Cases are the heart of Praxicraft. Each one is a real-world data engineering challenge wrapped in a fictional business scenario. Here's how they work and how to get the most out of them.

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## What is a case?

A case gives you everything you need to solve a data problem:

* A **scenario brief** — the fictional business context setting the scene

* A **task** with a clear objective and expected output

* **Downloadable assets** like CSV files and schemas

* **Hints** you can unlock if you get stuck (heads up — each hint costs XP!)

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## What types of cases are there?

Cases are organised by track:

* **Python** — write Python code using pandas, NumPy, and other data tools

* **SQL** — write SQL queries evaluated against a DuckDB sandbox

* **Linux** — complete shell-based data tasks in a sandboxed Linux environment

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## What's the difference between Run and Submit?

Great question — they're not the same thing!

* **Run** — executes your code and shows the output, but doesn't count as a submission attempt. Perfect for testing your work before committing

* **Submit** — your official attempt, evaluated for XP. Only hit this when you're ready!

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## Why did my submission fail even though my output looks right?

This happens more than you'd think! Common culprits:

* Trailing whitespace or extra newlines in your output

* Column order that differs from the expected output

* Floating-point precision — make sure you're rounding to the expected number of decimal places

* Encoding issues in string outputs

Double-check the expected output shown on the case page and compare it line by line with yours.

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## Can I use hints?

Absolutely. Each case has hints that progressively nudge you toward the solution. Just keep in mind:

* Unlocking a hint costs XP from your current balance

* Use them strategically — that's your hard-earned XP you're spending!

* Hints don't affect your rank or lifetime XP

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## Can I go back to a completed case?

Yes! Completed cases stay accessible any time for review and don't count against your monthly case limit (where applicable).

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*Last updated: March 2026 — Praxicraft Platform*