Capstone

Plan, build, test, document, and present a beginner-friendly Python project that integrates the course.

Open this lesson in Google Colab

How to use this chapter hands-on

This chapter is about Capstone. Do not read it like a reference manual. Use it as a sequence of short labs. For each lesson, open the Colab notebook from the button above, run Example 1, write a prediction, and then change one small part of the code.

By the end of the chapter, you should have one small artifact: a notebook, a script, a trace table, or a project note. The artifact should show one working example, one controlled variation, and one error or surprising result that you investigated calmly.

If time is short, study one lesson deeply instead of skimming all of them. A deeply understood example is one you can run again, explain in plain language, modify safely, and debug when it breaks.

Why this chapter matters

Plan, build, test, document, and present a beginner-friendly Python project that integrates the course.

Lessons are now grouped by coherent learner topics. A page may contain multiple short quizzes when the page has multiple sections, so students can check one idea before moving to the next.

NoteGuiding questions

• Which lessons belong in this chapter?
• What should I review before moving on?
• How do the lesson sections build one practical skill?

Lesson path

• Project Selection and Planning — Choose a small capstone and break it into realistic milestones.
• Testing and README — Protect capstone behavior with tests and explain the project clearly.
• Presentation and Rubric — Present the project story and evaluate it with visible criteria.

Chapter checkpoint

Use this short checkpoint before starting the chapter.

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    return html`<div class="fcpython-quiz fcpython-quiz-warning">
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  }

  script.dataset.fcpythonRendered = "true";
  const quiz = JSON.parse(script.textContent);
  const container = html`<div class="fcpython-quiz"></div>`;
  const title = document.createElement("h3");
  title.textContent = quiz.title;
  container.appendChild(title);

  const instructions = document.createElement("p");
  instructions.textContent = quiz.instructions;
  container.appendChild(instructions);

  const feedbackNodes = [];

  quiz.questions.forEach((question, questionIndex) => {
    const fieldset = document.createElement("fieldset");
    fieldset.className = "fcpython-quiz-question";

    const legend = document.createElement("legend");
    legend.textContent = `${questionIndex + 1}. ${question.prompt}`;
    fieldset.appendChild(legend);

    question.options.forEach((option, optionIndex) => {
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      label.className = "fcpython-quiz-option";

      const input = document.createElement("input");
      input.type = "radio";
      input.name = `${quiz.id}-${question.id}`;
      input.value = String(optionIndex);

      const text = document.createElement("span");
      text.textContent = option;

      label.appendChild(input);
      label.appendChild(text);
      fieldset.appendChild(label);
    });

    const feedback = document.createElement("p");
    feedback.className = "fcpython-quiz-feedback";
    feedback.setAttribute("aria-live", "polite");
    feedbackNodes.push(feedback);
    fieldset.appendChild(feedback);
    container.appendChild(fieldset);
  });

  const actions = document.createElement("div");
  actions.className = "fcpython-quiz-actions";

  const check = document.createElement("button");
  check.type = "button";
  check.textContent = "Check answers";

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  reset.type = "button";
  reset.textContent = "Reset";

  const score = document.createElement("p");
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  score.setAttribute("aria-live", "polite");

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    let correctCount = 0;

    quiz.questions.forEach((question, questionIndex) => {
      const selected = container.querySelector(
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      const feedback = feedbackNodes[questionIndex];

      if (!selected) {
        feedback.textContent = "Choose an answer before checking.";
        feedback.className = "fcpython-quiz-feedback";
        return;
      }

      const selectedIndex = Number(selected.value);
      if (selectedIndex === question.answer_index) {
        correctCount += 1;
        feedback.textContent = `✅ Correct. ${question.explanation}`;
        feedback.className = "fcpython-quiz-feedback is-correct";
      } else {
        const answer = question.options[question.answer_index];
        feedback.textContent = `❌ Not yet. Correct answer: ${answer}. ${question.explanation}`;
        feedback.className = "fcpython-quiz-feedback is-incorrect";
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    score.textContent = `Score: ${correctCount}/${quiz.questions.length}`;
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      input.checked = false;
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    feedbackNodes.forEach((feedback) => {
      feedback.textContent = "";
      feedback.className = "fcpython-quiz-feedback";
    });
    score.textContent = "";
  });

  actions.appendChild(check);
  actions.appendChild(reset);
  container.appendChild(actions);
  container.appendChild(score);
  return container;
}