Lesson 2 · Young Builder / Capstone
A simple project plan.
A spec is a short written description of what you're building. One page is plenty.
Its job is to make you decide things before you build, when changing your mind is free. Halfway through coding, changing your mind is expensive.
It also does something else: it's the thing you check against when you think you're finished. Without it, "done" is a feeling. With it, done is a list.
Project: Class Homework Tracker
Problem: Students in my class forget homework deadlines. Around 5–6 people arrive unprepared each week.
User: Class 8 students with a phone or laptop at home.
What it does (Must):
Built with: Python — it's a menu program, no interface needed.
Done when: A classmate adds three tasks, sees them in date order, and marks one complete, without me explaining anything.
Not doing: notifications, sharing, accounts.
5 more parts in this lesson
Walkthroughs, code labs, mini-games and the checkpoint quiz unlock when you buy the course.