▶ 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 16 missions.

Progress saves to your browser

▼ See all missions & checkpoints

▶ EVERY MISSION · WHAT YOU SHIP · WHAT PROVES IT

All 16 missions - 12 core + 4 optional bonus.

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

MISSION 1Foundations3 checkpoints
Personal Landing Page
“I can build a web page with HTML and CSS, add interactivity with JavaScript, and deploy it live.”
Start from zero. Build a personal landing page with your details, add a JavaScript interaction, then track your changes with GitHub and ship it live on Vercel.
🧰 Tech stack
HTML5CSS3JavaScriptGitHubVercel
🤝 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 a personal landing page with your details using HTML and CSS
  - Structure a page with HTML tags, headings, images, and semantic elements
  - Style your layout and text with CSS — colours, spacing, and the box model
  - Organise your project files and run it locally with a dev server
- Add a button that changes your picture using JavaScript
  - Select and read DOM elements using querySelector
  - Listen for click events and run code in response
  - Swap an image src dynamically to update the page without a reload
- Track changes with GitHub and deploy your site on Vercel
  - Commit your code and push it to a GitHub repository
  - Connect the repo to Vercel and trigger your first deploy
  - Share your live public URL and verify it works for others
MISSION 2Foundations3 checkpoints
Job Listings App
“I can render data from JavaScript, respond to user input, and update the UI dynamically.”
Build an interactive job board from scratch. Load job data with JavaScript, wire up search and filtering, and render the results live as the user types.
🧰 Tech stack
JavaScriptHTML5CSS3GitHubVercel
🤝 AI Companion
Most guidance · you still write first
🏁 What proves it
Deployed job listings app with working search and filter + Loom
🪙 Reward
🧠 +5 Reasoning · Public build log opened
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Display job data on a single page using JavaScript
  - Load and parse a JSON array of job objects in JavaScript
  - Generate an HTML card for each job and insert it into the page
  - Display relevant fields like title, company, and location on each card
- Add search and filtering using user input
  - Read the value from a text input in real time as the user types
  - Filter an array of objects by matching the search term against job fields
  - Re-render only the matching results each time the input changes
- Update UI with filtered results and finalize logic
  - Handle edge cases such as no results found and an empty search field
  - Clean up the UI with clear labels, spacing, and readable card layout
  - Test the full search and filter flow, then deploy the finished app
MISSION 3Foundations2 checkpoints
Debug and Deploy
“I can read error messages, trace bugs, and fix a broken app.”
You get a broken app. Find and fix every critical error so it loads and runs, then host it live on Vercel.
🧰 Tech stack
JavaScriptGitHubVercel
🤝 AI Companion
AI OFF · you debug on your own
🏁 What proves it
Fixed repo + bug fix notes + live Vercel link
🪙 Reward
🐛 Debugger title earned
🚩 Checkpoints · 2▼
- Fix critical errors so the page loads and runs
  - Read error messages and identify exactly which line and file is broken
  - Use the browser console and DevTools to trace runtime and logic bugs
  - Fix each error step by step and verify the page loads and runs correctly
- Host the website on Vercel
  - Push the fixed code to GitHub and connect the repo to Vercel
  - Trigger a production deploy and confirm the live URL works
  - Write a short note on each bug you found and how you fixed it
MISSION 4Foundations3 checkpoints
Habit Tracker App
“I can build a small interactive app that reads, updates, and filters data.”
Build a habit tracker from scratch. Load habit data, let users update their habits, and add filtering — then ship the finished app.
🧰 Tech stack
JavaScriptHTML5CSS3Vercel
🤝 AI Companion
Most guidance · you still write first
🏁 What proves it
Deployed habit tracker + portfolio case study
🪙 Reward
📁 Portfolio repo unlocked
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Display habit data from JSON on the page
  - Load habit data from a JSON source and store it in a JavaScript array
  - Generate and insert an HTML card for each habit into the page
  - Display habit name, frequency, and current streak on each card
- Add interaction to update habits
  - Add a button to each habit card that marks it as done for today
  - Update the UI instantly to reflect the new completed state
  - Persist habit state with localStorage so data survives a page reload
- Filter and finalize habit system
  - Add filter buttons to show all habits, only active ones, or only completed
  - Handle the empty state when no habits match the current filter
  - Polish the layout, test the full flow, and deploy the final app
MISSION 5Real Apps3 checkpoints
Movie Search App
“I can build a React app that fetches live API data and responds to user interaction.”
Build a movie search app with React. Connect to a real API, handle search and user interaction, then polish the UX before shipping.
🧰 Tech stack
ReactJavaScriptVercel
🤝 AI Companion
Most guidance · you still write first
🏁 What proves it
Deployed React movie search app + Loom walkthrough
🪙 Reward
🌐 Network Caller rank
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Build UI and connect to movie API using React
  - Set up a React project and break the UI into reusable components
  - Call a public movie API with fetch and handle the JSON response
  - Render a grid of movie cards from the API data
- Handle search, state, and user interaction
  - Store the search query and results in React state with useState
  - Re-fetch the API when the user submits a new search
  - Show loading and error states while waiting for the response
- Finalize UI and improve user experience
  - Add responsive layout and consistent visual styling across screen sizes
  - Handle edge cases like no results, slow networks, and empty queries
  - Review and polish the full app before deploying to Vercel
MISSION 6Real Apps3 checkpoints
Developer Dashboard
“I can build a modern React + Next.js app with search, filtering, and auth-protected routes.”
Build a real dashboard with reusable components, add search, filter, and sort controls, then lock it behind authentication.
🧰 Tech stack
ReactNext.jsTypeScriptTailwindSupabase
🤝 AI Companion
You write the code · AI reviews it
🏁 What proves it
Deployed dashboard with auth + architecture explanation
🪙 Reward
⚛️ Frontend Mage class unlocked
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Build dashboard UI with reusable components
  - Design a dashboard layout with sidebar, header, and main content area
  - Break the UI into small, reusable React components
  - Pass data between components using props and compose them into full pages
- Add search, filter, sort, and refactor UI
  - Implement a live search input that filters table data as the user types
  - Add dropdown filters and a sortable column header to the data table
  - Refactor repeated JSX and logic into shared components
- Add authentication and protect pages
  - Set up Supabase Auth and build sign-up and login flows
  - Redirect unauthenticated users away from protected pages
  - Show different UI and data based on whether the user is logged in
MISSION 7Real Apps3 checkpoints
Full-Stack CRUD App
“I can connect a frontend to a real database and perform full CRUD.”
Build the full data loop — set up a database, add create and update, then wire in delete and ship.
🧰 Tech stack
SupabasePostgreSQLNext.jsVercel
🤝 AI Companion
You write the code · AI reviews it
🏁 What proves it
Full-stack CRUD app + data-flow explanation
🪙 Reward
🗄️ Database Keeper rank
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Set up database and connect to app
  - Create a Supabase project and define the table schema for your app
  - Connect your Next.js app to the database using the Supabase client
  - Fetch and display rows from the database in the UI
- Add create and update functionality
  - Build a form that submits new records to the database
  - Handle server actions or API routes to write data safely
  - Update an existing row and reflect the change immediately in the UI
- Add delete and finalize system
  - Add a delete button that removes a row from the database
  - Handle loading states and confirm before destructive actions
  - Test the full create, read, update, delete loop and deploy
MISSION 8Real Apps3 checkpoints
Journal App with Auth
“I can build a private, multi-user app where each user only sees their own data.”
Build a private journal — set up auth, store entries in the database, then add editing so users can update their own notes.
🧰 Tech stack
SupabaseNext.jsPostgreSQL
🤝 AI Companion
You write the code · AI reviews it
🏁 What proves it
Auth-gated journal app + auth explanation + resume draft
🪙 Reward
🔐 Gatekeeper title earned
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Set up auth and protect the application
  - Set up Supabase Auth and build sign-up, login, and logout flows
  - Protect pages so only authenticated users can access them
  - Redirect users to the login page if they are not signed in
- Build journal entries with database
  - Design a database schema for journal entries linked to a user ID
  - Insert new entries into the database tied to the logged-in user
  - Fetch and display only the current user's own entries
- Add editing and finalize app
  - Build an edit form that updates an existing journal entry
  - Apply row-level security policies so users can only touch their own data
  - Polish the full app experience and deploy the final version
MISSION 9AI Products3 checkpoints
AI-Powered Feature
“I can add an AI-powered feature into a real product and evaluate its output quality.”
Embed a real AI feature into a product. Build the UI, connect to the AI API, improve the prompt, and finalize the UX.
🧰 Tech stack
ClaudeOpenAINext.jsVercel
🤝 AI Companion
AI runs inside what you build
🏁 What proves it
Live AI feature in a real app + evaluation report + portfolio story
🪙 Reward
🌟 AI Product Builder rank
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Build UI and connect to AI API
  - Design the UI for the AI feature — input, output area, and controls
  - Call the Claude or OpenAI API from a secure server-side route
  - Render the AI response in the UI and handle the loading state
- Improve prompt and handle edge cases
  - Refine the system prompt to produce more accurate and useful output
  - Handle empty, slow, and error responses gracefully in the UI
  - Add input validation to prevent bad or unsafe requests going to the API
- Finalize AI feature and UX
  - Stream the AI response token by token for a smoother user experience
  - Define what good output looks like and test your feature against real inputs
  - Polish, deploy, and write up an honest evaluation of the AI feature's quality
MISSION 10AI Products2 checkpoints
Agentic Engineering Workflow
“I can direct an AI coding agent through a full spec-to-deploy cycle.”
Direct an AI coding agent through one full ship cycle — write the spec, review the generated plan, then deploy and handle rollbacks.
🧰 Tech stack
CursorClaudeGitHubVercel
🤝 AI Companion
You direct the coding agent
🏁 What proves it
A real PR shipped via spec to deploy + decision log
🪙 Reward
🎛️ Operator title earned
🚩 Checkpoints · 2▼
- Define spec and review AI-generated plan
  - Write a clear spec that defines exactly what done looks like
  - Prompt the AI agent to produce a step-by-step build plan
  - Review and challenge the plan before approving any code generation
- Deploy, monitor, and handle rollbacks
  - Approve the agent's diff after a careful line-by-line review
  - Deploy to production and monitor for regressions in the live app
  - Roll back safely if something breaks and document your decision
MISSION 11Capstone3 checkpoints
Capstone MVP
“I can take a product idea, scope it into an MVP, and build a working first version.”
Your capstone. Plan your product, set up the structure, build the core features, then finalize the experience and ship.
🧰 Tech stack
Next.jsSupabaseTailwindClaudeVercel
🤝 AI Companion
AI runs inside what you build
🏁 What proves it
Deployed capstone MVP + case study draft
🪙 Reward
🏰 Founder badge earned
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Plan your product and set up structure
  - Write a product spec with clear user stories and define the smallest useful MVP
  - Pick your stack and set up the project skeleton with routing and layout
  - Plan the build order so the most important feature ships first
- Build core features and data flow
  - Implement the database schema, auth layer, and core data model
  - Build the primary feature your product is built around end to end
  - Wire up the full data flow from the UI through the API to the database
- Finalize product and user experience
  - Add error handling, empty states, and polish throughout the app
  - Deploy to production with a real domain and verify everything works
  - Record a demo walkthrough and write the capstone case study
MISSION 12CapstoneFINAL BOSS3 checkpoints
Portfolio and Job Readiness
“I can present my work, explain my decisions, and show job-readiness proof.”
The final mission. Polish your project work, build your developer profile, then prepare your job search and interview readiness.
🧰 Tech stack
GitHubLinkedInNext.jsVercel
🤝 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▼
- Finalize and polish all project work
  - Clean up every project repo — write READMEs, fix broken links, pin the best ones
  - Write and publish polished case studies for your two strongest projects
  - Record a 2-minute demo video walking through your best build
- Build strong developer profile (portfolio, GitHub, LinkedIn)
  - Build and deploy your personal portfolio site with project showcases
  - Optimise your LinkedIn profile headline, summary, and experience section
  - Write a compelling GitHub bio and pin your strongest repositories
- Prepare job search and interview readiness
  - 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
MISSION 13Bonus · HonoursBONUS1 checkpoints
No-AI Debugging Gauntlet
“I can debug a real codebase independently, with no AI, under time pressure.”
No AI allowed. A proctored session — OBS recording running the whole time, one monitor, starter code with hidden bugs. Find them, fix them, explain your reasoning.
🧰 Tech stack
JavaScriptGitHub
🤝 AI Companion
AI OFF · you debug on your own
🏁 What proves it
Proctored recording · fixed repo · no-AI write-up
🪙 Reward
🔥 Iron Mind title (interview gold)
🚩 Checkpoints · 1▼
- Complete the proctored debugging session (no AI, OBS recorded)
  - Start OBS recording and confirm single-monitor setup before opening the code
  - Debug every error in the starter project step by step — no AI, no hints
  - Ensure the final project runs correctly and submit the uncut recording
MISSION 14Bonus · HonoursBONUS3 checkpoints
Farm Game with AI Agent
“I can build a tool-using AI agent inside a real product with state, loops, and failure handling.”
Build a farm game with a real AI agent inside it. Start with the seed shop and database, add planting and growth tracking, then integrate the AI care system.
🧰 Tech stack
ClaudeNext.jsSupabaseVercel
🤝 AI Companion
AI runs inside what you build
🏁 What proves it
Working farm game with live AI agent + failure-mode report
🪙 Reward
🤖 Agent Architect rank
🚩 Checkpoints · 3▼
- Build seed shop and database structure
  - Design the database schema for seeds, inventory, and player state
  - Build the seed shop UI with a product listing and a working buy button
  - Connect purchases to the database and update the player's inventory
- Add planting system and growth tracking
  - Implement logic to plant seeds into farm plots tied to the current user
  - Track growth stages over time using database timestamps and status fields
  - Display live plant status and a progress indicator in the farm UI
- Integrate AI agent and care system
  - Connect an AI agent that monitors plant health and responds to farm state
  - Build the watering and care interaction so players can tend their crops
  - Deploy the full game and test the AI agent loop end to end
MISSION 15Bonus · HonoursBONUS2 checkpoints
Refactor the Slop
“I can turn an AI-generated mess into clean, maintainable architecture.”
You inherit a messy AI-generated codebase. Fix what is broken, then clean and restructure the code into something maintainable.
🧰 Tech stack
TypeScriptReactGitHub
🤝 AI Companion
You write the code · AI reviews it
🏁 What proves it
Clean refactor PR + plan + green CI
🪙 Reward
🧹 Maintainer rank
🚩 Checkpoints · 2▼
- Refactor and repair broken application
  - Identify every bug, piece of dead code, and broken behaviour in the app
  - Fix critical errors to get the application loading and running again
  - Document every issue you find before making any structural changes
- Clean and restructure codebase
  - Extract repeated logic into reusable functions and modules
  - Rename variables, files, and components for clarity and consistency
  - Open a clean pull request with a before-and-after explanation of your changes
MISSION 16Bonus · HonoursBONUS2 checkpoints
Production Readiness
“I can make a working app safe and reliable enough for real users.”
Harden an app for real users. Investigate security and access control, then improve data handling and structure before shipping.
🧰 Tech stack
VercelPostgreSQLPostHogGitHub
🤝 AI Companion
You write the code · AI reviews it
🏁 What proves it
Hardened app + runbook + simulated incident recovery
🪙 Reward
🛡️ Production Knight title (senior signal)
🚩 Checkpoints · 2▼
- Investigate security and access control
  - Audit for exposed secrets, missing auth checks, and unvalidated user input
  - Add row-level security policies and fix any broken access control
  - Write up every security issue found with a proposed fix for each one
- Improve data handling and refactor structure
  - Add proper error handling, structured logging, and rate limiting
  - Refactor the codebase for maintainability — clear naming, single-responsibility functions
  - Document your changes and verify the app is stable under normal usage

▶ 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 morning, 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 · 5 PHASES