Coding Challenges
Coding Challenges are hands-on lessons designed to simulate real-world development work. They help learners practice secure coding by exploring and fixing vulnerabilities within a larger, more realistic application context.
What are Coding Challenges?
Coding Challenges provide a broader, end-to-end scenario than traditional hands-on lessons. Instead of working on a small piece of code, learners typically interact with more complete application source code so they can practice identifying and resolving security issues the way they would on the job.
Coding Challenges run in an environment that mirrors common developer workflows, using a Visual Studio Code–style editor for a more authentic experience.
How are Coding Challenges different from Break/Fix lessons?
While both lesson types teach remediation skills, they differ in how much context the learner receives:
Break/Fix lessons
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Learners see a limited snippet of code
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The lesson is more guided and structured
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Learners are walked through:
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what the vulnerability is
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how it can be exploited
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how to remediate it
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Coding Challenges
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Learners see a broader application scenario
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The experience is less guided and more open-ended
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Learners practice real-world skills like:
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reviewing code with limited direction
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identifying where the vulnerability exists
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implementing the correct fix
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validating the solution through testing
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Why use Coding Challenges?
Coding Challenges are ideal for deeper learning because they help learners build the mindset that any code could be insecure, and they strengthen practical skills like investigation, code review, and secure remediation in a realistic environment.