Coding Dojos Formats

The following is jut a summary of different sources in order to put together the basic information about the most common formats of Coding Dojos. This is not a complete list, and does not cover the necessary preparation and tips to better run the meeting.

Prepared Kata / Kata dojos

Requires the most effort up front by an individual. A single developer starts from scratch and codes a Kata in front of an audience. The developer will have tried the problem a few times before and shows their solution to the crowd over the projector.

While the presenter creates their code they are constantly speaking to the audience letting them know exactly what they are doing and why. Any member of the audience is allowed to interrupt the presenter and ask them why they are coding in a certain pattern.

Randori

Randori has to main variants:

a) No one is required to have done any research into the problem before the Dojo begins. Pairs are given a 7 minute time frame to code in front of the audience; once their 7 minutes are up, another person from the audience replaces a member of the pair and takes over.

b) Test by test: this variation consist of a lineup of developers that must take the keyboard. The first one writes a failing test, the next person makes the test pass and do the necessary refactoring. The third person writes the next test and the cycle continues.

The moderator (aka Product Owner), has the task to manage the group and ensure that every one stays focused in the task at hand.

Kake (Individual Pairs)

Kake dojos are events at which a code with the same functionality is simultaneously developed in two or more languages.

At the end of the coding session (one or two hours), the pairs perform a short presentation on their codebase, showing the progress and design they've made.

Wasa (Radori in pair)

Wasa dojos are two person kata where the pair can either work cooperatively or spar with each other. Developers take turns, the first writing a unit test and the second implementing code to pass that test.

Growing the list ...

If you know of a better (more funny / interesting) format, not found here just put it on the comments box.

Sources:

• codingdojo.org
• The Theory and Practice of Randori Coding Dojos