Programming guides
Start with the first path if programming is new to you. Read in order, or choose a question you are curious about. Each new lesson has an everyday example, a complete Pliro program, a prediction, a small challenge, and a common mistake. You can go at your own pace.
The next-step articles link to useful earlier lessons. Sorting uses nested loops, so try lists and loops first.
First programming skills
- What is Pliro?
- What is a computer program?
- What is an algorithm?
- Breaking a problem into smaller steps
- Input, processing, and output
- Following a program step by step
- Planning your first project
- Finding bugs like a detective
- Testing your program
- Trying unusual inputs
- Choosing clear names
- Improving a working program
Next steps
- Remembering what is happening
- Making a program stop repeating
- Random does not mean “take turns”
- Finding something in a list
- Putting things in order
- Different screens in a game
- Bits, bytes, and computer memory
- Source code and finished apps
- Making programs for everyone
- Sharing your project safely
Using Pliro in practice
- 2D coordinates and drawing
- 3D worlds, coordinates, and cameras
- Adding pictures and sounds to a project
- Animation and frame timing
- Building and distributing applications
- Changing the language of your code
- Choosing colors in Pliro
- Complete example programs
- Controlling pins: from pretend devices to Raspberry Pi
- Drawing with the turtle
- Keeping your code neat
- Questions and keyboard input
- Reacting to events, timers, and messages
- Running and stopping a program
- Saving data for later
- Sprites: pictures you can move
- Trying commands one at a time
- Understanding error messages
- Using the mouse or a pointing device
- Where can my program run?
- Why Pliro limits a running program
- Your first Pliro program