First Drive — Block Coding Guide

You can do everything in this session with blocks instead of typing Python. Pybricks shows the matching Python next to your blocks (live preview), so the block track and the Python track end up at the same place — you can peek at the Python any time to see what your blocks turned into.

Same robot, same ideas. Blocks and Python are just two ways to give the robot the same instructions.

1. Switch to blocks

In code.pybricks.com, make a new block program (choose blocks instead of Python when you create it). You’ll see a blocks canvas with a palette of blocks on the side and a live Python preview.

2. Set up the robot

Use the setup / configuration area to tell Pybricks about your robot. This is the block version of the hub, Motor, and DriveBase lines in the Python:

  1. Add the hub.
  2. Add your two drive motors, and set the port for each (match the port the motor is actually plugged into — e.g. A and B).
  3. If a motor makes the robot go backward, change that motor’s direction.
  4. Turn the two motors into a robot / drive base and enter the wheel diameter and axle track. Start with 56 and 112 — these are guesses you will calibrate today, not correct answers.

This is the block equivalent of:

robot = DriveBase(left, right, wheel_diameter=56, axle_track=112)

3. Drive and turn

From the movement blocks:

What you want Block Python it matches
Drive forward 300 mm “drive straight 300 mm” robot.straight(300)
Turn right 90° “turn 90 degrees” robot.turn(90)

Remember: distance is in millimeters, turns are in degrees, and positive turn = clockwise / right (use a negative number to turn left).

4. Repeat to make a square

Use a repeat / loop block set to 4 times, and put the “drive straight” and “turn 90°” blocks inside it:

repeat 4 times:
    drive straight 300 mm
    turn 90 degrees

That’s the block version of:

for i in range(4):
    robot.straight(300)
    robot.turn(90)

5. Calibrate (same as the Python track)

Calibration is identical no matter which track you use:

  1. Make a tiny program with just one drive straight 1000 mm block. Run it and measure how far the robot really went. Adjust the wheel diameter in setup.
  2. Make a tiny program with just one turn 360° block. Run it and check it spins exactly once. Adjust the axle track in setup.

Write your measured numbers on the worksheet.

Ready to try Python?

Look at the live Python preview next to your blocks — that’s real code your blocks made. When you’re curious, start a Python program and type the commands from the main session page. Same robot, same results.