What is a DCS?

A Demonstrable Competence Set (DCS) is a set of attributes we look for in a student's package which indicate that the student is able to develop quality software of the type on which the course is focussed.

How is the DCS assessed?

Once the code is confirmed to be functionally correct, the mentor reads the student's code to identify any attributes which conflict with the DCS.

Can I see the DCS?

Certainly! In fact, it's a good idea to take a close look at the DCS when you feel that you've completed a course's package. Because the courses focus on different technologies and coding principles, the DCS is different for each course. See the links below.

What are the DCS dates for?

Like a course, a DCS is a living document. As a course expands and industry requirements change, the DCS is updated to reflect these changes. The date of a student's certification indicates the DCS against which their software was assessed.

Evidence of Competency

What is Evidence of Competency?

Evidence of Competency (EoC) is a statement that the tutor-bot has run and parsed the code of all the exercises in the course, and assessed it as correct. You'll receive a statement like this which is the first step toward certification.

How do I get an EoC?

At the end of every week we collate data from the tutor-bot. If you've completed every exercise of the course, you'll get an email with a link to your EoC.

Is it really free?

Yes - because the tutor-bot does all the hard work, there's no extra charge.


What is a package?

For our purposes, a package is an application, its configuration files and its documentation in a form whereby its target audience is able to use and maintain it. The detailed explanation of these requirements can be found in the DCS.

How do I submit a package for assessment?

Just create a tarball from the directory of your project and leave it in the home directory of your eBox.