Learning coding basics through video tutorials takes time to digest.
An hour of code tutorial would probably bore you if you are impatient. Plus, if the video is dull, it might not keep your attention for longer than five minutes. After all, even if you have the interest, it can wear off in a snap if it is not attractive.
If this sounds like you, perhaps you would like to explore coding in a fun way. With Minecraft: Education Edition breaking through a programming language, you can grasp the basics of coding without it feeling like a chore.
But how can this video game that kids sink hours playing help you in programming?
If you want to know how playing Minecraft teaches coding, here is a walkthrough of this game, as well as the basics of how to start coding in Minecraft.
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What is Minecraft?
Minecraft is a sandbox video game created using the Java programming language.
Minecraft has evolved from simple mining and crafting games during its earliest days. The gameplay dramatically improved by adding modes like Hardcore, Creative, Survival, and Spectator. Now, you can play Minecraft in many different ways.
Some enjoy the experience of fighting off zombies and skeletons in survival mode. Others revel in adventure mode with no limits on how to explore a world made of blocks.
But even with these improvements, Minecraft is still an action-adventure sandbox. That said, you can still enjoy designing your own games inside it with the creative mode. And kids and adults can still be as playful as they like.
With this version of Minecraft, it satisfies the diverse needs of almost any type of gamer.
What Coding Language do Minecraft Mods Have?
Behind the coding of the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft is the programming language, C++. For this edition, kids can change the entire look of the characters using customisations.
But before these added twists in the Minecraft game, it was originally coded in Java. This version is the “Java Edition” that older players prefer as it provides them with the freedom to mod the game.
And even with other languages, Java is the most used by modders to extend the game’s capabilities.
What Coding Concepts Can Minecraft Teach?
It is surprising how many different programming basics Minecraft teaches. And even if Minecraft is not a programming tool itself, it is a great tool to learn…
The Fundamentals of Coding Language
Minecraft’s console commands provide a more direct interface for engaging with the code.
In 2012, Minecraft added the command block. You may use these commands to make things happen in your Minecraft world by typing them into the chatbox. Also, players can manipulate the weather, travel to places, and produce objects.
But these blocks can only execute console commands within specific game requirements.
For example, command blocks with Redstone engineering may introduce complex concepts like conditionals. Doing so will transform the console commands into a Minecraft coding language.
While doing these is not exactly coding, it conveys one fundamental concept about coding: what code to write on the computer to impact the digital domain.
Block-based Programming
Minecraft uses block-based programming to teach the fundamentals of coding. The basics of programming are laid out in block programming. Its drag-and-drop features are used to create games and animations.
Scratch, a block programming language, is used in introductory coding classes for kids. It is possible to learn the fundamentals of Minecraft’s construction system by using block coding.
Instead of teaching computing via words, it teaches through images. As a result, it becomes easy to grasp the concept of coding.
Modding
The next stage is to go from knowing programming ideas to writing code.
It’s a great idea to start with languages like Python. They are easy to learn and have extensive documentation. And using Minecraft Pi as a Python training ground is a good idea.
With the use of the console alongside Minecraft Pi, you can create coding Minecraft mods. Students may quickly see the effects of their code in real-time.
Binary Language
When you play Minecraft, you can create a wide variety of creative things and let them do whatever you want them to.
Redstone is an in-game material that may be used to do something in Minecraft. It uses binary language, much like a computer. It may either be switched on or not.
It works similarly to an electrical wire, and its applications are almost unlimited.
Also, it is possible to build basic things using Redstone. But to create anything complicated, you need to understand more programming concepts.
To get things to function, you need to master logic gates and the signals they produce. If you do not have a lot of aid, it might be tough to go through this on your own.
Experimentation can teach you a lot, but it is not the quickest approach to picking up coding ideas. By following Minecraft coding online courses, you can improve your coding skills faster.
JavaScript
Java and Python are both excellent programming languages. But they’re not the only ones out there.
If you would rather learn JavaScript, check out the Minecraft Hour of Code instead.
Hour of Code does not teach coding with Minecraft. Instead, the Blockly editor was developed by Google and MIT to code Minecraft characters.
Blockly is a JavaScript editor that lets students use pre-made blocks of code to solve various problems. To help students better understand what is going on behind the scenes, each block utilises JavaScript code that students can see.
It is a fun method to teach coding using the Minecraft theme, and it works quite well.
What is Minecraft: Education Edition
Minecraft: Education Edition assists children in learning code. It is a version of the game designed primarily for educational settings.
It includes features targeted toward assisting instructors in managing their classes, such as the ability to control where students may travel or what they can modify in-game.
It also features unique functions meant to help students take notes while performing tasks and a plethora of maps produced by professors to teach intriguing subjects in a virtual context.
But while there are maps designed to teach programming, the platform is not geared toward coding. Instead of teaching a single subject, it functions as a virtual classroom area that can be used to teach any topic.
The Minecraft: Education Edition is likewise in limited supply. It is only available to schools and organisations that can demonstrate that they are using it to teach coding to a large number of students.
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Minecraft Coding: How does Minecraft Teach Coding?
There are two methods to learn how to code with Minecraft: in the classroom alongside your peers or online with a community of programmers of all ages and experiences.
With peers, you have the chance to engage with your professors and fellow students to create a world of your own inside the game. You may develop virtual worlds and ask your friends to come and play in them.
The capacity to work with others is one of the benefits of studying in a classroom setting. You and your peers can create the whole Minecraft universe together.
You may also use it to generate game-related assets. For instance, you may ask a student to create seaweed or rock structures for your aquatic environment.
On the other hand, you can study at your own pace with Minecraft online classes. After all, developing sophisticated problem-solving skills by relying on yourself is an advantage.
For both these settings, you’ll have a teacher to guide you. You also have the chance to engage with other students and local community members.
Final Words
The programming ideas taught in Minecraft can ignite your interest in coding. After all, Minecraft is an excellent resource for learning coding in a fun way.
Minecraft uses several other languages, like Scratch and Java, which can help you improve your coding abilities. Scratch’s visual interface aids with the development of numerous game features. It’s a great tool for newbies who are just starting to code.
Minecraft is written on Java, a general-purpose programming language often used to create interactive games and applications. The language is excellent for developing apps that need client-side interaction on the front end.
You may make anything using Java, from a basic tic-tac-toe game to a complicated car racing game. The players instruct the game to do a specific action, and the coding enables the computer to comprehend the instruction.
This is why Minecraft is regarded as a valuable teaching tool aside from being one of the world’s most popular modern games.
So if you want to add a new skill to your arsenal, start coding with Minecraft!