Karel++ Tutorial

What is Karel++?

Karel++ is a software application that provides a gentle introduction to computer programming for novices. Despite its simplicity, it contains most of the important major concepts of full programming languages like C++, Java, and scripting languages like Javascript.

The karel software is freely available as described below.

This tutorial uses the first two full chapters of the Karel++ programming text ( Karel++, by J. Bergin, M. Stehlik, J. Roberts, R. Pattis available from Wiley Publishers, ISBN 0-47-13809-6), a terse section on the rest of Karel programming that is meant to be augmented with class lecture, and a section on using the Karel++ software.

Getting The Karel++ Software

The Karel++ software is usually in a file called Karelpp.exe in a folder called karelwin. You can download it here. This is a 392KB Windows Zip file (so it fits on a floppy) of the karelwin folder. You will need to unzip it to use it. The folder containes both the karelpp.exe Karel++ application (334KB) and some sample Karel programs. A Macintosh version is here , it is compressed with Stuffit.

Karel++ Programming

You should read each of the following and try some of the sample programs that they describe, two of which should be in the karelwin folder. The quick two page quide to the Karel++ language and software is here

The first chapter of the on-line text is The Robot World.
The second chapter of the on-line text is Primitive Operations and Simple Programs.
The terse summary of Karel's programming language is here.
A guide to using the Karel++ software application, complete with screen shots, is here: How To Use The Karel++ Software
Finally, an example that brings it all together is described here. Do the steps indicated by the "do this" arrows in this example section.

Have fun!