# YoloCorp vs Exercism: Backend Systems vs Language Mastery

## The Core Difference

**Exercism** is a learning platform focused on mastering programming languages through exercises and mentor feedback. Deep dive into language idioms and best practices.

**YoloCorp** is a backend engineering platform where you build production-like systems with persistent data, evolving requirements, and real DevOps workflows.

## Key Differences

### Learning Philosophy

**Exercism:**
- Language-focused learning paths
- Master one language deeply
- Get feedback from volunteer mentors
- Iterate on your solutions
- Learn language idioms and conventions

**YoloCorp:**
- System design and architecture focus
- Use any language you want
- Self-directed learning through building
- Evolve your system over time
- Learn production engineering patterns

### Exercise Structure

**Exercism:**
- Small, isolated coding exercises
- Practice specific language features
- Test-driven development approach
- Refine code based on mentor feedback
- Progress through language tracks

**YoloCorp:**
- Multi-episode backend projects
- Build complete systems
- Design your own architecture
- Evolve system as requirements change
- Progress through story-driven episodes

### Mentor System

**Exercism:**
- Volunteer mentors review your code
- Get specific feedback on style and idioms
- Learn from experienced developers
- Improve through iteration
- Community-driven learning

**YoloCorp:**
- Self-directed learning
- No mentor review system
- Learn through building and testing
- Discover solutions yourself
- Automated test feedback

### Development Environment

**Exercism:**
- CLI downloads exercises to local machine
- Write code in your own editor
- Run tests locally
- Submit for mentor review
- Focus on single files or small programs

**YoloCorp:**
- CLI manages multi-episode projects
- Full local development environment
- Complete Docker Compose setup
- Build entire systems with infrastructure
- Design databases, APIs, services

### Problem Scope

**Exercism:**
- Language feature practice (loops, recursion, etc.)
- Algorithm implementation
- Data structure usage
- Clean code principles
- Each exercise is independent

**YoloCorp:**
- System architecture decisions
- API contract design
- Database schema evolution
- Service orchestration
- Episodes build on each other

### Testing Approach

**Exercism:**
- Unit tests provided with each exercise
- Tests guide your implementation (TDD)
- Tests check correctness and edge cases
- Focus on code quality

**YoloCorp:**
- Integration tests downloaded per episode
- Black-box testing of your entire system
- Tests check behavior, not implementation
- Focus on system correctness and data continuity

### Persistence & State

**Exercism:**
- Each exercise is isolated
- No state between exercises
- Fresh start each time
- Pure algorithmic focus

**YoloCorp:**
- Data persists across all episodes
- Must handle data migrations
- Previous decisions have consequences
- Real-world state management

### Infrastructure Learning

**Exercism:**
- No infrastructure component
- Focus on language and algorithms
- No deployment or DevOps
- Pure code exercises

**YoloCorp:**
- Docker and containerization required
- Design database schemas
- Orchestrate multiple services
- Real DevOps workflow

## Skills You Develop

### Exercism Strengths:
- Deep language mastery
- Idiomatic code writing
- TDD and testing practices
- Code review and feedback incorporation
- Clean code principles
- Multiple language learning

### YoloCorp Strengths:
- System architecture design
- Backend API design
- Database schema design and evolution
- Docker and containerization
- Handling evolving requirements
- Production engineering workflows
- Multi-service orchestration

## When to Use Each

### Choose Exercism if you want to:
- Master a specific programming language
- Learn language idioms and best practices
- Get mentor feedback on your code
- Practice TDD methodology
- Build strong fundamentals
- Explore multiple languages

### Choose YoloCorp if you want to:
- Build complete backend systems
- Practice system design
- Learn Docker and DevOps
- Design APIs and databases
- Handle evolving requirements
- Experience production engineering workflows

## Complementary Learning Paths

These platforms teach different but complementary skills:

- **Exercism** makes you a better programmer
- **YoloCorp** makes you a better systems engineer

Use Exercism to master language fundamentals and clean code. Use YoloCorp to practice building production systems.

## Not Mutually Exclusive

You can (and probably should) use both:

1. Learn language fundamentals with **Exercism**
2. Apply them in system design with **YoloCorp**

Exercism teaches you to write good code. YoloCorp teaches you to build good systems.

## Try YoloCorp

Ready to build backend systems with persistent data and evolving requirements?

[Download the CLI](/downloads) and start your first project.