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Sprint Challenge - BD Unit 1 Sprint 1

Overview

Sprint challenges are a way for you to demonstrate that you have mastered the skills you learned this week. The sprint challenge will test you on each of the week's objectives. If you want to spend some more time preparing for the sprint challenge this week, below you will find a list of notes and challenges to give you more practice with the objectives we have covered.

What to Expect in the Sprint Challenge

The Sprint Challenge will assess your understanding of the key concepts covered in this unit's modules:

Command-line and IDE Basics
Git Basics
Variables, Console Output, and Arithmetic Operations
Strings, User Input, and Comments

The challenge will involve practical coding tasks that require you to apply these concepts to solve real problems. You'll need to demonstrate your ability to write, test, and debug Java code using the tools and techniques covered in the modules.

Tips for Success

Review all module content, guided projects, and code-alongs
Practice the key concepts, especially those you found challenging
Make sure you understand the underlying principles, not just memorizing syntax
Get comfortable with the development environment and workflow
Don't hesitate to ask for help if you're stuck on a concept

Setup & Resources

GitHub Repository

Sprint Project Starter Repo

Additional Resources

Auto-Graded Project Setup

Study Guide

Command-line and IDE Basics

Navigate a command-line shell using basic commands (pwd, ls, cd, clear)
Work with directories and files (mkdir, touch, rm)
Use your IDE (IntelliJ) to develop code locally

Git Basics

Fork and clone repositories
Use git add, commit, and push to manage your changes
Create and work with branches
Create pull requests to propose changes

Variables, Console Output, and Arithmetic Operations

Declare variables of the correct types to store primitive data
Implement code to write output to the console
Calculate the result of basic and compound arithmetic expressions
Cast to floating point type to preserve precision when dividing integers

Strings, User Input, and Comments

Work with String objects and their methods
Implement code to receive input from the user through the console
Write code comments to describe functionality
Format strings and concatenate values

Detailed Review by Topic

Command-line and IDE Basics

Terminal Navigation: Practice moving between directories, listing files, and checking your current location
File Operations: Create, modify, and delete files and directories from the command line
IDE Features: Use IntelliJ's code completion, debugging, and refactoring tools
Build Process: Understand how to compile and run Java programs from both the command line and IDE

Git Version Control

Repository Management: Clone repositories, understand the difference between local and remote
Change Tracking: Stage and commit changes, view history, and understand Git's tracking model
Branching Strategy: Create branches for features or tasks, switch between branches, and merge changes
Collaboration: Push changes to remote repositories, create pull requests, and handle merge conflicts

Java Fundamentals

Variable Declaration: Choose appropriate data types and understand variable scope
Basic Operations: Perform arithmetic calculations, handle different numeric types
Type Conversion: Cast between different data types, especially for division operations
String Manipulation: Concatenate strings, extract substrings, search within strings
Console I/O: Display output and receive user input through the console
Documentation: Write clear comments that explain code purpose and functionality

Key Code Examples to Review

// Variable declaration and initialization
int count = 10;
double price = 29.99;
String name = "Java";

// Arithmetic with type casting
double result = (double) count / 3;  // 3.33... not 3

// String manipulation
String greeting = "Hello, " + name + "!";
String lowercase = greeting.toLowerCase();
boolean containsHello = greeting.contains("Hello");

// Console input/output
System.out.println("Enter your name:");
Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
String userName = scanner.nextLine();
System.out.println("Welcome, " + userName + "!");

Using Git with Sprint Project

Clone Project

Open the project with Github classroom, copy the url, and use git clone to bring it down to your machine.

Create Branches

Each Sprint should be worked on with a separate branch. It is recommended you branch off of main into a new branch, sprint-1, and complete all of the mastery tasks in order for sprint-1. When finished you may choose to merge sprint-1 onto main or not. Create a new branch off of either sprint-1 or main(only if you merged onto main) called sprint-2 for work on the second set of mastery tasks. Repeat for sprint-3.

Pushing Branches

Each Sprint should have its own branches. As you push changes, make sure they are being pushed to the correct branches on GitHub.

Sprint Project Workflow

Here's a step-by-step guide to working on your sprint project:

Initial Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-username/bd-java-fundamentals-project.git
cd bd-java-fundamentals-project

# Create a branch for sprint-1
git branch sprint-1
git checkout sprint-1

Working on Tasks

Complete each mastery task in the order they're presented

Regularly commit your changes with descriptive messages:

git add .
git commit -m "Complete Task 1: Add variable declarations"

Push your changes to your branch:
```
git push --set-upstream origin sprint-1
```

Working on Multiple Sprints

When you're ready to move to the next sprint:

# Option 1: Create sprint-2 from sprint-1
git checkout sprint-1
git branch sprint-2
git checkout sprint-2

# Option 2: Create sprint-2 from main
git checkout main
git branch sprint-2
git checkout sprint-2

Submission Tips

Make sure your last commit is pushed before the deadline
Verify your changes are visible on GitHub
Remember that each branch is scored independently, so ensure you're working on the correct branch for each sprint