How to: May 3, 2024
1. Kirby is a classic Nintendo game where you control a squishy pink alien with a massive appetite. And in this freeCodeCamp course, you'll code your own version of Kirby that runs in a browser. You'll learn TypeScript – a statically-typed version of JavaScript – and the Kaboom.js library. This course includes all the sprite assets you'll need to build a playable platformer game that you can share with your friends. (2 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/code-a-kirby-clone-with-typescript-and-kaboomjs/

2. And if you want to learn what it's like being a professional GameDev, I interviewed Ben Awad, creator of Voidpet, which I can only describe as a sort of Emotional Support Pokémon-like mobile game. Ben is a prolific coding tutorial creator, and has a weird but popular TikTok channel as well. I had a blast learning more about his adventures over the past few years. Did you know he sleeps 9 hours every single night? He swears by it. (2 hour watch or listen in your favorite podcast app): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ben-awad-is-a-gamedev-who-sleeps-9-hours-every-night-to-be-productive-podcast-121/

3. You've heard of personal portfolio websites. But what about a portfolio that runs right in a command line terminal? That's right – this tutorial will teach you how to build an interactive portfolio experience, complete with ASCII art, a résumé menu, and even a joke command. You'll learn all about Shell Commands, Tab Completion, Syntax Highlighting, and more. And at the end of the day, you'll have a fun way to share your work with potential clients and employers. (35 minute read): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-to-create-interactive-terminal-based-portfolio/

4. The great thing about emerging AI tools is that you don't need to be a Machine Learning Engineer with a PhD in Applied Mathematics just to be able to get things done with them. The burgeoning field of “AI Engineering” is essentially just web developers using AI APIs and off-the-shelf tools to power up their existing apps. We just published this course, taught by frequent freeCodeCamp contributor Tom Chant. It will introduce you to this new skill set and this new way of leveraging AI. (2 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-ai-engineering-with-openai-and-javascript/

5. What's the difference between React and Next.js? And while we're at it, what's the difference between a library and a framework? In this course, software engineer Ankita Kulkarni will explain these concepts. And she'll also teach you various data fetching mechanisms and rendering strategies. If you want to expand your understanding of Front End Development, this course is for you. (2 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/whats-the-difference-between-react-and-nextjs/

Quote of the Week: *"Game development is very difficult. Nobody sets out to create a game that's not fun. It's all of the challenges and difficulties that happen throughout development that determine whether a game is a failure or a success. I think playing those thousands of games is the single best and easiest way to learn from my predecessors."* — Masahiro Sakurai, Software Engineer, Game Developer, and Creator of Kirby