Idea Generator

Inspiration

The most common question I've been asked when folks first start coding is "... So... What should I do?". I built this extension to answer that question!

What it does

Gives the user a random idea, and base code, at easy and medium difficulty. Hard challenges are given without base code. A user will be given their random challenge/idea, along with a link for more info, base code, or to re-generate (get another idea).

How I built it

I took a few code challenge prompts from: https://www.linuxtrainingacademy.com/projects/ and set up a new VS Code extension with a QuickPick and a few basic InformationMessages.

Challenges I ran into

Debugging took a little while to get used to, as well as finding the exact functionality I was looking for. With so much offered, there's a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack feeling when trying to find the right tools.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

This is my first Code extension and I was able to complete a working prototype in a reasonable time! This may be the first hackathon where I get a good night's sleep! :)

What I learned

Lots about Code extensions and the functionality available. It would be a lot of fun to build this extension out further, and I think I may do so when I have the time!

What's next for Idea Generator

Setting up a server -- right now this is a pretty bloated extension (or at least, it would be if I continued to build it out exactly as I have), so next steps would be to get an IG server setup, followed by an 'admin view' where new challenges could be added. Finally, multi-language support, beyond just Javascript, would be great to have!

Built With

• generator-code
• javascript
• vsce
• yo