Programming is telling computers what to do, and it powers almost everything around you. You'll learn some history, explore different languages, and write programs of your own. Even if you've never coded before, you can start today.
Why it's worth it
Code runs your phone, your family's car, the traffic lights on your street, and the games you play. This badge gives you a taste of how programmers think: breaking a big problem into small steps, testing, fixing bugs, and trying again. You'll write programs in three different languages, which shows you that once you learn one, the next comes faster. Whether you end up building apps, controlling robots, analyzing data, or just automating boring chores, these are skills that keep paying off.
Start this week
- Try a one-hour beginner coding lesson online this week, in blocks or text, and make one small change to see what happens.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Programming counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
- Walk through your home and list every device you think runs code, from the microwave to the thermostat.
- Watch the Digital Safety video with a parent for requirement 1, and set up a comfortable spot to code with the screen at eye level.
Stay safe
- Take a break every 30 minutes or so to rest your eyes and stretch your hands and back.
- Ask a parent before creating accounts on coding sites, and don't share personal information or chat privately with people you meet in online communities.
Requirements · 6
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).
- Requirement 1
Safety
Tips for this section: Watch the Digital Safety video and talk about ways to avoid eye strain and sore wrists when you're at a screen.
- Requirement 1a
With a parent's or guardian's permission, watch the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video
- Requirement 1b
Discuss how to prevent and give first aid for injuries that can happen while programming, including repetitive stress injuries and eyestrain
- Requirement 2
Talk with your counselor about how programming and programming languages developed over time, covering at least three milestones
Tip: Look up a few milestones in computing history and how programming languages have changed.
For example: Pick five milestones and explain each in a sentence: Ada Lovelace's notes on the Analytical Engine, Grace Hopper's early compiler, FORTRAN, the rise of personal computers with BASIC, and languages like Python and JavaScript today.
- Requirement 3
General knowledge
Tips for this section: Make a list of devices around your house that run code, from phones to microwaves.
Example for this section: Your list might include Python, JavaScript, Java, C, and Swift, with what each is often used for. Then name programmed devices you use daily: a phone, a game console, a car's dashboard, a smart speaker, a microwave.
- Requirement 3a
List five widely used programming languages and describe which industries mainly use each one and why
- Requirement 3b
Describe three programmed devices that you depend on every day
- Requirement 4
Intellectual property
Tips for this section: Talk about why it matters to respect software licenses and the work of other programmers.
Example for this section: Name the four kinds of intellectual property that can protect a program: copyright, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. Then show what licenses mean in practice: you can reuse an open-source library if you follow its license, but copying a paid game's code and sharing it isn't allowed.
- Requirement 4a
Explain the four kinds of intellectual property that protect computer programs
- Requirement 4b
Describe how licensing software differs from owning it
- Requirement 4c
Describe how freeware, open-source, and commercial software differ, and why you should respect each one's terms of use
- Requirement 5
With your counselor's guidance, pick three different programming languages and development environments to use for 5a, 5b, and 5c
Tip: Try a block-based language first, then a text language. Start small, like a simple game or calculator.
For example: Three programs in three languages: a Scratch game where a sprite collects stars, a Python program that quizzes you on Scout Law points, and a JavaScript web page that converts miles to kilometers. Explain how each one works.
- Requirement 5a
Using language and environment #1, write a new program or change an existing one so it takes input, makes decisions and computations, and gives output; debug it, demo it for your counselor, and explain how it works
- Requirement 5b
Using language and environment #2, write or change a program with input, decisions, computations, and output; then debug it, demo it, and explain it to your counselor
- Requirement 5c
Using language and environment #3, write or change a program with input, decisions, computations, and output; then debug it, demo it, and explain it to your counselor
- Requirement 6
Careers and hobbies. Choose 1 of 2
Tips for this section: Ask a programmer about their job, or join a coding club at school or the library.
- Requirement 6a
Research one programming career (training, education, costs, job outlook, pay, duties, advancement), with a parent's OK for online searches, interviews, or visits; discuss what you found and its appeal with your counselor
- Requirement 6b
Research how programming skills could support a hobby or healthy lifestyle, including training, costs, and supporting organizations, then discuss your short- and long-term goals with your counselor
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A library or school coding club
You can work on your programs with other beginners and get help from volunteers who code.
How: A parent can check the library or school calendar and sign you up. Go with a buddy if you can.
A software company or university computer science department
Seeing developers work in teams shows you how big programs are planned, tested, and released.
How: A parent or leader can contact the company's community office or the department's outreach coordinator and ask about a group tour or open house.
Where it can lead
- Software developerDesigns and builds apps, websites, and systems; many have a computer science degree, others learn through bootcamps.
- Game developerPrograms the rules, physics, and graphics that make games playable.
- Cybersecurity analystProtects computer systems from attacks; the military trains many people for this work.
- Data scientistWrites code to find patterns in large amounts of data for science, health, or business.
- Embedded systems engineerWrites the code inside cars, medical devices, and appliances.
Ask yourself
- What problem in your own life would you like to solve with code?
- What was the most frustrating bug you hit, and how did you finally find it?
- How did learning a second language feel compared with the first?
- Who could you ask for help when you're stuck, and how do you decide when to ask?
- What would you like to build next that you couldn't build when you started?
Good questions to ask a software developer or your counselor
- How do you approach a problem before you start writing code?
- What do you do when you're stuck on a bug for a long time?
- Which language would you recommend learning next, and why?
- How do programmers work together on the same code without breaking things?
- What does a normal day look like in your job?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Set up a coding night where scouts can help each other with projects.
- Connect scouts with a library or school coding club.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- Code.org (opens in a new tab) — Free beginner coding lessons.
- Scratch (opens in a new tab) — A free block-based language for beginners.
- Public library — Books, videos, and a librarian who can help you dig deeper.
- Computer History Museum (opens in a new tab) — Stories and timelines of how computers and programming languages developed.
- Khan Academy Computer Programming (opens in a new tab) — Free lessons in JavaScript and other programming basics.
- Python.org (opens in a new tab) — The official home of the Python language, with a beginner's guide.
- Open Source Initiative (opens in a new tab) — What open-source licenses are and how they let people share code.
Pairs well with
Into this? Explore more
Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.