A great introduction to coding with step-by-step videos and challenges on HTML, CSS and JavaScript! I've learned so much in just 3 weeks and want to keep learning!
The workshop was very well structured with helpful step-by-step videos, available resources, tips, and a very interactive chat platform when help was needed. I have a much better understanding of how these codes are formatted and structured and can't wait to advance further in the future.
It was a lot of fun these past three weeks and I highly recommend this workshop for women who are not sure where to start. The videos are fun and easily able to follow. I had zero experience coming into this workshop and I loved every minute of it. It was not overwhelming, the support system is amazing and because of it I was able to complete the assignments and enjoy making them along the way. 😃
I really enjoyed the challenges, and the videos were pretty easy to understand. I also learned a lot by seing other projects from the Slack chat. Can't wait to see what else I can do in the next course 😊
I always wanted to understand the logic behind a code and thanks to Matt, i can read HTML, CSS and JavaScript! The videos are really well done, easy to understand and repetitive, so the new things really sink in. I am very thankful to have done the workshop and can recommend it to everyone 🥰
SheCodes was very hands on. In the challenges and homework, the lesson videos gave enough insight to complete most of what was required but it also pushed me to find some solutions on my own either in the slack community or through google.
The various challenges and homework assignments were set up in a good sequence. I found the videos very helpful to learn from. Overall, I feel like the intro course covered a lot in three weeks and did it without being overwhelming!
Quick and efficient way to learn the basics of coding! Videos are broken down in the perfect chunks to absorb the material and not become overwhelmed!
I definitely recommend this to total beginners, and people who are foreign to the world of coding. Matt was very clear and explained everything step by step in the videos, which was great. The challenges provided a good mechanism to practice the learning. I also love how I was able to fit this workshop around my schedule. One feedback I have is that the challenges could have been a bit harder and longer to really improve learning. But other than that, I really recommend this!
SheCodes Plus makes it very easy and interesting to learn JavaScript. I really liked the format with several short videos, each directed to a specific topic. This makes it much easier to keep focus, instead of being bored in a long and dull lecture or being "bombarded" with several subjects at once. After finishing the project, I feel prepared to take on new challenges and start a career in tech, thank you SheCodes!
I think SheCodes has been really insightful to the Coding world. Matt is really good at demonstrating through the videos, and in a very simple easy way to understand.
I really liked the structure of the course! The videos were well-paced and very informative (also showing how a professional developer thinks), and the challenges were fun. I got kind of addicted to coding, and am planning on continuing with shecodes!
SheCodes Plus was definitely an intense journey! Even though I struggled sometimes, it was always possible to find help and to deliver what was expected. Matt's videos are extremely enlightening, João is a lifesaver on Slack and the rest of the team is always helpful. And during these 8 weeks it was always possible to learn with the other students, which is amazing! I had a great time, I learned and I can't wait for the challenges ahead!
SheCodes has been fun and informative. I look forward to learning more. I paid for the entire workshop and after 3 weeks I still don't regret it and I don't think I ever will. The instructors get back to you super quickly if you have any questions. Matt is very clear in his videos and I find that he sets you up for success by offering plenty of resources.
SheCode's community is great! Matt's bite-sized videos really keep you motivated to continue learning and coding. Ive really enjoyed the workshops and am very tempted to sign up to the next workshops! Thank you to Matt and the amazing team at SheCodes, you all have been awesome! And also to my fellow-coders, thank you so much for all your help and support!
SheCodes has proven to me that ANYONE can learn to code. I never in a million years would have thought I'd understand coding or be able to make a website. SheCodes does a great job of balancing instructional videos, with practical components to practice what you are learning. The SheCodes team has also been great with responding to questions/problems in a timely and helpful way! Thank you SheCodes for opening up new career goals for me :)
The workshop is addictive! I was addicted to the videos and the challenges and homeworks. You never feel alone because you have assistance on Slack and if you have any doubts someone will be there to help you. Matt explains in a simply way so you can understand. I felt that I really learn something usefull. I recommend this workshop :)
The SheCodes workshop has been amazing. The videos are great and really easy to follow. The online chat support in slack allows you to be fully supported during the course. It also creates a great community where women can help each other. This course has really expanded my knowledge and skills, and its just the beginner course! I love SheCodes!
I found the pace of the curriculum to be a perfect fit for me. I like that I can re-watch videos or run through the assignments faster if I feel like I can. A fun introduction to front-end coding, I look forward to learning more! 4/5 stars because I think the learning platform design could be improved to make finding things more intuitive for the user.
It been an amazing journey with SheCodes, i feel very confident on how the html, css and java script works behind the scenes, still more to learn with java script frameworks..Big thanks Matt and shecodes team, they have been very helpful from start to finish, the shecodes website and Matt's videos are highly user friendly and explainable. Highly recommend for others to take this course.
Who knew coding was this much fun?! Matt is a really good instructor, he anticipates the mistakes you're going to make and the videos are short and to the point so you don't get overwhelmed.
I really enjoyed learning a new skill! Matt goes into detail with how elements operate but in a way that a complete newbie can understand. The videos are quick but get to the point, and the challenges from each lesson keep you engaged and wanting to learn more. I especially liked the challenges where we had to include an element that wasn't taught. Thanks Matt and the whole SheCodes team!
Came across a free intro webinar for SheCodes through Instagram and took the leap with the Workshop. The 3-week course flew by. Videos were easy to follow with step-by-step tutorial explanation on how HTML, CSS, and Javascript work together. The homework at the end of the week is super helpful in helping me understand what I learned. SheCodes also provides a Slack community for you to chat with other students who are taking the course with you. In there, you can ask for real-time help and troubleshoot your code with colleagues. Would highly recommend this course to anyone who has no background in coding who is looking to build a solid foundation.
After taking the SheCodes Introduction Workshop, I was hooked on the easy to follow videos, clear instructions, and friendly supporting staff. I've taken several intro HTML/CSS/JavaScript classes before but nothing has clicked like Matt's teaching style and his TA's helpful suggestions. I look forward to continuing my coding practice using the solid foundation I gained from SheCodes!
Coding is always intimidating, especially to someone who has no background in it. I like that Matt's videos are bite-size, which makes is easy to learn, follow & absorb the material. The challenges & the project help to solidify the materials that was taught.
I didn't think I would learn SO MUCH in such a short period of time! The videos were easy to follow along and there's always someone to help if you get stuck! Looking forward to the upgrade. 🙂
This beginner's workshop was exactly what I was looking for! The online videos fit around my schedule allowing me to complete the weekly objectives whenever I was able to. The entire workshop was very organized and well done. This course has given me the confidence I was looking to gain in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript which is very exciting! Whenever I needed help, I got it right away and I never felt stuck alone for hours. As someone with previous experience with programming languages I still recommend this for anyone looking to acquire technical skills or looking to expand their knowledge and learning. I am excited to continue building on the skills gained in this course and am hoping to move on to the advanced courses in the near future. I definitely recommend this for everyone!
A challenging course made much easier and accessible thanks to the interactive videos. Really enjoyed working on the weather app and getting a better understanding of javascript.
I´ m glad that I have decided to deepen the knowledge gained from the 1st workshop. All the videos were again very clear and easy to understand and follow, all explained in detail. It was frustrating and challenging at times but totally worth it :-)
The videos do a great job of walking you through learning code! The setup is also very user friendly.
Going through the three-week workshop has been a great experience. The modules were a combination of easy-to-follow videos, challenging exercises, and weekly deadlines. I've always wanted to learn coding and this workshop has given me the opportunity to take the first step.
I had tried to learn coding from books and youtube videos and it simply didn't work. The videos and challenges make it easy to understand the concepts while testing your knowledge. The homework and final project were exciting as well. The support from instructors and other women in the class made the learning experience that much more encouraging and enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the 3-week SheCodes workshop as I found the demonstration videos informative and easy to understand. Having weekly homework really motivated me and solidified what I had learnt throughout the course.
SheCodes is really a friendly platform with an awesome community on Slack! The 3 weeks workshop is a beautiful introduction to coding, which I would recommend to complete beginners or ladies willing to review the basics of HTML & CSS. The little challenges and exercices after each lesson keep you engage throughout the course. Having access to the codes sources with each solution is a must, and Matt's various little tips within the videos are helpful! This course can be the little boost you were looking for to explore your potential and believe in your abilities to start to code 👩💻
I have never thought programming could be so exciting! The lessons are very understandable and the videos are easy to follow, hence despite my zero experience in programming, I felt no struggles during the introductory course. Now I am proud to show everyone the project I've done.
My final workshop with SheCodes and I am so sad it's over! SheCodes has been so fun to help me learn and develop my skills as a designer while managing to still take complex concepts and break them into bite-size videos. When I first started this course I didn't know how much I would love coding and now on my last course of the React course, I feel so knowledgeable and ready to continue my coding journey outside of these lessons. Thank you to Matt, João and all the SheCodes team for all their help throughout this journey.
I only started coding a month ago when I took the SheCodes intro course. SheCodes Plus was more challenging and rewarding. I am surprised at how quickly was able to learn this new skill. Matt's videos were very helpful and easy to understand. Whenever I hit a bump in the road there was a great community of support to help along the way. By the end of the course, you create a functional weather app using live data.
I'm sad that my SheCodes adventure comes to end and I will certainly miss the concept. You can work at your own pace, the videos of Matt are clear and João is a true life-saver on Slack. React was very challenging, but fun to learn! No regrets whatsoever. This tastes like more! Excited to see what the future will bring ...
I have really enjoyed learning how to code with SheCodes. The lessons are easy to follow, the videos are clear and the challenges are well-designed. It is definitely a great way to get started in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Thank you so much to the team!
I enjoyed getting to learn at a structured pace and found the deadlines incredibly helpful. The videos were easy to understand and made me excited to keep learning!
I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn how to code or even start a new career as a Front-End Developer. The course is well structured, Matt explains everything step by step so the videos are easy to follow. I'm grateful that thanks to SheCodes I have found that coding can be so interesting. I'm excited to learn more and continue my coding journey!
I found the team at SheCodes so supportive and understanding. I started in May with no experience and have just secured a place on a Masters course starting this September! It can be challenging at times but so worth it! The videos and instructions are easy to follow but Slack is always there when i'm struggling. 10/10, would recommend to anyone looking to start
The course makes it easy and interesting to learn how to code. I really liked the format with several short videos, each directed to a specific topic. This makes it much easier to keep focus, instead of being bored in a long and dull lecture. The course was very practical and hands-on, and it is nice to see that we can create things from scratch in such a short time!
It was such an amazing experience! The videos are very easy to follow, and lessons are well structured so I could easily connect everything I have learned. I really liked that we have a big SheCodes community where you can meet and get inspirations from other SheCodes students. Matt and his team are super supportive so I could get help whenever I needed. I can highly recommend it to everyone who are interested in getting into the world of coding!
I am really glad I continued my SheCodes journey to learn even more about coding! The videos are very easy to follow, with homework challenges along the way to help you practice what you have learned. See you in SheCodes React, looking forward to my final part of this very interesting journey! Highly recommended!
I was a total beginner and I had no clue about coding, so the SheCodes Workshop was perfect for me since it doesn't require previous knowledge, I learned a lot and now at least I know the basics when it comes to elaborate or modify a webpage. The videos made by the instructor were really clear, and if doubts jumped we had full support from a great and super kind team at Slack. It was a great experience, thanks to all the amazing staff. Up next, SheCodes Plus 🤞.
Such an incredibly intuitive way to learn! Great examples and easy to follow along videos that prompted further learning and more research once a topic was introduced which warranted more curiosity on my part. I definitely would recommend this as a starting point for anyone who is interested or even curious about starting their coding journey. This course is easily digestible and leaves you with relevant skills that prepare you to further your knowledge if you choose to do so. If not, still a great base knowledge of CSS, HTML and ES6.
“LOVED IT! I have been wanting to try coding to see if I liked it for a while but I was reluctant as I had no previous experience whatsoever with coding and I had no idea if it would be something I could actually do, or enjoy. I watched the SheCodes Video and decided that I would give it a try. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this 3 months more than I was expecting as the videos are easy to follow, Matt gives you great advice and if we get stuck, we can always count on the team to help us out on Slack. It was challenging at times, but also very rewarding when you get to see the result of something you have built. The project at the end was a lot of fun because we got to use an weather API. Thank you SheCodes!”
Fantastic intro to React! I loved building off of prior learned JS knowledge from the first weather app. The videos are super helpful and it's great being able to reach out for help when needed.
Hi! I am Zeynep Cam and will be a first-year CS student this year. First of all, I want to thank Matt Delac and tutors on Slack as well as students who actively use Slack to help or ask questions. When I first came across SheCodes, I didn't know I was gonna have a lot of fun. Before SheCodes, I was trying to learn coding by watching 4 hours, 10 hours Youtube videos. It was a terrible experience for me and I thought that I will never be able to enjoy coding and even learn it properly. I thought that my decision to go CS program was totally wrong and I was already thinking to change my program as soon as the universities begin this fall. Then I joined a Free Coding Class and eventually joined the beginner workshop. Now, I am willing to study my CS program. It is gonna take pages if I mention how much I loved SheCodes. SheCodes is the best! And, Matt Delac is an awesome teacher! Thanks again for everything <3
I did enjoy this course, and there was a lot of useful information. I had previously taught myself html and css so much of that was review. However, if you haven't been exposed to either language, Matt might move a little quickly for you. Luckily you can review or slow down the videos. This course is good for the right person.
SheCodes has been an amazing program to help me begin my coding journey. The videos are so easy to follow and everyone is so helpful when you have a question. I cannot wait to continue learning and eventually use these skills and knowledge in a future career! 😃
Coding has always been something I have been interested in but never been brave enough to take the plunge! Finally I did and I honestly cannot thank Matt enough for his easy to follow videos and the amazing community that comes with being part of the course!
I really enjoyed studying how to code with the videos of step by step explanations by Matt. I could not imagine how interesting and fun it will be to study how to code. I am glad I have decided to invest into these workshops and have learned so much over a few months. Thank you Matt for what you are doing 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I really love to learn! SheCodes method is step by step and you understand perfect all the content! It is easy and flexible, because you can do the exercises and see the videos wherever you are.
I am so glad I decided to join SheCodes! I've had a lot of fun learning how to code with step-by-step videos and challenges. I honestly feel that I've come a long way, so I highly recommend this workshop and look forward to continue with some more advanced ones! 👩💻
These workshops and videos have been great at grasping the basics into HTML, CSS and JS. A week is plenty enough time to complete all the tasks and Matt makes it very easy to follow along.
I really enjoyed developing the project. The videos are well designed to guide you through the steps and reach your goal of having an app programmed just by you. In addition you have great support via the slack chat and questions will be solved in a timely and comprehensive way!
Great learning experience for anyone who wants to start coding. The videos are very easy to follow along. As a computer science major, Matt explained everything thoroughly and it has been an easy experience for me to learn.
The 3-week workshop is a great introduction into coding and learning the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The videos are short and practical, and the challenges are a great way to master the material. I learned a lot, and now know that I definitely want to continue my coding journey.
I really enjoyed this course, super practical, short videos to be able to learn & apply without forgetting on being loaded with info. Highly recommended!
Matt provides easy to follow, step-by-step video lessons on learning code, always paired with written code and other resources to supplement the videos. I found the homework to be an extra challenge beyond the lesson content! Which is exactly what I want out of this course--to be challenged to use the newly learned material independently. Help is always available, of course--I personally found the slack community to be VERY helpful when I got caught on homework. Plus, there are solution videos after every lesson and homework assignment. All in all, I feel like my understanding of code has grown substantially after taking this course. I look forward to continuing Matt's advanced courses! Thank you everyone!
SheCodes structures the workshops really well, so I can stay focused and motivated to go through the lessons and weekly challenges. The videos and explanations are simple and easy to understand, even on the hardest lessons of the JavaScript topic. I'm very happy that after the 8-weeks workshop I could already create my own weather app, and I could apply this knowledge on managing projects and communicating with frontend developers at work as a UX/UI designer! I highly recommend this to everyone looking to understand coding deeper, while still having to work a fulltime job during the lessons.
This course was a great mix of challenging and achievable – for beginners! I really enjoyed learning the basics of HTML and CSS in tandem, as I've learned a little of each separately before. Learning it all together helped me understand the purpose of each piece! I really enjoyed the videos (friendly and straightforward explanations), and I appreciated the ability to discuss or ask questions. If you already know the fundamentals of HTML, you'll want to try something more advanced, but I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the basics.
I have now taken both the first SheCodes workshop and the SheCodes Plus workshop and I can honestly say that I really enjoyed them. Although at times it was a challenge, the tech support was very helpful and the videos were excellent guides and references throughout the process. I am excited to continue my journey by learning React with SheCodes and hopefully expanding my knowledge base! If you're on the fence about taking this program, I highly recommend it!
Before I started this workshop, I knew very little about coding and how to create a webpage. Within just three weeks, I have learnt three new coding languages, HTML, CSS and JavaScript and built my confidence in using them to design webpages. It has been a great experience with clear, easy to follow videos, and I am excited to learn more. For anyone interested in learning about coding, I would definitely recommend taking this class.
I really enjoyed learning coding with SheCodes. The videos are very easy to follow and there is plenty of exercise to help you practice. I am so proud of myself that I am now able to build my own landingpage - it is amazing!
Great experience! I really wanted to learn how to code and this gave me all the resources to do so. Thanks to the videos you can learn at your own pace and can keep going back to what you are struggling with. The Slack chat is also super helpful and supportive!
SheCodes is an amazing place to start learning coding! All videos are very detailed and everything is being explained. It is nice to have someone available in the chat as well, so whenever you are stuck with something or have any additional questions you will get help!
SheCodes is a great workshop for beginners. The videos, Slack community, and challenges were very useful for learning the fundamentals.
I have really enjoyed the SheCodes workshop! Everything is explained by Matt really well and the mixture of videos, challenges and homework is perfect. Really looking forward to getting started on SheCodes Plus and learning more!
After thoroughly enjoying the SheCodes beginner course, I signed up for SheCodes Plus workshop and I am so glad I did. It follows a similar structure to the previous course (self paced videos, weekly deadlines, Slack chat, etc). This is a challenging and rewarding course with plenty of support if you need it. There were times when I was tearing my hair out but in the end it was all worth it! I feel so accomplished and so proud to have built my very own functioning weather app! A huge thanks to Matt and the team as well as the wonderful SheCodes community for all their encouragement along the way.
This was my first experience using coding on visual studio. I had so much fun. The fact that the lessons were separated into smaller sections with recorded videos were helpful. Resources are also provided throughout the program to learn from. Thank you Matt for an excellent program. 😊
The pandemic made me hone in on the skills that I wanted to master for a long time now, coding being one of them. When I found SheCodes, I knew that this investment would be worth it and it most definitely was! The videos were clear, the slack team were so helpful and supportive. Thank you to the whole team and I look forward to further developing this new, valuable and fun skill!
This course is wonderful, it taught me some basics of Coding and it was easy to follow the educational videos.
SheCodes is a really instructive and motivating way of learning how to code. The videos and challenges are interesting and encouraging. Looking forward to continuing with SheCodes Plus React!
This is my second course I've taken with SheCodes and I had just as good of an experience as the first time. Yes, it's more challenging, but Matt's videos were very straightforward and I always received the help I needed through Slack if I got stuck on something. I highly recommend SheCodes to any beginners trying to get into coding as it's really helped me solidify I made a right decision making a career change to Tech, and I'm ready to consider signing up for the even more advanced Workshop now!
It was sometimes very frustrating, but all the more rewarding in the end. Matt explains really well in his videos and João is a lifesaver on Slack. What a great experience! Glad I signed-up for SheCodes.
SheCodes Plus was an amazing opportunity to dive deeper into front end development. It was such a great learning experience, and I loved the end project that was created. Matt's videos and challenges are easy to follow and understand too. I had such a fun time during this workshop.
Loved the workshop! Lessons were splitted into short videos, so it was easy to find any topic if you wanted to review concepts. Explanations were really good, and also exercises were easy to understand and do, after the proper explanation.
I never ever imagined that coding could be so much fun!! Matt's videos and explanations are excellent and within the SheCodes community there is always someone willing to give a helping hand when you're stuck. I already learned a lot, but hope to gain full experience in coding soon!
I absolutely loved the SheCodes Workshop ! All the videos are easy to follow and there is plenty of exercises to help you practice! The staff is always here to answer questions via Slack and the solutions are very clear ! It's a great introduction to web development ! I clearly recommend it !
I thoroughly enjoyed using this coding program. The videos were clear and easily understandable. I was able to follow with Matt with such ease! Using Slack is such a powerful tool to be able to help others with their coding and be able to teach myself by helping others! I would recommend this program to anyone and I look forward to doing the next workshop!
I didn't know what to expect when I signed up for SheCodes but I learned a lot. There was a lot of support for when one gets stuck, Matt's videos were easy to follow and got straight to the point! The challenges after the lessons give you the right amount of practice. Looking forward to learning more in SheCodes Plus.
I graduated from my 3-week workshop with a great basic understanding of HTML, css, and java. The videos are easy to follow and the hands-on activities help bring it all home. I definitely recommend this workshop!
I really enjoyed the three week program. The videos were easy to learn followed with some challenges and homework that was really beneficial to me. I really recommend this for everyone out there. 😊
Really fun and easy to learn with Matt. I've gone back a few times to watch the videos again and there are so many good tips in there.
The course is well paced and Matt is a great instructor. Some of the lessons can be challenging but also very fun once you start getting the hang of it. It's also great that you can ask for help when you need it and rewatch videos if you get stuck. I definitely recommend taking it if you like coding.
I thought it was excellent and I learned a lot in 3 short weeks. The materials and videos were really clear and I enjoyed all the challenges .
I loved that the Plus course continued the format of the Introductory course where topics were broken up into their own separate videos. It made the topics easier to learn, practice, and digest; and has given me a basis for what to look for when problem-solving and researching in order to build on to the skills that I've learned from the course. I also enjoyed the level of difficulty and challenge of the project. I'm excited to learn more with the React course!
Concepts are broken down into bite size video lessons to allow for one or a few videos to be done at a time, depending on your schedule. It made it feel accessible to learn to a first time coder with no prior knowledge or experience of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Having said that, throughout the course you are expected to do your own Google search of items not covered in the course which I wasn't aware of at the beginning and found frustrating at times. I found answers to most of my questions on Slack having been asked by others before me. I would recommend this course to someone looking to learn the basics of computer coding.
SheCodes is the best! Highly recommend to anyone in all stages of learning computer programming. Matt's videos are great and easy to understand. Can't wait for the next workshop!
Wonderful experience!! Reignited my love for coding and has given me a more concrete career direction. The videos were well structured and insightful, and the pace was more than manageable. Would highly recommend this course!
SheCodes is by far the best coding workshop experience I've ever had. The videos are succinct and easy to understand and the challenges along the way are a great check on learning. In just 3 weeks I was able to build my own landing page using HTML, CSS, and Javascript and had a lot of fun doing it!
Very good course for beginners with helpful videos explaining to a high standard! CodePen and VS Code are great platforms to learn on and I have gained lots of great knowledge about HTML, CSS and javascript. I am now seeking to learn harder software languages in more back-end developing👩💻!!! The course could be improved by providing, optional, harder challenges for those wanting to take their skills to the next level🔥!!!
What I love about the SheCodes program is that the videos only cover a few concepts at a time making it easy to fully understand with fun challenges. They even provide additional resources and show you reliable websites to make you comfortable with researching new concepts or debugging code independently. The SheCode technical assistants and other SheCoders in the Slack community respond quickly and are so helpful and supportive. Your creativity truly takes your code to the next level. I am so excited to continue my experience with SheCodes Plus! 💕💻💪🧠
I learned a lot from this workshop. There was a lot of support for when one gets stuck, and Matt's videos were easy to follow. I liked that they were short and got straight to the point. I have always been intimidated by coding, as it seemed like such a complicated thing to understand. However, from this workshop I realized I am capable of grasping new concepts around this subject and it has encouraged me to take it forward and learn some more. This was a great introduction to coding, I am happy I followed it up after seeing that ad.
After I participated in SheCodes workshop, I immediately applied! I cannot believe what I can now do, I thought it was very difficult, especially if you don't have any knowledge on the subject. The videos are easy to follow and the course is well structured and even if you don't have a lot of time, the lessons are short and straight forward.
I was hesitant to join this course as I had zero knowledge in coding. But Matt's videos make it understandable and less intimidating. Very happy to have acquired a new skill!
Really enjoyed the in depth instructional videos, as well as the requirement to search for some coding online. Plenty of practice available that made the course feel extremely hands on and interactive! great for beginners!