Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a free Android app made to teach the basics of coding in JavaScript. The learning app is an initiative of Area 120, an experimental division of Google.

As a guided learning app, Grasshopper helps those new to coding to learn not only JavaScript but also concepts fundamental to most programming languages. These basics can make it easier for users to learn additional languages.

Grasshopper uses games to teach and has progressively more difficult levels that can be passed by coding solutions in JavaScript. By solving puzzles with code, users take part in directed learning and gradually learn the fundamentals of coding in JavaScript. For example, one lesson has users climbing a mountain in a game. They tackle this challenge by using JavaScript commands to look inside a backpack and find useful tools to help their characters as they climb.

Much like modern video games, the coding app uses an achievement and trophy system to motivate learning. Google’s offering is very similar in nature to Apple’s Swift Playgrounds, which teaches users to code in the Swift.