Global Day of Coderetreat @ Python Glasgow

What is a Coderetreat?
Coderetreat is a full-day event for practicing software development. Away from the pressures of ‘getting things done’, developers focus on and develop specific aspects of how they build code to explore good software development techniques. Developers work together to build code and share their experiences. Coderetreat uses a software problem with just enough complexity to create rich learning without overburdening the developers. By repeatedly building an implementation, adding additional challenges, and changing work partners frequently, Coderetreat is a framework for continuous learning how to build software better.
The pattern has been adopted worldwide, such that anyone joining a Coderetreat can have expectations about how the day will progress.

Learning Goals

• Have fun!
• Use dedicated practice to explore new techniques
• Write better code, using Test-Driven Development, pairing, and other software technical practices
• Take risks and experiment

Format
A day of Coderetreat consists of 5-6 sessions, with breaks and lunch provided in between. Each session’s learning builds upon previous sessions. Early sessions give the chance for new attendees to become comfortable with the problem domain, pairing habits, and basic Test-Driven Development cycle. Later session constraints challenge pairs to stretch their skills and understanding of abstractions, modular design, and test-driven development.
Participants work in pairs the entire day, and the group reforms regularly to discuss the principles of software design.

Coding Sessions
Participants begin each session implementing Conway’s Game of Life for 45 minutes.
After each iteration:

• Each pair deletes their code.
• The group holds a short retrospective (~15 minutes)
• A short bio-break (stretching, restrooms, snack, etc)
• Pairs switch partners. If possible, everyone should pair with a different partner for every iteration.

Requirements
We expect the participants to bring a laptop with a working development environment for Python, and maybe one other language (we would like to run at least 1 session where a constraint is not using Python!)

Food & drink
As we are still awaiting confirmation of food & drink funding this might end up being a Bring Your Own Food event!

Code of Conduct
All the attendees are required to observe and follow Coderetreat's Code of Conduct