Algorithm Question Type

A quiz question in which the student draws an algorithm as a flowchart and can run it before submitting. With tests, the answer is graded automatically.

Live demo: try the plugin on algorithm.tsp.edu.rs. Log in as a guest, or use the demo accounts teacher and student (password Demo-2026). Everything is reset every night.

What's New in v2.4.1

Default code language: the language the teacher chooses in the question form is the one students see first.
Function tests with arrays and matrices: Sort([3, 1, 2]) is graded by the value and by the array it changed.
Hide the code and the file tools: a new option keeps the generated code and the file import and export out of the attempt.
Step with a failed test: the student steps through the algorithm with the input of a failed test.
Safer grading: limits for recursion and output, typed input, and Random that gives the same numbers in every grading run; the upgrade computes the expected outputs again.
With tiny_algorithm 2.4: breakpoints, the call stack, a trace table, Break and Continue, pseudo-code and eleven languages.

Core features

Draw the algorithm: the same editor as in TinyMCE, with Run / Step, variable watch and generated code.
Runnable review: the teacher can run and step through the submitted diagram while grading.
Automatic grading: the teacher enters only the test inputs; the expected outputs are computed from the teacher's solution. Without tests the answer is graded manually.
Flexible tests: weights, function tests that call one function, comparison options (capital letters, spaces, a tolerance for numbers), hints and several tries, statistics per test.
Hidden tests and required structures: If, For, While, Do loop, array, matrix.
Analyse an algorithm: put an interactive diagram in the question text (needs filter_algorithm).

The algorithm plugins

Algorithm (flowchart): the flowchart editor in TinyMCE, with the interpreter and code generation.
Algorithm viewer (Run / Step): Run / Step for readers and the student features in any content.
Algorithm question type (this plugin): quiz questions graded automatically with tests.

Requirements

Moodle: 4.5 LTS to 5.3 (PHP as required by your Moodle version; tested on all of them).
tiny_algorithm: version 2.4.1 or newer; filter_algorithm is optional (interactive diagrams in question text).

Privacy

The student's answer is stored by the Moodle question engine like any other answer; the diagram runs in the browser and, for automatic grading, on your Moodle server; nothing is sent to external services. Test inputs and options are stored with the question. The plugin implements the Moodle Privacy API.

Developed by Boban Blagojević. Languages: English and Serbian (Latin and Cyrillic).
Source, documentation and issue tracker: github.com/blagojevicboban/moodle-qtype_algorithm
Licensed under the GNU GPL v3 or later.