Tracks
This page describes tracks, which are the foundation of Instruqt.
What is a track?
A track is a series of challenges that help learners achieve a learning goal. Where a challenge is an interactive track step a learner needs to understand to achieve the learning goal of the track. For example, your learning goal for a track could be that learners learn how to work with a web app. In that case, a track explains the steps in working with the web app.
Because learners have to solve the challenges, tracks are a hands-on learning experience. For example, a challenge could be that a learner enters and saves data in an app.
Tracks are the foundation of the Instruqt platform and run in a sandbox. Learners play tracks using only a web browser. And track plays have a flow like this:
- 1.The sandbox in which the track runs is created.
- 2.The first challenge is created and shown to the learner.
- 3.The learner reads the challenge instructions or watches an introduction video.
- 4.The learner solves the challenge, which can be followed by these optional steps:
- 1.A pre-defined script checks whether the learner solved the challenge.
- 2.The learner gets feedback on whether the challenge is solved.
- 5.The following challenge starts or the track finishes.
Building tracks
Common use cases
- Self-paced tutorials
- Virtual instructor-led training
- Demos and POCs
- Workshops and events
- Customer and partner onboarding
- Internal training
- Knowledge sharing
Track resources
Tracks can contain the following resources:
- The Sandbox has one or more hosts like containers and virtual machines with which the learner interacts.
- One or more Challenges the learner has to solve.
- Scripts that set up the sandbox hosts to bring them to a certain state. You can define scripts for:
- Setting up the host
- Cleaning up the host
Check these topics in Concepts for more information about the track resources:
Appearance
🌐 Web UI
💻 Instruqt CLI
In the Web UI, a track appears as:
In Instruqt CLI, a track appears as a set of directories with configuration files:
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sandboxcontainer
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├── 01-creating-a-directory
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│ ├── assignment.md
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│ ├── check-container
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│ └── solve-container
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├── config.yml
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└── track.yml
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Each track has a main directory. In this case,
sandboxcontainer. And every challenge has its own subdirectory with several configuration files. In this case, the 01-creating-a-directory with the configuration files in lines 3 to 5.Track properties (details)
You specify a track by setting the track properties. For example, the
description property lets you specify the track description shown to the learner. You set the track properties through the Web UI or Instruqt CLI. For Web UI, you will find the properties as fields on the Track details page. For Instruqt CLI, you will find the properties in the configuration file track.yml as in this example:
YAML
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slug: mytrack
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id: baekpuxv2m5g
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type: track
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title: MyTrack
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teaser: Get started quickly with just one container-based sandbox host.
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description: Get started quickly with a container-based sandbox host. Choose a container
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when you need a fast, lightweight Linux system.
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icon: https://cdn.instruqt.com/assets/templates/ubuntu.png
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tags: []
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owner: myteam
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developers:
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maintenance: true
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show_timer: true
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skipping_enabled: true
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The following table shows the track properties:
🌐 Web UI field list
💻 Instruqt CLI property list
Field
Description
Type
Required
Title
The title of the track.
string
Type
string
Slug
A URL-friendly identifier of a track.
You can use a slug only once in the same team.
string
Icon
The URL of the icon that is to be shown with the track.
The size of the icon should be 48x48 pixels.
string
Teaser
A short description of the track, which is shown in the track list.
string
Description
A full description of the track, which is shown in the track details.
string
Experience level
The expected experience level of the learner for the track:
• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Expert
string
Tags
A list of strings that represent tags associated with the track.
list
Track authors
A list of developers that can maintain the track.
Developers are called Track authors in Web UI.
list
In maintenance
Whether the track is in maintenance.
When
true, the track can only be started by track developers. It remains visible to other users but will show a maintenance banner.boolean
Show countdown timer
Whether to show a timer during the track play.
When
true, this timer will show how long the learner has left before the track playtime expires.boolean
Allow skipping
Whether to enable learners to skip challenges.
boolean
Property
Description
Type
Required
titleThe title of the track.
stringRequired
type
stringOptional
slugA URL-friendly identifier of a track.
You can use a slug only once in the same team.
stringRequired
iconThe URL of the icon that is to be shown with the track.
The size of the icon should be 48x48 pixels.
stringOptional
teaserA short description of the track, which is shown in the track list.
stringOptional
descriptionA full description of the track, which is shown in the track details.
stringRequired
levelThe expected experience level of the learner for the track:
• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Expert
stringOptional
tagsA list of strings that represent tags associated with the track.
listOptional
idServer-generated (do not edit)
stringOptional
challengesA list of challenges that belong to the track.
Only applicable to legacy/version 2 tracks.
listRequired
ownerThe slug of the team that owns this track.
stringRequired
developersA list of developers that can maintain the track.
Developers are called Track authors in Web UI.
listOptional
maintenanceWhether the track is in maintenance.
When
true, the track can only be started by track developers. It remains visible to other users but will show a maintenance banner.booleanOptional
show_timerWhether to show a timer during the track play.
When
true, this timer will show how long the learner has left before the track playtime expires.booleanOptional
skipping_enabledWhether to enable learners to skip challenges.
booleanOptional
Last modified 20d ago