How to: Apr 11, 2025
1. One of the hardest aspects of building apps in C and C++ is just getting your development environment properly configured. This course will walk you through how to set up key tools like CMake, vcpkg, Git, and Docker. From there, you'll be able to build high-performance apps with granular memory management. This course will put you in a strong position to take full advantage of freeCodeCamp's many other C and C++ for beginners courses. (6 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/c-setup-and-installation-tools-cmake-vcpkg-docker-and-copilot/

2. Lynx is a cross-platform development framework that just became open source a few weeks ago. You can use Lynx to build JavaScript apps that run on all kinds of devices, including Apple and Android phones. It's similar to frameworks like React Native and Flutter. This comprehensive freeCodeCamp course will guide you through setting up your first Lynx project, integrating with APIs, and leveraging its unique dual-thread architecture. You'll code your own game review app while learning to use Lynx's UI components, state management, and navigation implementation. (3 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-lynx-to-create-javascript-mobile-apps/

3. On this week's freeCodeCamp podcast, I interview Jason Lengstorf, who learned to code by building websites for emo bands. Jason dropped out of college but went on to work as a software architect at IBM and other tech companies. He shares his tips for teaching yourself programming by chasing your curiosity. (1 hour watch or listen in your favorite podcast app): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/from-drop-out-to-software-architect-with-jason-lengstorf-podcast-167/

4. Wireshark is a popular open source tool that security engineers use to analyze network traffic. This in-depth tutorial will show you how to harness Wireshark's power by filtering packet data so you can understand what's happening in a network and catch bad actors. (30 minute read): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/use-wireshark-filters-to-analyze-network-traffic/

5. If you've already learned languages like Python, JavaScript, and C++, and are looking for a new adventure, consider Clojure. It's a functional language based off of Lisp that can also leverage the Java Virtual Machine to run code in parallel. freeCodeCamp just published this comprehensive Clojure primer with interactive challenges that you can solve as you read. (full-length handbook): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-clojure-programming-basics/

Quote of the Week: *“You can't just hang out with other developers – but never build anything – and expect to become a developer. At the same time, you can't just build things – but never deliver them to anybody – and expect to become a developer. You have to do both.”* — Jason Lengstorf, self-taught engineer and software architect, on this week's freeCodeCamp podcast