So, I admit, I don’t really know what use javascript is. I’ve been studying it at codecademy for a couple of weeks now and used it to put together this mastermind game, but now what?

JS is the language of web applications, so I suppose that I could refine it and somehow integrate it within the downhousesoftware.com website (that’s appealing) but I don’t know the first thing about how to bridge the gap between the actual programming part and the more practical application of that programming.

That is…

How do you place a JS application in your webpage?

How do you add some character and design to the basic functioning of the program (my program works as a series of alerts, no gameboard and worse yet, no visual clues as to what your previous moves and their feedback were)?

Or perhaps, what I find most important, how do I abstract the design of this program and recreate it in another language and in a structure compatible with XCode?

I find XCode to be a terribly daunting thing. On the surface, I see the wonder of being able to create and direct actions in a WYSIWYG manner, but then there are all the windows with code on them. How do they all tie together?

This is the kind of hand-holding that I really need to make the transition from having a slight understanding of code and how it works to actually making it work. A prior example of this is Python. Nowadays, the coding language of Python is presumably built in to Apple’s OS. I’ve been told that you can just write code in a text window and use it – I’m afraid that’s only a tantalizing piece of information to me – I should be able to use it – it’s easy! But I haven’t the foggiest notion of where to start! And I mean, really start.

Another example of my confusion could easily have been Javascript. I would happily work along the codecademy exercises, but have no idea whatsoever about where I could practice or ever use this. Luckily, the good people at codecademy foresaw this as a problem and have provided a web-based solution in the form of codecademyLabs – a practice place where one can create and run programs. This was the only way I could ever have taken on the Mastermind challenge.

Now XCode is a similar problem. At least I can see where to program (kind of), but now I am boggled by the volume of files and windows.

My goal at this point is to take what I’ve made and use it to demonstrate how one navigates the app submission process with Apple. I apologize, but this might take a while.