Installing the programming tools

There are two programming languages used throughout this course, Blockly and Python. Both languages are programmed on the XRP robot using XRPCode, an online interactive development tool that can be used for developing programs in either language.

For more information about using XRPCode refer to the XRP User Guide section on XRPCode.

Blockly

This is a drag-and-drop graphical programming system similar to Scratch. Blockly is a good choice for programming the robot, especially for learners with little to no programming experience.

Python

A more widely-used language that scales well for larger programs and works with professional programming tools such as Visual Studio Code and many others. The tool that will be used throughout this course for Python programming is XRPCode, although a more professional tool such as Visual Studio Code can also be used for writing CircuitPython code that is used by the XPR Robot.

Note

One strategy for getting students comfortable with programming more quickly is to start with Blockly getting through basic concepts such as functions, conditionals, loops, and basic robot programming. Once students are familiar with those concepts it is an easy move to Python to complete the course, especially for some more complex challenges, such as the final project. This will allow for quick onboarding without having to learn too many new concepts at the same time. But the decision will depend on the level and experience of the students taking the course.