Software tools and practices is a core course in the third semester of the information sciences major (for the 2025 batch). This is also the third course in the minor sequence for the 2024 batch. Students in the course will engage with different software tools and practices that would be useful in professional settings. Given the rapid pace of digital technology evolution, students have to be comfortable picking up new tools and technologies independently using online resources. Instruction in the course will be restricted to fundamental concepts. Most of the course will involve figuring out how to use tools after reading documentation. Students would also have to come up with a plan for learning a tool/​programming language on their own and executing the plan. Overall, the course prepares students for professional contexts they are likely to encounter outside the university.