Links
The following are a collection of my favourite tools/sites:
General
- Code Club.
- CoderDojo.
- MultiWingSpan contains lots of coding examples.
Retail
- Pimoroni who sell all the amazing electronics devices used in our code clubs as well as designing some amazing stuff.
- The PiHut who sell all things Raspberry Pi and other amazing electronics kits.
- Cool Component who sell electronics and a range of other goodies.
- Kitronik who are a specialist in electronic project kits.
Books
- Python in easy steps provides an excellent introduction to Python and is used as the reference book in my Python challenges.
- Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python by Al Sweigart (available free online or in print from Amazon).
- Python Programming Exercises, Gently Explained by Al Sweigart (available free online or in print from Amazon).
- Making Games with Python & Pygame by Al Sweigart (available free online or in print from Amazon).
- The Big Book of Small Python Projects by Al Sweigart (available free online or in print from Amazon).
Blocks
- Scratch for coding Scratch games and applications.
- MakeCode Arcade for coding MakeCode Arcade games.
- MakeCode micro:bit
- MakeCode Mindstorms.
Online IDEs and Editors
- Replit who provide a full web based IDE for Python and many other languages.
Online art tools and assets
- PixilArt is an online paint program that is easy to use and supports transparency.
- Piskel is a free online editor for animated sprites & pixel art.
- Pixlr is a free online photo editor.
- Vectr is a free online vector graphics editor.
- Kenney free game art assets.
- OpenGameArt.org free game art assets.
Python
- Invent With Python is a collection of wonderful books written by Al Sweigart and available free online.
- MicroPython
- CircuitPython which is a fork of MicroPython by AdaFruit and aimed as a beginner friendly version. See below for more links.
- MakeCode Maker which offers blocks, JavaScript and Python based coding of microcontrollers.
- Python micro:bit.
- Pygame Zero is a framework for creating games without boilerplate.
- Pygame Zero Helper is a Python module that provides a range of functions to make it easier to write Pygame Zero games. It has a particularly rich set of collision detection helper functions.
- GuiZero is designed to allow learners to quickly and easily create Graphical User Interfaces for their programs.
CircuitPython
- Learn CircuitPython.
- Overview.
- Essentials.
- AsyncIO.
- Libraries bundle.
- Libraries bundle docs.
- Using a PC.