Your Ultimate Guide to JetBrains Academy’s April Learning Boost: 4 Steps to Level Up Your Coding Skills
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<h2>Introduction</h2>
<p>April brought a fresh wave of opportunities to sharpen your coding skills right inside your IDE. Whether you’re a beginner looking to build your first 3D game, a developer eager to master spec-driven development, someone ready to earn a Kotlin certificate, or determined to complete a 100-day Python challenge, JetBrains Academy has you covered. This step-by-step guide walks you through each offering so you can make the most of them and accelerate your learning journey.</p><figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://blog.jetbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Social_Share_Blog_1280x720-5.png" alt="Your Ultimate Guide to JetBrains Academy’s April Learning Boost: 4 Steps to Level Up Your Coding Skills" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: blog.jetbrains.com</figcaption></figure>
<h2>What You Need</h2>
<ul>
<li>A JetBrains IDE (IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, or any other compatible one) – download the free trial or use an existing license.</li>
<li>A Coursera account (free) for the 3D game course and the spec-driven development course.</li>
<li>A LinkedIn profile (to display the Kotlin Professional Certificate).</li>
<li>A GitHub account (optional, but useful for storing project files).</li>
<li>A stable internet connection.</li>
<li>Motivation and a willingness to code daily!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Step-by-Step Instructions</h2>
<h3 id="step1">Step 1: Explore All Learning Highlights</h3>
<p>Before diving in, take a moment to understand what’s available. JetBrains Academy’s April digest features four main learning paths:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Build Your First 3D Game With AI</strong> – a short course where you code a browser game in WebStorm with an AI coding agent.</li>
<li><strong>Spec-Driven Development With Coding Agents</strong> – a collaboration with DeepLearning.AI to move beyond vibe coding.</li>
<li><strong>Kotlin Professional Certificate</strong> – a certification path on LinkedIn Learning that covers Kotlin essentials, multiplatform development with Ktor and Compose.</li>
<li><strong>100-Day Python Challenge in Your IDE</strong> – a daily coding challenge to reinforce Python skills.</li>
</ul>
<p>Each path is independent, so you can start any of them in any order. Decide which one matches your current goals, or plan to tackle all of them this month.</p>
<h3 id="step2">Step 2: Start the 3D Game Course</h3>
<p>If you want a fun, quick project that combines coding and AI, begin here.</p>
<ol>
<li>Open the <a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/build-your-first-3d-game-with-ai">course page</a> (available through Coursera’s seven-day free trial).</li>
<li>Install WebStorm (if you don’t have it) – the course uses JetBrains WebStorm IDE.</li>
<li>Follow along as you help Tode the Frog defend his home by coding a 3D browser game using an AI coding agent.</li>
<li>Complete the course and leave a review.</li>
<li>Send a screenshot of your review to <a href="mailto:education@jetbrains.com">education@jetbrains.com</a>. You’ll receive one free month of JetBrains AI Pro (10 AI Credits).</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="step3">Step 3: Take the Spec-Driven Development Course</h3>
<p>This short course, created by DeepLearning.AI in partnership with JetBrains, teaches you how to build software with clear specs, iterative workflows, and agent skills – moving beyond random “vibe coding”.</p>
<ol>
<li>Navigate to the <a href="https://deeplearning.ai/courses/spec-driven-development-with-coding-agents/">course enrollment page</a> (it’s free).</li>
<li>Set up your development environment – the course works with any JetBrains IDE.</li>
<li>Work through the examples that demonstrate how to write precise specifications and use coding agents to implement them.</li>
<li>Practice by creating your own spec-driven project.</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="step4">Step 4: Enroll in the Kotlin Professional Certificate</h3>
<p>If you want a formal credential to showcase on LinkedIn, this four-course path is your ticket.</p><figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://blog.jetbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/photo_2026-03-26-14.57.08-2.jpeg" alt="Your Ultimate Guide to JetBrains Academy’s April Learning Boost: 4 Steps to Level Up Your Coding Skills" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: blog.jetbrains.com</figcaption></figure>
<ol>
<li>Access the program on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/paths/kotlin-professional-certificate">LinkedIn Learning</a> (a subscription may be required, but you can start a free trial).</li>
<li>Complete all four courses: Kotlin Essentials, Ktor for Backend Development, Compose Multiplatform, and Advanced Kotlin.</li>
<li>Pass the final exam to earn the certificate.</li>
<li>Add the certificate directly to your LinkedIn profile under <strong>Licenses & Certifications</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="step5">Step 5: Begin the 100-Day Python Challenge</h3>
<p>This challenge runs directly inside JetBrains Academy (accessible from your IDE).</p>
<ol>
<li>Open your JetBrains IDE and go to the <strong>Learn</strong> tab (or visit the JetBrains Academy plugin).</li>
<li>Search for the <strong>100-Day Python Challenge</strong>.</li>
<li>Start with Day 1 – each day presents a short programming problem.</li>
<li>Commit to completing one task per day. Use the built-in hints and solutions if you get stuck.</li>
<li>Track your progress on the JetBrains Academy profile.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Tips for Success</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Use free trials wisely.</strong> Both Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer free trials. Plan to finish the short courses within the trial period to avoid charges.</li>
<li><strong>Combine activities.</strong> For example, while taking the Kotlin certificate, apply the spec-driven development approach to your project.</li>
<li><strong>Leave a review for the 3D game course.</strong> It only takes a minute and earns you a month of JetBrains AI Pro, which can assist you in other courses.</li>
<li><strong>Join a community.</strong> Share your progress on social media or on JetBrains forums to stay motivated.</li>
<li><strong>Keep a coding journal.</strong> Jot down what you learn each day to reinforce concepts.</li>
<li><strong>Don’t skip the hands-on parts.</strong> These courses are built around practice – type the code yourself, don’t just watch.</li>
</ul>