Self Assessment - Level 1 - Module 1
Week 1 : Getting Started
Overview
Technical Area:
- Learned basics of the command line, how to traverse through files, and understand shell.
- Learned about Git version control system, difference between Git and GitHub.
- Learned how open-source software works. Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Tools:
- STEM-Away forum
- Command Line
- Git
- GitHub
- YouTube
Soft Skills:
- Self-assessment
- Self learning methods
- Time-management
- Learned how to ask questions via STEM-Away forum and send private messages to ask for help
Achievement Highlights
- Learned command line basics
- Learned about Git & GitHub
- Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Tasks Done / Challenges
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Learned more commands related to Linux
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Refreshed my knowledge about Version Control with Git and GitHub
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Gained an understanding of open-source software, open-source code, and help forums
Goals for upcoming week
- Complete readings/videos of module 2, FS level 2
- Install Discourse locally
- Stabilize working schedule and communicate with team members (plan on meetings)
Week 2 - Dev Environment Setup
Overview
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Technical Area: Learned basics of Bootstrap, basics of SCSS, Learned about installing Discourse in local machine, Learned basics of Ruby on Rails, the Discourse codebase and how it is composed and developed.
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Tools: STEM-Away, technical support forums (Stack Overflow, etc.), YouTube tutorials, documentation of Ruby on Rails.
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Soft Skills: Self-assessment, Task-management, and to work in my time management studying the resources from the module 2.
Achievement highlights .
- Learned basic Ruby Syntax and Rails Framework.
- Watched several supplemental resources.
- Installed Discourse in local machine, and got a better understanding of the libraries required by it.
Tasks done / Challenges
- Installed Discourse in local machine.
- Gained an understanding of basic Ruby syntax and Rails Framework.
- Got a better understanding of the Discourse codebase.
Goals for upcoming week
- Start working and complete the module 3.
- Keep in touch with team members & share my progress.
- Get a better understanding and start learning about developing Discourse themes.
Week 3
Module 3: Developing Discourse Themes
Overview
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Technical Area:
- Introduction to developing/designing themes
- Previewing themes
- Theme files and folders
- Learned about installing/creating Discourse themes and components .
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Tools:
- Command line
- Git/GitHub
- YouTube
- STEM-Away platform
- Slack
- Discourse forums
- Discourse admin interface
- Discourse Theme CLI: new, watch, download function
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Soft Skills:
- Learned to communicate through the STEM-Away Discourse
- Get support from mentors in that platform
- Flexibility with various tools
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Achievement highlights
- Created a basic theme
- Created theme in local machine using the Admin Settings UI in Discourse, and adding some HTML/CSS/JavaScript to customize it.
- Created a remote theme in GitHub, and imported it to my local machine. Got a better understanding of the required files and the required structure for a remote theme.
- Got introduced to browser developer tools, and starting learning about it
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Goals for upcoming week
- Learn Handlebars syntax
- Learn how widgets work in Discourse
- Learn more about creating themes in Discourse
- Learn more about APIs and their uses on Discourse
Statement of Tasks Completed
- Installed and created my first themes in Discourse using different methods (direct installation, installation from remote repository, etc.)
- Followed the “Developer’s Guide to Discourse Themes” to create my first local and remote theme
- Used HTML/CSS to add a banner below the Discourse header
- Used JavaScript to create an alert
Week 4
Module 4 : Advanced Discourse Themes
Overview
Technical Area:
Learned how widgets / plugins are used in Discourse
use handlebars templates and pluginAPIs in Discourse
Discourse plugin API.
Tools:
Atom, Discourse forums, STEM-Away forum, Command Line / Terminal, Git/GitHub, YouTube
Soft Skills:
Self-assessment, Time-management, Troubleshooting, Virtual-collaboration , Try to figure out unknown and complex material from module 4
Achievement highlights
- Read all the required readings and some of the supplemental resources
- Used developer tools to find different classes for elements in Discourse website, and used those classes for theme development.
- Got introduced to handlebars syntax and plugins in Discourse.
Goals for upcoming week
- Keep learning about handlebars templates and plugins in Discourse
- Learn to use font awesome icons in Discourse
- Read and try to implement virtual DOM
- Explore what kind of widgets, plugins, theme modifiers are used in the Discourse community
Tasks done
- Created a Discourse theme with help of developer tools.
- Started working with handlebars templates.
- Read and studied some material from the module 4
Week 5
Module 5 : Discourse Plugin Development
Overview
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Technical Area : JavaScript, Ember.js, Discourse plugin API, Yami, Handlebars, Ruby, Ruby on Rails
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Tools : command line, GitHub, YouTube, STEM-Away platform, documentation pages, VS code.
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Soft Skills : Self-assessment, Active-learning, Task-management, Troubleshooting, Virtual-collaboration
Achievement highlights
- Created a custom Discourse plugin and looked around the file structures of it
- Got introduced to create plugins in Discourse
- Read all the required readings and some supplemental resources
Goals for upcoming week
- Start to create Discourse plugins
- Try my best to complete level 2 module 6 by the end of this week to follow up with team members
- Join next weeks team meetings and session 2 kick-off meeting
Tasks done
- created my own Discourse plugin after reading all the required readings, mentioned in module 4
- Learn more about how to create a plugin article to understand the process of plugin creation in Discourse
Week 6
Module 6 : Plugin Development Continued
Overview
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Technical Area : JavaScript, Ember.js, Discourse plugin API, Yami, Handlebars, Ruby, Ruby on Rails
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Tools : command line, GitHub, YouTube, STEM-Away platform, documentation pages, VS code.
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Soft Skills : Self-assessment, Active-learning, Task-management, Troubleshooting, Virtual-collaboration
2. Achievement Highlights
- Got more familiar with ember.js and ruby on rails.
- Created a plugin in Discourse in local machine
- Read all the required readings and some supplemental resources
3. Tasks Done / Challenges
- Wrap up and combine all the things learned in previous weeks
- I also read some supplemental resources such as how to create a plugin article to understand the process of plugin creation in Discourse, and GitHub commit conventions.
4. Goals for Upcoming Week
- Start working with team in final project, creating a plugin for Discourse
- Wrap up and combine all the things learned in previous weeks
- Decide and tell the leads whether I want to work on the front-end side or the back-end side for the team project