JavaProject Kickoff
Start building your independent project with Claude Code.
Before You StartBefore You Start
Create Your Project RepositoryCreate Your Project Repository
If you haven’t already, link your GitHub account and create your project repository from the project page.
Your project repository includes your PLAN.md and is pre-configured to save Claude Code session transcripts.
Clone and Open Your ProjectClone and Open Your Project
- Clone your project repository using the URL shown on the project page
- Open the cloned folder in Android Studio
- Verify your PLAN.md is present in the project root
If you need help cloning, ask Claude at claude.ai.
Start BuildingStart Building
- Open the Terminal panel in Android Studio (bottom of the window)
- Run
claudeto start Claude Code - Ask Claude to read your PLAN.md and start implementing your app
- Work with Claude to build out your app’s features
Your First Activity: Build Your MVPYour First Activity: Build Your MVP
Your first project activity is to build your MVP—a complete initial implementation of your app as described in your PLAN.md. All major screens, navigation, and core functionality should be working by the time you’re done. This is a minimum viable product: it should be usable, not just a skeleton.
Once you complete the MVP, you’ll choose from additional app development activities in consultation with your project mentor. These cover areas like design, testing, deployment, and getting feedback from real users.
How Grading WorksHow Grading Works
The independent project is worth 20% of your grade and is graded on effort, not perfection.
- Work roughly 4 hours per week on your project for 5 of the 6 remaining weeks
- You get one floating week off—skip any week that doesn’t work for you
- An AI grader evaluates your Claude Code session transcripts and estimates how many hours of meaningful work you did—roughly 1% per hour, so 4 hours of work earns full credit for the week
- We want you to work steadily throughout the remainder of the semester rather than cramming everything into one session
- This grader is new and may need some tuning—please bear with us as we calibrate it
How We Verify Your WorkHow We Verify Your Work
- Commit and push after each work session—your Claude Code session logs are saved automatically
- Work on your current activity using Claude Code
- When you’ve finished an activity, go to the project page, generate a verification code, and share it with a staff member during section or tutoring
The verification code works in person or over video during tutoring—you don’t need to be physically present in section every time.
What Counts as Meaningful WorkWhat Counts as Meaningful Work
- Building features, fixing bugs, improving your app
- Engaging with Claude Code to write and modify code
- Learning about new Android concepts through conversation with Claude
- Making genuine progress on your current activity
What does not count:
- Having Claude open without meaningful interaction
- Work for other courses or conversations completely unrelated to your project
We may compare your Claude Code transcripts with the actual changes to your code to verify that they match up.
Academic IntegrityAcademic Integrity
The standard University of Illinois academic integrity policies apply to the independent project, including your Claude Code session transcripts. Here is how each category of infraction applies:
- Cheating: Having someone else conduct Claude Code sessions on your behalf or otherwise complete your project work for you
- Plagiarism: Directly copying another student’s code or Claude Code session logs and presenting them as your own
- Fabrication: Editing, manufacturing, or otherwise tampering with Claude Code session logs to misrepresent work you didn’t actually do, or inflating the apparent amount of effort in your transcripts
- Facilitation: Sharing your Claude Code session transcripts, repository access, or verification codes with another student so they can submit your work as theirs
- Bribes, favors, and threats: Attempting to influence project grading through inappropriate means
- Academic interference: Tampering with another student’s repository, session transcripts, or project materials
See the syllabus for full details.
Before You Leave: Commit and PushBefore You Leave: Commit and Push
Before getting your attendance scanned, make sure you commit and push your work. You can ask Claude to do this for you (try “please commit and push my work”), or use the Git integration in Android Studio.
Your Claude Code session transcripts are saved automatically with each commit. We use these logs to track your progress, so a push is required before you leave.
AttendanceAttendance
Once you’ve committed and pushed, show your progress to a staff member. They’ll scan your QR code for attendance.