▶ TINY RPG · COMPLETE 12 MISSIONS · BECOME JOB-READY

Missions RPG

Imagine this is you. A tech newbie with a laptop, wifi and a Sigmaschool enrollment. 12 missions stand between you and becoming job-ready. Each one you prove you can build + explain without leaning on AI. Mastery-based learning, not time-based learning. Have fun!

📖 Step 1 · Read the briefings

▶ NEW GAME

Missions RPG

A tiny RPG of the Sigmaschool 12-week pathway. First read the briefing (it’s short). Then a quick 4-question check unlocks the 12 missions.

Progress saves to your browser

▼ See all missions & checkpoints

▶ EVERY MISSION · WHAT YOU SHIP · WHAT PROVES IT

All 12 missions - what you ship, what proves it.

The same curriculum the cohort walks every week. Checkpoints are the chapters inside each mission; the lesson counts come from the full programme curriculum.

  1. MISSION 1Foundations3 checkpoints

    Build a Developer Portfolio Page

    “I can build and style a responsive web page with HTML, CSS and Bootstrap, version it with Git, and deploy it live.”

    Start from zero. Build a personal developer portfolio - who you are, your skills, your projects - style it cleanly with Bootstrap, version it with Git & GitHub, and ship it live on Vercel.

    🧰 Tech stack
    HTML5HTML5CSS3CSS3BootstrapBootstrapGitGitGitHubGitHubStackBlitzStackBlitzVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    Most guidance · you still write first
    🏁 What proves it
    GitHub repo + live Vercel link + Loom walkthrough explaining your code
    🪙 Reward
    🏆 First Ship Badge
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the page structure and content with HTML and Bootstrap
      • Structure a page with semantic HTML - headings, sections, images and links
      • Lay out content fast with Bootstrap grid and components
      • Organise your project files and preview it live in StackBlitz
    • Style it and make it responsive across screen sizes
      • Style your layout with CSS - colours, spacing and the box model
      • Use Bootstrap utilities and breakpoints to make it responsive
      • Check it looks right on mobile, tablet and desktop widths
    • Version it with Git & GitHub and deploy on Vercel
      • Initialise a Git repo, commit your work and push it to GitHub
      • Connect the repo to Vercel and trigger your first deploy
      • Share your live public URL and verify it works for others
  2. MISSION 2Foundations3 checkpoints

    Build a Book Collection Manager

    “I can build an interactive CRUD app in JavaScript that stores, updates, searches and filters data.”

    Build an app to manage a book collection - add books, mark them read, and search or filter the shelf. Store the data in the browser so it survives a refresh.

    🧰 Tech stack
    HTML5HTML5CSS3CSS3JavaScriptJavaScriptBootstrapBootstrapStackBlitzStackBlitzVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    Most guidance · you still write first
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed book manager with add / search / filter + Loom
    🪙 Reward
    🧠 +5 Reasoning · Public build log opened
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Render the book list from data using JavaScript
      • Model a book as a JavaScript object and store the collection in an array
      • Generate an HTML card for each book and render it into the page
      • Show the relevant fields - title, author and read status - on each card
    • Add, edit and remove books, and persist with localStorage
      • Add a form to create new books and push them into the collection
      • Edit and remove books, and re-render the list on every change
      • Persist the collection with localStorage so it survives a refresh
    • Add search and filtering, then deploy
      • Read a search input in real time and match it against book fields
      • Add filters (for example read vs unread) and handle the empty state
      • Polish the layout, test the full flow and deploy
  3. MISSION 3Foundations3 checkpoints

    Debug & Restore the Ledger Balance System

    “I can read error messages, trace logic bugs, and fix a broken app without AI.”

    You inherit a broken ledger app - the balances do not add up and it crashes. Read the errors, trace the logic, and restore correct balances. No AI: just you, the console, and the code.

    🧰 Tech stack
    JavaScriptJavaScriptGitGitGitHubGitHubStackBlitzStackBlitz
    🤝 AI Companion
    AI OFF · you debug on your own
    🏁 What proves it
    Fixed repo + bug-fix notes + live link
    🪙 Reward
    🐛 Debugger title earned
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Find and fix the crashes so the app loads and runs
      • Read error messages and pinpoint the exact line and file that breaks
      • Use the browser console and DevTools to trace runtime errors
      • Fix each crash step by step until the app loads and runs
    • Trace and correct the balance calculation logic
      • Follow the money - trace how each transaction changes the balance
      • Spot the logic bugs (wrong operators, off-by-one, bad rounding)
      • Correct the calculations so every running balance is accurate
    • Verify every balance is right, then ship the fix
      • Test against known inputs to prove the balances are now correct
      • Write a short note on each bug you found and how you fixed it
      • Commit the fix, push to GitHub and ship the working app
  4. MISSION 4Foundations3 checkpoints

    Build an Activity Discovery Dashboard

    “I can fetch live data from a REST API and render it dynamically in the UI.”

    Build a dashboard that pulls live activity ideas from a public API and lets users browse and filter them. Your first taste of working with real data over the network.

    🧰 Tech stack
    HTML5HTML5CSS3CSS3JavaScriptJavaScriptBootstrapBootstrapVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    Most guidance · you still write first
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed activity dashboard using a live API + Loom
    🪙 Reward
    🌐 Network Caller rank
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Fetch activities from a public REST API and read the JSON
      • Call a public REST API with fetch and await the JSON response
      • Read and understand the shape of the JSON you get back
      • Handle the request lifecycle - start, success and failure
    • Render cards and handle loading and error states
      • Render an activity card for each item returned by the API
      • Show a loading state while the request is in flight
      • Handle and display errors when the API call fails
    • Add filtering and deploy the finished dashboard
      • Add filters (by type, participants or price) over the fetched data
      • Handle the no-results state cleanly
      • Polish the UI with Bootstrap and deploy the dashboard
  5. MISSION 5Real Apps3 checkpoints

    Build a Game Collection Dashboard

    “I can build a React app with routing that reads and writes to a cloud PostgreSQL database.”

    Rebuild the collection idea properly - this time in React with routing and a real cloud database: a PostgreSQL database on Railway, with full add, edit and delete.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactReact RouterReact RouterPostgreSQLPostgreSQLRailwayRailwayBootstrapBootstrapVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    You write the code · AI reviews it
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed React + PostgreSQL game dashboard + architecture note
    🪙 Reward
    ⚛️ Frontend Mage class unlocked
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the React UI with routes and reusable components
      • Set up a React project and split the UI into reusable components
      • Add React Router so the app has multiple views and clean URLs
      • Pass data with props and manage local state with useState
    • Connect a PostgreSQL database on Railway and load the collection
      • Provision a PostgreSQL database on Railway and connect it to your app
      • Read the game collection from PostgreSQL and render it live
      • Model your PostgreSQL tables and columns sensibly
    • Add, edit and delete games, then deploy
      • Add new games and update existing ones in PostgreSQL
      • Delete games and reflect every change in the UI immediately
      • Handle loading and error states, then deploy to Vercel
  6. MISSION 6Real Apps3 checkpoints

    Build a Smart Home Security Dashboard

    “I can build an auth-protected React app using Supabase Auth (Google OAuth) and JWT-secured routes.”

    Build a dashboard for smart-home devices behind a login. Add Supabase Auth with Google OAuth sign-in so only signed-in users get in, and protect the dashboard routes with JWT.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactSupabase AuthSupabase AuthGoogle OAuthGoogle OAuthJWTJWTReact RouterReact RouterVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    You write the code · AI reviews it
    🏁 What proves it
    Auth-gated smart-home dashboard + auth explanation
    🪙 Reward
    🔐 Gatekeeper title earned
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the device dashboard UI with reusable components
      • Design a dashboard layout for devices, status and controls
      • Build small, reusable React components and compose them
      • Manage view state and wire up React Router navigation
    • Add Supabase Auth with email + Google OAuth sign-in
      • Set up Supabase Auth with email + Google OAuth sign-in and logout
      • Store and read the signed-in user across the app
      • Show different UI depending on whether the user is signed in
    • Protect routes with tokens and deploy
      • Protect dashboard routes so only authenticated users get in
      • Use the auth token to authorise access and guard actions
      • Redirect unauthenticated users to login, then deploy
  7. MISSION 7Real Apps3 checkpoints

    Build a Movie Search Application with Live Data

    “I can build a responsive React app that fetches and displays live API data on demand.”

    Build a movie search app in React that queries a live movie API, handles search state, and gracefully handles loading, errors and empty results.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactBootstrapBootstrapVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    Most guidance · you still write first
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed React movie search app + Loom walkthrough
    🪙 Reward
    🎬 Live Data rank
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the UI and connect to a live movie API
      • Build the search UI and component structure in React
      • Call a live movie API with fetch and render the results grid
      • Store the query and results in React state with useState
    • Handle search, state, loading and error cases
      • Re-fetch the API when the user submits a new search
      • Show loading and error states while waiting on the response
      • Handle empty queries and no-results cleanly
    • Make it responsive and deploy
      • Make the layout responsive across mobile and desktop
      • Polish the visual styling and interaction details
      • Review the full app and deploy to Vercel
  8. MISSION 8Real Apps3 checkpoints

    Build a Responsive Clothing Store

    “I can build a responsive, multi-page store with a cart, backed by PostgreSQL and Supabase Storage.”

    Build a responsive online clothing store - product catalog, product pages and a cart - with product data in PostgreSQL on Railway and images in Supabase Storage. Looks great on every screen.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactReact RouterReact RouterBootstrapBootstrapPostgreSQLPostgreSQLRailwayRailwayVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    You write the code · AI reviews it
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed responsive store + portfolio case study
    🪙 Reward
    🛍️ Storefront rank
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the catalog and product pages with routing
      • Build the catalog grid and individual product pages
      • Wire up React Router for catalog, product and cart routes
      • Compose reusable product-card and layout components
    • Load products from PostgreSQL and images from Supabase Storage
      • Store products in PostgreSQL and read them into the catalog
      • Upload and serve product images from Supabase Storage
      • Link each product page to its PostgreSQL row
    • Add the cart, make it responsive, and deploy
      • Add a cart - add, remove and update quantities
      • Make the whole store responsive with Bootstrap breakpoints
      • Test the full flow and deploy to Vercel
  9. MISSION 9APIs & AI3 checkpoints

    Build a Recipe API

    “I can build and deploy a tested, authenticated REST API with Express, SQL and CI/CD.”

    Go backend. Build a REST API for recipes with Express and a PostgreSQL database on Railway - full CRUD, secured with JWT auth, covered by automated tests, and shipped through a CI/CD pipeline.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ExpressExpressPostgreSQLPostgreSQLRailwayRailwayJWTJWTTestingTestingGitHub ActionsGitHub ActionsVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    You write the code · AI reviews it
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed Recipe API + passing test suite + green CI pipeline
    🪙 Reward
    🗄️ Backend Engineer rank
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the Express REST endpoints and the PostgreSQL schema on Railway
      • Set up an Express server and define REST routes for recipes
      • Create the PostgreSQL schema on Railway and connect it to your API
      • Implement full CRUD - create, read, update and delete recipes
    • Add JWT authentication and request validation
      • Add JWT authentication so only signed-in users can write
      • Validate incoming requests and return proper status codes
      • Protect the right endpoints and handle auth errors cleanly
    • Write automated tests, wire up CI/CD with GitHub Actions, and deploy
      • Write automated tests for your endpoints and core logic
      • Set up a GitHub Actions workflow to run tests on every push
      • Deploy the API and confirm the CI pipeline is green
  10. MISSION 10APIs & AI3 checkpoints

    Build a Number Guessing Game

    “I can integrate a real AI API into a product, handle its output, and design for uncertainty.”

    Build a number guessing game with an AI twist - the AI generates smart hints and reacts to the player. Connect a real AI API (OpenAI or Claude), handle its responses, and design for uncertainty.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactExpressExpressOpenAIOpenAIClaudeClaudeVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    AI runs inside what you build
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed AI-powered guessing game + evaluation notes
    🪙 Reward
    🌟 AI Product Builder rank
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Build the game UI and core guessing logic
      • Build the game UI - input, feedback area and controls in React
      • Implement the core guessing logic and game state
      • Set up an Express endpoint to talk to the AI securely
    • Wire in the AI API for hints and reactions
      • Call the OpenAI or Claude API from your server-side route
      • Turn the game state into a good prompt for hints and reactions
      • Render the AI response in the UI and handle the loading state
    • Handle errors and edge cases, then deploy
      • Handle empty, slow and error responses from the AI gracefully
      • Guard against bad or unsafe input reaching the API
      • Test against real play-throughs, then deploy
  11. MISSION 11Capstone3 checkpoints

    The AI Native Builder - Build Your Capstone

    “I can scope a product into an MVP and build a full-stack, AI-native app end to end.”

    Your capstone. Scope a real product, then build it end to end - frontend, backend, database and a real AI feature - directing AI tools as your teammates the whole way.

    🧰 Tech stack
    ReactReactExpressExpressPostgreSQLPostgreSQLRailwayRailwaySupabase AuthSupabase AuthClaudeClaudeGitHub ActionsGitHub ActionsVercelVercel
    🤝 AI Companion
    AI runs inside what you build
    🏁 What proves it
    Deployed capstone MVP + case study draft
    🪙 Reward
    🏰 Founder badge earned
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Scope the MVP and set up the full-stack skeleton
      • Write a product spec with user stories and define the smallest useful MVP
      • Pick your stack and set up the full-stack skeleton (frontend, API, database)
      • Plan the build order so the most important feature ships first
    • Build the core features, data model and AI feature
      • Build the database schema, auth layer and core data model
      • Ship the primary feature end to end through the full stack
      • Add a real AI feature and handle its output responsibly
    • Test, harden and ship to production
      • Add error handling, tests and polish throughout the app
      • Wire CI/CD and deploy to production on a real domain
      • Record a demo walkthrough and write the capstone case study
  12. MISSION 12CapstoneFINAL BOSS3 checkpoints

    Polish Your Capstone & Prepare for Job Applications

    “I can present my work, explain my decisions, and show job-readiness proof.”

    The final mission. Polish your capstone and portfolio, build your developer profile, and get application-ready - resume, GitHub, LinkedIn, and a 30-day job-search plan.

    🧰 Tech stack
    GitHubGitHubLinkedInLinkedInVercelVercelTestingTesting
    🤝 AI Companion
    AI drafts · you edit & own it
    🏁 What proves it
    Complete portfolio · demo video · resume · 30-day job plan
    🪙 Reward
    👑 JOB-READY - game complete
    🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
    • Polish the capstone and write project case studies
      • Clean up every project repo - READMEs, fixed links, pinned best work
      • Write polished case studies for your two strongest projects
      • Record a 2-minute demo video walking through your best build
    • Build a strong developer profile (portfolio, GitHub, LinkedIn)
      • Build and deploy your personal portfolio site with project showcases
      • Optimise your LinkedIn headline, summary and experience
      • Write a strong GitHub bio and pin your best repositories
    • Prepare your resume, mock interviews and 30-day job plan
      • Write a targeted, ATS-friendly resume with measurable impact bullets
      • Run at least two mock technical interviews and refine your answers
      • Build and activate your 30-day job-search plan with daily targets

▶ HOW IT REALLY WORKS

You move on when you’ve mastered it, not when a clock runs out.

Every mission ships something real - a GitHub repo, a live link, and a Loom where you explain what you built. The rule is simple: if you can’t explain it, you can’t submit it. You learn at your own pace, with live Buildrooms every evening, Unblock Hours in the afternoon, and Discord 24/7. Finish all 12 missions with proof you can defend and you’re Job-Ready - plan for about 25 hours a week over 12 weeks, or 14 hours a week over ~24 weeks.

▶ THE ARC · 4 PHASES

12 missions, in 4 phases.

PHASE 1 · Missions 1–4

Foundations

Set up like an AI-native developer. Build, debug, and explain your first real web apps from scratch.

PHASE 2 · Missions 5–8

Real Apps

Move from static pages to full-stack apps with APIs, frontend frameworks, databases, and authentication.

PHASE 3 · Missions 9–10

APIs & AI

Go backend - build a tested, authenticated REST API with CI/CD, then ship a real AI-powered product.

PHASE 4 · Missions 11–12

Capstone

Scope, build, and present your capstone MVP as a complete job-ready portfolio package.

The stack you'll ship with

React
React Router
JavaScript
Bootstrap
Express
PostgreSQL
Railway
Supabase
Anthropic
GitHub
Vercel

Same tools your future team is already using. Logos below are the ones you'll see across the 12 missions - from the first deploy to the capstone.

▶ READY?

The game is a preview. The cohort is the real thing.

Same 12 missions, same proof, same Job-Ready outcome - but with a live cohort, daily Buildroom, Unblock Hours, and a mentor watching your back.

Apply for the next cohort →See the full programme