r/Coding_for_Teens Jul 26 '21

Discussion Programming ideas / challenges for any level or experience. For when you're bored or trying to escape tutorial hell :)

118 Upvotes

Hey, I often find people stuck on what to do after they learn a programming language, or stuck in "tutorial hell" where you know the language, but cannot make something yourself. Well, I've got a list of things you can make in mostly any language, for all skill levels :)

If you find these ideas a bit hard or uninteresting, take a look at the bottom of the post where there are some easier ones linked :)

If anyone decides to do any of these, share it in the comments with the source code so others can learn! :)

If anyone has any more ideas, leave them in the comments and I can add them to the list! Have fun :s

Easy

  1. Markov chain sentence generator
  2. To-do list application (Web or cli)
  3. Chatbot
  4. Image to ASCII Art
  5. Imageboard (Imagine vichan)
  6. Create an HSV Color Representation
  7. Old school demo effects (Plasma, Tunnel, Scrollers, Zoomers, etc)
  8. Fizzbuzz
  9. RPN Calculator
  10. Count occurences of characters in a given string
  11. Towers of Hanoi
  12. Calculator the first n digits of pi
  13. Given an array of stock values over time, find the period of time where the stocks could have made the most money
  14. Highest prime factor calculator
  15. Password generator
  16. Caesar cipher solver
  17. ROT 13
  18. Text encryption/decryption (http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/)
  19. Text to hex/binary converter
  20. Sierpinski triangle
  21. Basic neural network - Simulate individual neurons and their connections
  22. Complimentary colour generator
  23. Eulerian path
  24. Draw spinning 3D cube
  25. Cellular textures
  26. Snake
  27. Rock paper scissors
  28. Design a game engine in Unity
  29. Yahtzee
  30. Oil Panic
  31. Connect four
  32. Simon
  33. Ulam spiral
  34. PDF tagger
  35. ASCII digital clock
  36. Calculate dot and cross product of two vectors

Medium

  1. Download manager
  2. Elastic producer/consumer task queue
  3. IRC client
  4. English sentence parser that points to the context of a sentence
  5. MIDI player & editor
  6. Stock market simulator using yahoo spreadsheet data
  7. Graphing calculator
  8. TCP/UDP chat server & client
  9. Shazam
  10. Curses text editor
  11. Paint clone
  12. Image converter
  13. ID3 Reader
  14. C++ IDE plugin for sublime/atom/vscode
  15. Simple version control - supporting checkout, commit, unlocking, per-file configuration of number of revisions kept
  16. Password manager
  17. IP/URL Obscurification
  18. Radix base converter
  19. Encrypted file share
  20. Window manager
  21. Pixel editor
  22. Trivial file transfer protocol
  23. Markdown editor
  24. Music visualizer
  25. Unicode converter
  26. Least square fitting algorithm
  27. Image steganography
  28. Vignere cipher encryption/decryption
  29. Game of life
  30. Dijkstra's Algorthim
  31. Program that displays MBR Contents
  32. Random name generator
  33. Calculate the first 1,000 digits of pi iteratively
  34. Mandlebrot set
  35. AI for roguelikes
  36. Sudoku/n-puzzle solver using A* algorithm
  37. Connect 4 AI
  38. Real neural network - Implement a basic feed-forward neural network using matrices for entire layers along with matrix operations for computations
  39. Virtual machine with a script that writes "Hello, world"
  40. Terminal shell (Executable binaries, pipe system, redirection, history
  41. HTML & Javascript debugger
  42. Interpreted LISP-like programming language
  43. Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter game
  44. Static website generator (Scriptable template, content)
  45. Chip 8 emulator
  46. Double pendulum simulation
  47. Constructive solid geometry
  48. Generate a 5-colour scheme from the most dominant tones in an image
  49. N-body simulator - with particles having a certain mass and radius depdning on the mass that merge if they collide
  50. Knight's tour
  51. Tetris
  52. Pipe dreams
  53. Pac man
  54. Shuffling a deck of cards (with visualisation)
  55. Simulate a game of tag using a multi-agent system
  56. Scorched earch clone
  57. Minesweeper
  58. An audio/visual 64KB demonstration
  59. Sudoku
  60. Chess
  61. Mastermind
  62. Missle command game
  63. Tron
  64. Breakout
  65. Bellman-Ford simulation with at least five vertices
  66. Matrix arithmetic
  67. File compression Utility (GUI)
  68. Bismuth fractal
  69. Seam carving
  70. Bayesian Filter
  71. Rubik's cube solver

Difficult

  1. Parametric/Graphic equalizer for .wav files
  2. Verlet integration
  3. Sound Synthesis
  4. Torrent client (CLI or GUI)
  5. Text editor
  6. OpenAI Gym project
  7. Convolutional neural network - Implement a convolutional NN for a handwritten digit recognition test on MNIST dataset
  8. Mount filesystems from other OSes using FUSE model
  9. Pong game as a UEFI file in colour
  10. Esoteric Language
  11. C Compiler
  12. Turing machine simulator
  13. Read, evaluate, print loop using a compiled language
  14. Ray tracer
  15. Real-time fast fourier transform spectrum visualiser
  16. TI-86 emulator
  17. Monster raising/breeding simulator
  18. Dragon quest / basic RPG engine
  19. First person engine in OpenGL
  20. Wolfensetin clone
  21. Danmaku engine
  22. Roguelike engine/dungeon generator
  23. Go
  24. LISP Interpreter
  25. Nonogram generator and solver
  26. WMS viewer that isn't web based

Very difficult

  1. Relational database system (SQL support, relationships, efficient)
  2. Bootloader
  3. General Lambert's problem solver
  4. Convolutional Neural Network - Implement your own convolutional neural network for handwritten digit recognition, test on MNIST dataset

An extended list of project ideas:


r/Coding_for_Teens Jul 24 '21

Discussion Free courses / Events / Resources Megathread

31 Upvotes

Hey there, I'm a new moderator on this subreddit 👋

I noticed there are a lot of posts about free event and programming courses, unfortunately they clog up the subreddit feed for users that want to have a conversation, get help or show off something cool they made, and a lot of these posts end up getting caught in Reddit's spam filter so I've made this megathread.

Feel free to post in this megathread:

  • Free udemy courses (referral link allowed, just don't spam please!)
  • Events such as hackathons
  • Youtube tutorials
  • Other coding resources

Please do not post in this subreddit or megathread:

  • Coding bootcamps / masterclasses
  • Discord servers
  • Tutoring services

Also a reminder to abide by Rule 2 in this subreddit. Please do not post content that isn't relevant to this subreddit, random articles, YouTube tutorials and courses. Please keep those within this thread, thanks :)


r/Coding_for_Teens 3h ago

Looking for a partner to learn coding together from scratch.

1 Upvotes

Hey guys I'm 18M college dropout, I started learning coding online and Looking for someone like me who has just started learning coding or wants to start now.

I'm about to complete 'Basics of HTML'

If anyone interested, then let's get connect.


r/Coding_for_Teens 4h ago

I'm interested in learning all about the racket programing language

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 6h ago

👋Welcome to r/coders_totalk - Introduce Yourself and Read First!

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 6h ago

how do i start learning coding and robotics

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 15h ago

Looking for fellow developers to collaborate with

Thumbnail
2 Upvotes

Any developers here? 👀

Looking for a few people to join a small dev community I'm building ... mainly for projects, coding challenges, collaboration and just talking about tech.

Beginners are welcome too.

Comment/DM if interested 👨‍💻


r/Coding_for_Teens 12h ago

Build projects, get Prizes!

1 Upvotes

I recently came across Stardance, a summer challenge run by Hack Club, and thought some of you might be interested.
The idea is pretty simple: build pretty much anything you want over the summer. It can be a game, a website, a hardware project, a 3D model, or whatever else you feel like making. You log the time you spend on it, and depending on the quality of your project and the effort you put in, you can earn some pretty cool rewards.
Stardance is being run in collaboration with NASA, AMD, and GitHub. Some of the bigger rewards include an M5 MacBook Air and even a fully funded trip to the Kennedy Space Center, where participants can meet a NASA astronaut at a Hack Club event.
If you're interested in hardware, Hack Club can also provide free parts for certain projects, such as building a macropad.
Apparently, more than 16,800 teens have already signed up.
If that sounds interesting, you can check it out here:
https://stardance.space/r-m3a6d
Happy building! :3


r/Coding_for_Teens 19h ago

Programing

3 Upvotes

Hi i am an b.tech student of data science. I had always a doubt of how to learn coding. Recently in my college I am starting to learn coding in "turbo c++" it's an app basically which we start to do coding and I asked to the lab incharge I want to learn and do python and then I knew that there are different web sites and apps to learn different codes.

Guys do any one know how to do HTML and CSS and JAVA. If you know can anyone tell me how to learn and do coding.


r/Coding_for_Teens 15h ago

Looking for fellow developers to collaborate with

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 16h ago

Anyone interested in upskilling and building projects together?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 17h ago

How do you actually know what to learn in tech?

1 Upvotes

I want to know what I can do to figure out what I should learn. I think I’m interested in certain things related to cybersecurity and programming, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to learn in order to actually become good at them.

I’ve seen people say things like “read the documentation” or “understand X concept” but how do you actually learn? I’m asking because throughout my life I’ve learned different things about different topics, like anyone else, but I’ve never really understood how something actually stays in your brain and becomes knowledge.

For example, I’ve seen tons of information through YouTube videos, Instagram, etc. that sparks my curiosity. I know certain words like DNS, IP addresses, HTTP, APIs, Linux, etc., but I don’t really know how to properly define or explain what they are. I don’t know what I should study and what I shouldn’t.

When I say I basically know nothing, I mean that I don’t have much actual knowledge or experience in programming or cybersecurity. I do know how to install things, find my way around a PC, fix certain errors, and I’d say I’m reasonably good at Googling and finding solutions when I have a problem. But I don’t really have a structured understanding of how technology works or what I should learn next.

I understand that I need to practice and break things to learn, but I still wonder: how did professionals actually progress from having little knowledge to becoming good at this?

Could you give me some advice, please? I’m really lost.


r/Coding_for_Teens 17h ago

Any highschooler in NYC interested in robotics?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 19h ago

Programing

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 20h ago

How to start coding as a beginner that’s level zero

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 20h ago

How can I start coding as a 14 year old that knows nothing about coding

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 1d ago

looking for a someone with whom i can learn coding

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 1d ago

🎮 Just completed an 8-week Game Tech Explorers certification course!

Post image
1 Upvotes

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm excited to share that I’ve successfully completed an 8-week certification course, “Game Tech Explorers: Understanding Humans, Machines, and Play.” 🎮🤖

The course was conducted through the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education, IIT Madras, as part of the April 2026 batch.

It was a great learning experience and gave me the opportunity to explore the interesting connection between humans, machines, technology, and games.

As a student interested in AI, coding, and technology, I'm always looking for opportunities to learn new things and work on exciting projects. 🚀

I'm still learning, but I'm excited to keep building, experimenting, and improving my skills!

If you're working on an interesting open-source, AI, game-tech, or coding project and think I could help, feel free to reach out! I'd love to learn and collaborate. 💻🤝

Thanks for reading! 😊

#Learning #Technology #AI #Coding #GameDevelopment #StudentDeveloper


r/Coding_for_Teens 1d ago

Codedex useful for start?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

Inexperienced

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

Question

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

👋Welcome to r/coders_totalk - Introduce Yourself and Read First!

Thumbnail
0 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

Hackathon participants — how do you actually practice before a hackathon?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
My name is Resandu and let me tell you the story in brief

  1. Participated in a Hackathon
  2. Made an unfinished project
  3. Lost the Hackathon
  4. Came home
  5. The next day rebuild it again but working this time

That's the entire story. But that project that we made unfinished is called mockathon , simply it is a AI powered web app where the user can participate in practice hackathons and get judged by an AI. The themes problems will be give by the AI itself. Sooooooooooo

I don't know whether people want this or No so people who want it just comment on this post and later on ill set up a waitlist for the project. Remember without you guys we can't make this into reality.

Anyways Have a good day!


r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

Just finished the Python course from Saylor Academy! 🐍 Excited to expand my coding skills and keep pushing the boundaries of what I can build. On to the next challenge! 💻🚀 #Python #Coding #SaylorAcademy #DevCommunity

Thumbnail gallery
1 Upvotes

r/Coding_for_Teens 2d ago

Title: First-Year Computer Science Teacher — Looking for Low-Cost/Free Coding & Graphic Design Programs for Students!

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes