Why We Built It
We noticed something strange while helping people learn to code:
AI chatbots and YouTube tutorials have made it easier than ever to start —
but harder to actually understand.
Many beginners now rely on copying AI-generated answers instead of thinking through the problem.
They can “get” the code to work, but can’t explain why it works.
We call this *AI-dependent learning*, and we wanted to fix it.
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What Runtric Does
Runtric is an AI-powered coding education platform that helps people learn by reasoning, not just repetition.
Instead of giving answers, the AI tutor keeps learners in the thought process — asking questions, nudging ideas, and encouraging self-discovery.
Our MVP currently includes:
- A beginner-friendly Python curriculum
- An in-browser coding sandbox (no setup required)
- An AI tutor that guides instead of giving direct solutions
- A unified flow from lesson → code → quiz → feedback
Everything runs client-side, and it’s free for now.
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Who It’s For
- Students and self-learners starting with Python
- Educators looking for an interactive way to teach programming
- Anyone who wants to understand code rather than just make it run
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What’s Next
We’re still in MVP, gathering early feedback before expanding into advanced paths, project-based tracks, and educator tools.
Our long-term goal is to make AI in education a cognitive amplifier, not a crutch —
a system that trains learners to think through AI guidance rather than depend on it.
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Background Reading
Our motivation aligns with several recent papers discussing AI’s impact on programming education and the risks of overreliance on chatbots:
- Aleedy, M., Atwell, E., & Meshoul, S. (2022). Using AI Chatbots in Education: Recent Advances, Challenges and Use Case. Springer, Singapore.
- Anagnostopoulos, C.-N. (2023). ChatGPT impacts in programming education: A recent literature overview that debates ChatGPT responses. F1000Research, 12:1393.
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We’re just getting started and would love to hear your thoughts.
Try Runtric here: https://runtric.com
Feedback, criticism, and questions are all welcome — especially from educators, developers, and anyone interested in how AI changes the way we learn.
Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45564950
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