My personal journey in completing the Microsoft C# Foundational Certification with Freecodecamp

I am a strong believer of the importance of learning the foundation of a programming language. Learning the basics and gradually dive into building projects as I get to familiarize myself with the syntax of a programming language. My primary goal has been to better understand the syntax of the C# language. This is because I want to apply and use the new knowledge I’ve learned in my game development journey, particularly applying it to my current indie game project, ‘Datu’s Quest.’ You can check out the prototype of this game on itch.io here https://rodprogramdev.itch.io/datus-quest.

The main reason I always go back to the simple examples and the basics is because it really helps me with my goal of getting better with codebase reading. Codebase reading is one of my personal challenges as a coder that I really need to further improve on. I want to be able to better understand the written codebase of my teammates so that I can further contribute to my team when we are working on a game that we are developing. 

Understanding the syntax of a programming language through going through basics is an important stage for me in terms of getting to know how I can read and write a new programming language that I’m learning. This is similar to learning a new human language from where I prefer to learn how to read and write it first, before I go and use it in a conversational level.

I discovered that Freecodecamp has partnered with Microsoft to offer a free certification course that tests our knowledge and provides additional information. This has been incredibly helpful in understanding certain concepts and syntax of the C# language.

While most of the topics covered are not directly related to game development, particularly in using C# for building games with Unity, I must say that it has been an enjoyable journey and a valuable learning experience. I’ve gained new insights into the concepts of the C# language.

I’m a very enthusiastic learner; I love both learning and sharing what I’ve learned with others. My mindset of continuous learning and teaching greatly enhances my ability to improve the skills I want to master.

The different sections of the course covered the following:

• Write Your First Code Using C#
• Create and run Simple C# Console Applications 
• Add Logic to C# Console Applications
• Work with Variable Data in C# Console Applications
• Create Methods in C# Console Applications
• Debug C# Console Applications
• Foundational C# With Microsoft Certification Exam.

The course will provide instructions for signing up with Microsoft Learn, the new educational platform Microsoft offers for free to learn coding and other Microsoft learning paths. I’ve been enjoying Microsoft’s lessons since the days of Microsoft Virtual Academy. I’m a big fan of their lectures, which helped me kickstart my “return to coding journey” back in 2017.

You will need to complete modules in Microsoft Learn, which will guide you through a series of lessons with examples and explanations. I recommend reading them thoroughly and re-reading if you encounter difficulty understanding certain concepts. One personal strategy I often use when facing challenges with a specific topic is to read it once, then re-read it again, and again, until I grasp it fully. Afterwards, I try to explain it in my own words.

I often share the mindset of ‘teach to learn and learn to teach’ with my students, as it helps them retain and understand difficult topics they’re learning.

Furthermore, Microsoft Learn offers badges as you progress through the module lessons, which you can share on Twitter or LinkedIn. Personally, I find sharing these badges to be a fun activity that also helps me track my progress on social media. It’s nostalgic to reflect on how far I’ve come.

After completing the sixth section of the course, you can begin the exam by verifying your trophies from Microsoft in Freecodecamp. The exam consists of an 80-question multiple-choice certification test with no time limit. Your certification, provided by Freecodecamp and Microsoft, will include your correct answers percentage, exam completion time, and certification details.

It’s essential to prepare for the exam and ensure uninterrupted time, as you cannot exit the exam without losing progress. Relax and carefully consider each question, recalling what you’ve learned from the different modules in Microsoft Learn.

Remember, once you start the exam, you cannot exit without losing progress. Take your time and draw upon your knowledge gained from completing the Microsoft Learn modules.

As a final conclusion, I believe this certification is a really good addition to my skill set. Throughout the course, I learned a lot of new tips and tricks with the C# language and some concepts related to debugging. There were a lot of new terms that I’ve encountered about the language and it gave me more ideas on how to use the C# programming language.

My next goal is to create a crash course based on the certification content to solidify and implement what I’ve learned. I am confident that this certification course serves as an excellent starting point for total beginners in C#, providing invaluable insights to kickstart their journey in using the language to build projects. Good luck everyone and enjoy.