Learning resources from the Prescription Free Academy of Web Development and Software Engineering.
Welcome to the Academy Library. Here you’ll find resources to support your learning and involvement with the academy.
Consider this the entranceway. It features a live view of the learning initiatives that are underway (follow the links to commits to see the action in detail).
There’s something for everyone. All levels of learners are catered for. Take a look around and book a session when you’re ready to get started.
Our Educator in Chief (Nigel) serves as head librarian and maintains this site by hand using Markdown, Jekyll and GitHub Pages. While editing the files using Working Copy (an iOS Git client), a little WebStorm and occasionally the GitHub website.
This page features all of the available learning initiatives from Prescription Free Academy.
They’re generally set up as Git repositories hosted on GitHub. There are links to the README to get started, the files themselves, the commit log and the issues (if any) for each repository.
Gain experience creating real applications using web technologies. A great way to start pulling things together if you’ve already picked up some of the basics. Some are independent parts of our larger collaborative learning programs.
Calculator Practice Project
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Exchange Tickers Practice Project
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Trading Prices Widget Practice Project
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
So many more of these are on the way. Discuss ideas with Nigel and work to create new practice projects while completing the project yourself. Free class time available to support contributions.
Projects with lots of detail to focus on learning a particular topic.
Semantic HTML Learning Project
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
CSS Flexbox Learning Project
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Plenty of these to come. See open tasks to get an idea of what’s planned. Set up a session with Nigel if you’re looking for guidance on a particular topic.
Collections of practice tasks to improve your coding skills. Learn and practice essential techniques for crafting software.
The Big Three: Arrays, Objects, Collections
[Currently in Production]
Codifying Logic: Make Decisions with Code
[Not Currently in Production]
Repeat Yourself: Loops, Iteration and Scope
[Not Currently in Production]
We are working on these the week commencing November 25. Plenty more to come. Collections to cover all of the basic coding techniques. How to put the pieces together to build software.
Get involved in our open source projects. Very limited guidance here. Find your own way.
Open Fruit Machine
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Tickers
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Connector
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Data
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Website Widget
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Some are part of larger collaborative programs but can be undertaken in isolation. Book a session with Nigel for help getting started if this initiative seems interesting but you don’t know where to start.
A great way to learn is to be involved in teaching others. Work with Nigel to help prepare learning materials while benefiting from free class time. Tasks will be offered that suit what you’re currently learning.
Due to the nature of this work, it’s only available to learners who are already taking regular classes. Visit Open Tasks to see some notes on what’s currently needed.
Our pièce de résistance. Gain experience in a real working environment lead by an experienced lead engineer. This is just getting started and we’re excited about the possibilities.
A second program is coming soon (building a web framework). All programs here require a substantial time commitment to get real value.
If you don’t have available a few hours minimum per week, a practice or open source project is likely a better choice.
Find out more about our two active programs below - trading exchange and web framework engineering.
Work in a collaborative environment much like an asynchronous remote team. Build the software for a (fake) digital trading exchange.
Trading Exchange Collaborative Learning Program
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Below are current implementations. All just getting started (November, 2024). A good time to get involved in this long term program.
Open Exchange Tickers
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Connector
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Data
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Open Exchange Website Widget
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Late November, 2024 - This program is gaining momentum with students and our engineering lead actively working on development.
Work in a collaborative environment much like an asynchronous remote team. Design and develop a web framework to abstract DOM manipulation. Solve the same problem at the heart of frameworks like Angular and React.
Framework Engineering Collaborative Learning
README
• Files
• Issues
• Commits
Early days with this one. Experiments are being made. More coming through December/January 2024. A great time to get involved in firing up this long term program.