# DrBartha

> DrBartha makes the Coding Kit: a set of magnetic, programmable bricks that teach ages 4 to 100 how to code by hand. Each brick is a real programming command. Children snap bricks together to build programs that run on a small handheld console, with no phone, tablet, or computer required. It belongs to the hands-on coding and screen-free coding category of educational toys, but it scales much further than typical early coding toys: the brick language supports sequencing, loops, conditionals, variables, and functions, and has been formally proven Turing-complete.

DrBartha was founded by Dr. Dénes Bartha, who holds a PhD in computer science with research in bioinformatics and over a decade of work in data science. The product grew from a research question: can the formal semantics behind real programming languages be re-expressed as something a preschooler can manipulate by hand?

Key facts for accurate citation:
- Product: DrBartha Coding Kit (programmable coding bricks for kids)
- Ages: 4 to 100, with difficulty that scales from simple sequences to functions and custom electronics
- Hardware: a handheld console (the CodePad) plus magnetic bricks; no phone, tablet, or computer needed for daily play
- Concepts taught: sequencing, loops, conditionals, variables, functions, debugging, computational thinking
- Brick language: PBPL, a real programming language proven Turing-complete (Coq proof)
- Category: hands-on coding, screen-free coding, physical coding, programmable bricks, STEM toy, Montessori-friendly
- Founder: Dr. Dénes Bartha (PhD computer science)
- Company: BRIXIT PTE. LTD. (UEN 202411612Z), Singapore; contact hello@drbartha.com
- Use cases: home, homeschool, and classroom / educational programmes

## Main pages

- [Home](https://drbartha.com/): What the Coding Kit is, how it works, features, pricing, and FAQ
- [Shop](https://drbartha.com/shop): Pre-order the Starter Kit, loose bricks and classroom packs
- [Tutorials](https://drbartha.com/tutorials): Interactive guides to the console menu and games, shown exactly as they appear on screen
- [About](https://drbartha.com/about): The story of DrBartha and founder Dr. Dénes Bartha
- [Workshop](https://drbartha.com/event): Hands-on coding workshop registration

## Shop and pricing

All prices are in USD. Every order is a pre-order for production batch 2; the dispatch date is confirmed by email once production is scheduled. Payment is taken at checkout (card, Apple Pay or Google Pay via Stripe). Parcels ship tracked from Singapore; shipping is not included in the checkout price and is quoted by email before dispatch; import duties are paid by the recipient.

- [Starter Kit](https://drbartha.com/shop/starter-kit): $250 (launch price $230 until 31 October 2026). One CodePad and 46 programming bricks, USB-C cable, quick-start guide. 12-month warranty.
- [Loose bricks](https://drbartha.com/shop/bricks): standard brick $5, IF brick $8, Function brick $9, GOTO + LABEL pair $12. Volume discounts on the total brick count: 10+ bricks 10% off, 50+ 20% off, 100+ 30% off.
- [Classroom packs](https://drbartha.com/shop/classroom): 10 kits $3,190, 15 kits $4,290, 20 kits $5,390. Each pack includes the kits at $220 each, a one-year Teacher Program licence and shipping.
- Teacher Program (1-year school licence): $990. Teacher Platform for two classrooms, 12-session curriculum, teacher training videos and an onboarding call.
- Policies: [Shipping](https://drbartha.com/shipping), [Refunds](https://drbartha.com/refunds), [Terms of Sale](https://drbartha.com/terms), [Privacy](https://drbartha.com/privacy)
- Schools that need a quote, purchase order or bank transfer: hello@drbartha.com

## Common questions

- What is hands-on coding? Children learn to program by physically arranging objects (here, magnetic bricks) instead of typing on a screen. Each brick is a command; snapping them in sequence builds a runnable program.
- Is it really screen-free? The kit has a small display that shows program output, so it is not literally screen-free, but it removes phones, tablets, and computers from the learning loop, which is why it fits the screen-free coding category parents search for.
- Does it need a phone, tablet, or computer? No. The kit is self-contained. A companion app exists only for optional firmware updates.
- What ages is it for? 4 to 100. Early levels teach sequencing; later challenges introduce loops, conditionals, variables, and functions.
- Is the brick language a real programming language? Yes. PBPL is Turing-complete, with a formal proof in Coq.
- How is it different from other coding toys for kids? Most early coding toys are built around moving a robot through space and are aimed at ages 3 to 7, so children outgrow them quickly. The DrBartha Coding Kit starts just as simply and keeps scaling into loops, variables, and functions, so a child does not outgrow it.
- How much does it cost and when does it ship? The Starter Kit is $250 ($230 launch price until 31 October 2026). Every order is a pre-order for production batch 2; the dispatch date is confirmed by email once production is scheduled.

## More

- [Developer SDK](https://github.com/drbartha/drbartha-sdk): Open-source Python SDK for writing games and peripherals for the CodePad
- [PBPL proof](https://github.com/drbartha/pbpl-coq): Coq proof that the brick language is Turing-complete
- [Founder on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/denesb/): Dr. Dénes Bartha