MIT Media Lab’s Scratch is a computer programming language that was originally designed to teach kids coding in a format that’s easy to understand. That’s why one of Scratch’s standout qualities is that it lets you manipulate code and other programming elements using graphic modules instead of text-based commands. Its innovative visual interface offers an effective way to design projects, and your learning will benefit from its intuitive drag-and-drop operation. Scratch’s accessibility makes it a great foundation for sparking curiosity about other programming skills and languages, too.‎

Learning Scratch helps you get familiar with essential coding concepts before you move onto the more complex programming languages. It's like entering the world of computer programming by wading into the shallow end instead of making a cannonball leap into the deeper waters. Scratch equips you with a sturdy foundation on which to build your future programming-language fluency and gets you acquainted with processes that you’ll continue to apply throughout your time creating programs. It’s great for experimentation, giving you the opportunity to get hands-on and learn by experiencing and testing, not just reading or listening. In learning Scratch programming, you’ll feel more empowered to explore other areas of programming, should you choose to, but you’ll also have the full ability to express your ideas in games and animations with Scratch alone.‎

Like most programming languages, Scratch is an ideal tool to learn when you’re in pursuit of a career in coding. But “computer programmer” isn’t a one-size-fits-all profession, and there are dozens of areas of specialization that fit under the broader umbrella of coding jobs. You might work as a web developer who designs both the functions and appearance of websites. A career as an app developer who designs games that work on different devices can allow you to focus specifically on applying your skills with Scratch in the real world. And work as a software developer, too, can provide opportunities to work with Scratch and other languages as you create programs that solve problems and meet needs.‎