Codecademy expands API lessons with Twitter, Gilt Groupe, 23andme, Box

Wannabe developers on Codecademy are getting even more opportunities to build virtual tools. Last month, the New York-based learn-to-code startup launched a new track of lessons on using APIs (application programming interfaces) with partners like YouTube, NPR, SoundCloud and others. On Tuesday, Codecademy said that it had added another set of lessons through partnerships with 14 companies, including Twitter, Gilt Groupe and Box.

With the new lessons, a student could access historical tweets or tweet from her website with Twitter’s API; explore her heritage and health risk with 23andme; or build apps for scouring the latest designs on Gilt. The full list of new partners includes WePay, Twitter, Box, Evernote, Microsoft Skydrive, 23andMe, Mashape, Gilt Groupe, Ordr.in, Firebase, Easypost, Github, Mandrill (mailchimp), and Dwolla.

“We really wanted to have a diverse set of partners that were real consumer brands – brands that people use in their everyday lives – so that we could show them that programming isn’t just abstract,” said Zach Sims, Codecademy’s co-founder and CEO.

For students on Codecademy — whether they’re first-time programmers or more experienced developers — the lessons provide ways to create tools they can actually use and are connected to media sites, productivity apps and other consumer sites they frequent. As we’ve said before, that project-based approach is wise given all the options for learning how to code online (although others also focus lessons around specific projects). For the partners, it’s a way to get more exposure among a big and growing group of developers. The lessons are provided by the partners and Codecademy has said there is no financial relationship between the companies at this point.

Codecademy declined to share specifics but said “many thousands” of users have taken its API classes to date.

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