splits by default when the screen aspect ratio is less than 1 (ie. for vertical mobile screens)

    - shouldn't `math` be treated like other namespaces in the `call` menu? Eg. formatted with ellipses like `math...`, and offering a menu of functions right after being selected?

    - any plans to make more detailed/friendly error messages? Eg. "Type error, invalid function call" feels a bit useless for a beginner

    - any real-world examples of programs that kids have written?

    - any plans to convert seamlessly between Pickcode's language, Python, and JS? Essentially being different views of the same program, for when the kid is ready to try another language.

    And a bit unrelated, but any thoughts on Mark Rober's take on code editors? https://youtu.be/1j1kAuqePJo?si=6GtQPVgsFgUtGPw-&t=1109 Obviously not as fleshed out or beginner-friendly as yours, but I think the tiered approach is interesting.

  • by ttuttle on 7/1/2024, 1:03:31 AM

    Great project! Super cool to see the progress over the last year!

  • by singpolyma3 on 6/30/2024, 6:47:30 PM

    Seems neat. What's the advantage over something like replit?

  • by trandango on 7/1/2024, 5:54:20 PM

    When I went to try it, I was asked for my birthdate and age. Should I be entering for myself, or for my child who this account will actually be for?

  • by sirjaz on 6/30/2024, 10:08:01 PM

    I hope you will support C#. It is rising in popularity.

  • by Turboblack on 6/30/2024, 10:01:19 AM

    success to your project, I hope you will also support PHP

  • by ms7892 on 6/30/2024, 6:25:19 PM

    Best wishes!

  • by android521 on 7/3/2024, 4:13:55 AM

    no javascript support???

  • by pmg102 on 6/30/2024, 7:07:27 PM

    I like that you list "100% AI-free" as a selling point!