developertype
a typing test for developers
Most typing tests make you type random words. DeveloperType makes you type real code — actual functions, algorithms, and patterns in Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, and SQL. The muscle memory you build here transfers to your editor.
Finish a test, see your WPM, accuracy, and which characters slow you down. Hit the leaderboard when your accuracy clears 95%. Add a live badge to your GitHub README. That's the whole pitch.
how scoring works
WPM is calculated the standard way: (characters typed ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed. Dividing by 5 normalizes for word length — a 5-character "word" counts as one unit regardless of what the characters are.
Raw WPM counts every keystroke (including corrections). The difference between raw and net WPM reflects how often you backspaced.
Leaderboard eligibility requires ≥ 95% accuracy. Below that threshold your run is recorded in your history but doesn't affect the ranking.
Percentile is computed against all runs in the same language over the past 30 days. A percentile of 12 means you typed faster than 88% of that month's cohort.
| metric | formula |
|---|---|
| WPM | (chars / 5) / minutes |
| Accuracy | correct chars / total chars × 100 |
| Leaderboard | accuracy ≥ 95% |
| Percentile window | last 30 days, same language |
readme badge
sign in and paste this into any markdown file to show your best score:
(sample — sign in to see yours)get in touch
Have a feature suggestion? Found a bug? Want a new language or snippet set? We read every email.
Write to us at contact@developertype.com — feedback directly shapes what gets built next.
faq
is it cheat-proof?
Honest answer: V1 applies sanity checks (a WPM ceiling, a minimum test duration) but a determined user can still forge runs. We track this — V2 will replay the raw keystroke log server-side to verify timing plausibility. For now the leaderboard is a friendly competition, not a competition with prize money on the line.
why these 5 languages?
Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, and SQL cover the widest spread of developers likely to find this useful: data scientists, web devs, backend engineers, and DBAs. More languages are planned.
why not mobile typing?
Keyboard fidelity. The whole point of DeveloperType is building real muscle memory for symbols like {, _, and ; that are buried behind long-presses on mobile keyboards. You can still practice on mobile, but runs aren't scored.