Rosalind

What Rosalind is

Rosalind is a web learning site where people build programming skills by solving bioinformatics problems. Its tracks include Python Village, Bioinformatics Stronghold, Bioinformatics Armory, Bioinformatics Textbook Track, and Algorithmic Heights. Python Village starts with programming basics for newcomers, while Stronghold includes problems on mass spectrometry, sequence alignment, genome assembly, phylogeny, probability, and string algorithms. After a learner submits a solution, Rosalind checks it automatically. Learners can write code on their own computers and upload or paste the answer; the site accepts any programming language.

Rosalind is intended for biologists learning to program and programmers new to computational problems in molecular biology. Faculty can create classes, assign problems, follow student progress, review submissions, and access a grade sheet. Professors can request a free Faculty account. The site is free and open to the public, with no free trial. Problems have time limits, and learners must wait after an incorrect answer before trying again. Rosalind describes itself as a joint project of the University of California at San Diego, Saint Petersburg Academic University, and the Russian Academy of Sciences. It says the software behind the site was not open sourced at the time of writing, with a plan to release the engine when ready and documented.

Who it suits

Rosalind suits biologists who want to develop programming skills and programmers learning computational problems in molecular biology. Its Python Village track supports programming beginners, while faculty tools support university-level teaching and progress review.

Limits

Public and Faculty access are free. Problems have time limits, and after an incorrect answer users must wait before trying again; plagiarism checking was being implemented, so instructors had to compare code themselves.

Getting started

1. Open https://rosalind.info/ in a web browser.
2. Choose a problem track, such as Python Village or Bioinformatics Stronghold.
3. Write code on your computer in any programming language.
4. Upload or paste the resulting answer for automatic checking.
5. Professors can request a Faculty account to use classroom tools.

Verdict

Choose Rosalind for free web-based practice in programming and bioinformatics, especially if you teach a class or are new to the subject. Its problem-based learning covers several tracks and automatically checks answers. Faculty who need plagiarism checking must compare student code themselves.