Introducing Unguided Projects: The World’s First Interactive Code-Along Exercises

DataCamp has launched a new way to learn and apply skills—unguided projects. Get real-world coding experience right in your browser and find your own solution to these open-ended projects.

DataCamp’s unguided projects are a new way to get real-world experience and learn how to solve data science problems—all on your own and without leaving your browser. Designed for our intermediate and advanced learners, you’ll challenge your Python and R skills as you find your way through messy real-world datasets. And if you get stuck? You can follow the live code-along video to learn how an expert data scientist arrives at one of the many solutions.

You asked, we listened

Many of our intermediate and advanced learners have told us that they wanted more of a challenge when it came to learning on DataCamp.

I’ve done most of DataCamp’s courses, practices, and projects. I love you guys but you spoonfeed me, so I always find my own data to play with afterwards—the dirtier, the better. I’d love [if you could add] open-ended challenges. —Mark Biegert, Data Scientist

These learners didn’t always want to be guided to an answer—they want to work with large, messy datasets, explore solutions on their own, and practice storytelling to mimic what they’d need as a practicing data scientist.

I want to learn how to create a story from a list of datasets. Storytelling is something good data scientists need, sometimes even more than technicals. —Vincent Handara, Data Scientist at AXA

Code on your own

With this feedback in mind, we created unguided projects for intermediate and advanced learners who want to independently and creatively solve open-ended data science problems. (We still offer guided projects like this one for learners who want to follow step-by-step tasks to solve real-world problems with helpful feedback along the way.)

And if you’re feeling intimidated or unsure of whether your skills are up to par? We can assist after you’ve run out of alternatives—we offer a video code-along option where experts will walk you through one of the possible solutions. You’ll get the confidence to try different methods and build a solution from scratch.

Get real-world experience

With unguided projects, you can get real-world coding experience right in your browser and find your own solutions to these open-ended projects. You’ll build your portfolio, grow your skills while working in a risk-free coding environment, and become real-world application ready.

Try an unguided project today!

Join our September code-along sessions

In addition to our unguided projects, we’re offering you the chance to get real-time access to expert instructors. These sessions will be paired with corresponding unguided projects so that you can immediately start coding along within your browser without having to worry about setting up your environment. We have several code-along sessions planned in the near future and hope you’ll join us.