r/FreeCodeCamp • u/Cute_Persimmon_9931 • Sep 20 '26

Is using Socrates cheating

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I feel bad using Socrates when i try and google questions while still learning DOM manipulation and events. I’m on build a real time counter. Am I better off not using it and sticking to the fcc forum

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u/quincylarson Sep 23 '26

Just to confirm, we've design Socrates in a way that it doesn't give you the answer, it just helps guide you toward finding the answer yourself. Think of it as an expansion of our existing hints feature. To be 100% clear: no amount of Socrates use is cheating. It's no different from asking for help on the forum, just a lot faster.

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u/Cute_Persimmon_9931 Sep 24 '26

Hi Quincy! That’s great to hear! It’s my mind that’s not letting myself have grace for using tools to assist me in my coding journey. I use both forums and Socrates and notice that on forums they ask more questions to get you thinking and Socrates has a different approach. But that’s not bad just different. I realize that now :) I had to take a break from this challenge for a few days since it got to me but going to try and continue to get this. Thank you for all that you and your mods do. FCC has allowed me to continue my learning journey farther and better than any other resource and I am eternally grateful!!

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u/SaintPeter74 Sep 20 '26

Depends on how impatient you are. You're probably going to get better learning outcomes if you take the time to properly formulate a question, share your code, and let others guide you through the learning process. When you have a proper helper, they can help you help yourself.

If you just can't wait, Socrates has your back. It's no worse than using Gemini or some other LLM. Not not really cheating, but I don't think you're going to learn as much. We learn most when we fail, which means that getting the answer deprives you of the ability to fail successfully (if that makes sense).

Before there were LLMs there was just plain Google. There were wrong and right ways to use it too. The main thing is not to look at as solution to the coding problem but to look for how to use the tools you have available properly.

There is a lot to be said for attention to detail in programming. The challenge can be learning what to pay attention to. I think one of the obit ways to learn that is by trying and failing. Once you re-learn the same thing a few times it'll stick better than if an LLM just tells you where to put the comma or whatever.