Learn a variety of programming paradigms:
- Write a program in assembly language
 
- Write an application in a functional language
 
- Write an application in an object-oriented language
 
- Write an application in a prototype-based language
 
- Write an application in a logic programming language
 
- Write an application using the Actor model
 
- Write an application in Forth
 
Experience the ins and outs of programming for different platforms:
- Write a nontrivial web app
 
- Write a nontrivial desktop app
 
- Write a nontrivial mobile app
 
- Write an embedded app
 
- Write a realtime system
 
Enhance your understanding of the building blocks that we use as developers:
- Write a networking client (e.g., HTTP, FTP)
 
- Write a device driver
 
- Write a B-tree database
 
- Wrap an existing library to provide a better (more pleasant) user experience
 
- Write an application or framework that provides a plugin model
 
- Write a testing framework
 
- Write a programming language
 
Enlighten yourself with koans, katas, and the wisdom of ages:
Program in the open:
- Contribute to an open source project
 
- Have a patch accepted
 
- Earn commit rights on a significant open source project
 
- Publish an open source project
 
- Perform a Refactotum of an open source project
 
Learn by teaching others:
- Present a lightning talk
 
- Present at a local user group
 
- Present at a conference
 
- Deliver a training course
 
- Publish a tutorial
 
- Publish a constructive code review of an open source project
 
- Write a programming book