How Coding Exercises Help You Succeed at Code Platoon

TLDR: Code Platoon’s application includes three short coding exercises to help you test your interest in coding, strengthen your fundamentals, and give instructors insight to personalize your learning path. This blog will also walk you through the coding exercises and tips on how to complete them.

At Code Platoon, our goal is to help you succeed, not surprise you or push you into something that doesn’t fit your goals. That’s why every applicant completes three short coding exercises before they’re accepted to our programs.

These exercises are a preview, not a test. You’ll get a feel for what coding is like, build confidence in the basics, and give our instructors a sense of your starting point so they can meet you where you are from day one.

What are the Coding Exercises?

Each exercise focuses on essential programming skills you’ll use throughout the bootcamp. Here’s what we’ll ask you to do:

1. String Challenge: Write a function that checks whether the characters a and b appear in the string with exactly three characters between them, in either order. Your answer will need to return the string "true" if this condition is met at least once, or "false" if not.
2. Array Challenge: Write a function that analyzes a sequence of numbers and returns the index where the array stops increasing and starts decreasing, or stops decreasing and starts increasing.
3. Math Challenge: Write a function that calculates a number’s multiplicative persistence (the number of times you have to multiply the digits of a number together until you reach a single digit).

Don’t worry if you can’t solve every problem. These challenges show us how you approach problem-solving, not whether you get the “right” answer.

Why does Code Platoon have Coding Exercises?

"One of the most common questions I answer is, ‘Why do I have to code before I’m even in the program?'” says Danny Marcano, Code Platoon’s Student Outreach Manager. "Some people think we’re trying to stop them from applying, but really, our coding exercises solve three specific purposes: to help you figure out if you like coding, to build your confidence, and to set you up to thrive in our Full-stack Software Engineering or AI Cloud and DevOps Engineering program."

Helping You Figure Out If You Like Coding

Think of our coding exercises as your coding test drive. They let you experience the satisfaction of solving problems with code before you commit to a 15 or 28-week bootcamp.

"Our programs are an investment of time and energy,” Danny explains. "We want you to experience it before you start, so you know that you'll enjoy it. If you get that excited 'aha!' moment when your code finally works, you’ll know you’re in the right place.”

Building Your Coding Confidence

Each exercise introduces you to variables, loops, conditionals, and functions—the building blocks of modern programming. To build more confidence before applying, check out our free Intro to Python course. It covers these same fundamentals at your own pace and helps you build confidence from “Hello World” to building mini-projects.

“The goal of coding is progress, not perfection,” Danny says. “Every line of code you write makes you a stronger developer.”

Setting You Up for Success

These exercises are designed to help us help you, not pass or fail you. By seeing your authentic work, our instructors can tailor your early training and identify areas for support.

Tips for Completing Your Coding Exercises

After you apply, you’ll receive a link to CoderByte with your three coding exercises. Each one develops the core skills you’ll build in our programs: logic, persistence, and problem-solving.

As you complete the exercises, keep these tips in mind:

• Follow the instructions carefully. Read through each exercise fully before writing a line of code.
• Focus on effort, not perfection. You don’t need to solve every problem flawlessly; just do your best. 
• Stay independent. Avoid outside help or AI tools. The goal is to see your problem-solving style.
• Include the comment __define-ocg__ somewhere in your code.
• Use variables named varOcg and varFiltersCg in your solution.
• Use the dropdown above the code editor to select your language (JavaScript, Python 2, or Python 3) and adjust the return type if needed.
• Remove any console.log or print statements before submitting your solutions.

Once you hit “submit,” our instructors will review your work, not to grade you, but to understand how best to support you when training begins.

“Everyone starts somewhere,” Danny says. “What we look for is your curiosity, effort, and a willingness to learn.”

What Comes After the Coding Exercises?

Once you finish your coding exercises, you’ll move on to the final step: the Short Answers and Video section of the application.

This is where you tell us your story—your background, goals, and what’s motivating you to pursue a career in tech.

For the video portion, you’ll:

1. Walk us through one of your coding exercise solutions: how you approached it, what challenges you faced, and what you learned.
2. Share a story about a time you tackled something new or outside your comfort zone: what you learned and how you’ll bring your experience to your program.

“My best advice is to take your time, be authentic, and show us your drive,” Danny says. “We’re looking for learners with grit and determination, not just technical skills.”

Start Learning Today

The coding exercises are your first step toward building a strong, versatile technical skillset. They’re designed to help you explore your interests, build confidence, and start developing in-demand skills that last a lifetime.

Whether you’re a Veteran, Servicemember, or military spouse or dependent, Code Platoon is here to help you turn curiosity into capability. Start your application today, or start with a short intro to coding to build your foundation now.