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DuckType — Spec

Problem

Monkeytype is the standard for typing practice, but its code support is

shallow: pick a language and it drops in a single line of code as plain

text, no indentation handling, no syntax highlighting, no real editor feel.

Typing.io is closer to purpose-built for code but is dated, clunky, and not

free-tier friendly. There is an open, unresolved feature request against

Monkeytype's own GitHub asking for exactly this ("IDE-style code practice

mode") — nobody has built it well yet.

Programmers who want to build typing speed *for the symbols and patterns

that actually show up in real code* (brackets, indentation, camelCase,

snake_case, operators, common idioms) don't have a good tool. There's also

no tool that doubles as DSA-solution typing practice, which is a related

but distinct use case (typing out known algorithms to build muscle memory

for interviews / competitive programming).

Goal

Build a Monkeytype-quality typing test, purpose-built for code, called

DuckType. Two things have to both be true:

  1. It has to feel as fast, minimal, and frictionless as Monkeytype —

    land on the page, start typing immediately, no clicking through menus.

  2. It has to be a real, deep tool for programmers — real syntax

    highlighting, real multi-line code, real language support, real DSA

    practice, accounts and history.

The "instant start" feel and the "deep configurability" feel are both

core to the product, not in tension — configuration should be reachable

(command palette, settings) without ever being required before typing.

Core Features (v1)

1. Typing engine

  • Live character-by-character comparison against a target snippet

  • Real-time syntax highlighting of the snippet (language-aware coloring),

    with correct/incorrect/untyped state layered on top

  • Standard stats: WPM, raw WPM, accuracy, consistency, error count

  • Timer starts on first keystroke, not on page load

  • Results screen after completion, with the option to immediately restart

    or move to the next snippet with no intermediate menu

2. Instant-start experience (Monkeytype parity)

  • Landing on the site drops the user straight into a ready-to-type test —

    no login wall, no mode selection required first

  • A snippet is pre-selected by sensible defaults; typing the first

    character just starts the test immediately, same as Monkeytype

  • Restarting a test or grabbing a new snippet is a single keystroke

    (e.g. tab, or a visible restart icon), not a page navigation

3. Command palette

  • A single keyboard shortcut (e.g. Esc or Cmd/Ctrl+P, Monkeytype-style)

    opens a searchable command palette

  • From the palette, the user can: change language, change mode

    (general/framework/DSA/custom), change theme, change font, change test

    length/behavior, jump to history/stats, sign in/out

  • Palette is fuzzy-searchable by typing, not just a static menu

4. Modes

  • General — idiomatic snippets in a base language

  • Framework — idiomatic snippets scoped to a framework (React,

    Django, etc.)

  • DSA — well-known algorithm/data-structure problems, problem

    statement shown alongside the solution being typed

  • Custom / bring-your-own — user pastes arbitrary code and types it;

    saved privately to their account

  • Mode and language selection persist as the user's default for next

    visit (remembered preference, not reset every session)

5. Snippet library

  • Multi-language from day one: Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, C++, Java,

    Go, Rust (initial set — extensible)

  • Curated, not scraped — hand-picked idiomatic snippets per

    language/framework, and well-known DSA problems with full solutions

  • Snippets tagged by language, framework (optional), difficulty, category

6. Themes and fonts

  • Multiple selectable color themes (dark-first, Monkeytype-style variety),

    switchable from the command palette or a settings panel, applied

    instantly with no reload

  • Multiple selectable monospace fonts, same instant-switch behavior

  • Theme/font choice persisted per user (or locally if not signed in)

7. Accounts & persistence (CRUD)

  • User accounts (auth) — but never required to take a test, only to save

    history/stats or bring-your-own snippets long-term

  • Every completed test/attempt is stored: WPM, raw WPM, accuracy,

    consistency, error count, snippet reference, timestamp

  • User-facing history/stats over time

  • Public curated snippets vs. private user-submitted snippets, with

    appropriate access control (users only see/manage their own private

    snippets)

  • Settings (theme, font, default language/mode) persisted to the account

    when signed in, falling back to local/browser storage when not

Non-goals (v1)

  • Leaderboards / social features

  • Real-time multiplayer races

  • Mobile app (web only)

  • Auto-scraping snippets from live open-source repos (curated content only

    for v1)

Open Questions / Future Considerations

  • Which frameworks (beyond base languages) get dedicated snippet sets

    first — React? Django? Something else?

  • How large should the curated snippet pool be at launch per

    language/category before it feels "enough"?

  • Should private user-submitted snippets ever be promotable to public

    (e.g. with moderation), or stay permanently private?

  • Difficulty calibration for DSA problems — self-labeled, or based on a

    known source (LeetCode-style easy/medium/hard)?

  • Exact theme/font list for launch — how many is "enough variety" without

    overwhelming a v1?