Week 13: Data structures

Data structures keep related information together. In JavaScript an object is written with curly braces, and each key is paired with a value using a colon, as in { name: "Deniz" }. Several fields are separated by commas. You read one value back with a dot, so person.name gives you the stored text Deniz. This week you practice writing braces, colons and dots together, so you can build small records without stopping to look at the keys.

What you will learn

This week uses four symbols on the US English layout:

• { is Shift plus the left square bracket key. Press Shift with the opposite pinky and the bracket key with your right pinky.
• } is Shift plus the right square bracket key. Press Shift with the opposite pinky and the bracket key with your right pinky.
• : is Shift plus the semicolon key. Press Shift with the opposite pinky and the semicolon key with your right pinky.
• . is the period key, pressed with your right ring finger.

Practice with { name: "Deniz" } to build an object and person.name to read one of its fields.

Technique tips

• Open each brace and close it before you write the fields inside it.
• The colon and the semicolon share one key. Hold Shift before you press it so you get a colon.
• Separate fields with commas, and check each comma right after you type it.
• Keep your right pinky steady for both braces and the colon.
• Type person.name as one unit, dot included.

Lessons

1. Learn (10–15 minutes): Watch the keyboard demo for {, }, : and ., then type each symbol a few times.
2. Practice (10–15 minutes): Type { name: "Deniz" } objects and person.name reads again and again.
3. Review (10–15 minutes): Take the two-minute test and focus on the colon inside each field.

This week’s goal

Your targets are 22 WPM and 94% accuracy. Finishing the week earns one star. Reaching 94% accuracy earns two stars, and reaching the speed target as well earns three. A missing colon leaves a field unreadable, so get the structure right before you speed up.