Communications of the ACM
Want Free Coding Lessons? Twitch Makes It Happen in Real Time
When Suz Hinton sits down at her computer to write code every Sunday, hundreds of people watch online.
Hinton livestreams her screen as she types JavaScript code. She also verbally explains what she's doing and interacts with the audience. A chat room appears in a frame to the right of the code, where viewers ask questions, make suggestions, and make conversation. Below the chat room is a box with video of Hinton's face.
She's among hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of programmers from around the world who regularly take to Twitch, a site best known for livestreams of people playing videogames. People watch to learn something. The chat room and widgets give viewers a chance to ask questions in real time.
"When you have to explain every choice you're making as you're typing the code, you become more insightful, and you have people giving feedback in real time," Hinton says.
Programming can be solitary work. Twitch's chat feature gives programmers another way to connect with each other, swap tips, or work in tandem.
From Wired
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