Everyone gets stuck. Whether you're learning something new or tackling a problem for the first time, it's inevitable you'll need some help along the way. When you get stuck today, you search Google or scan online forums with varying degrees of success. You bug your coworker across the aisle. You struggle and waste valuable time. It's one of the biggest challenges with online learning and one we've been trying to solve for 11+ years at Pluralsight, but there's been a missing piece: live help.

That's all changing.

I'm excited to announce we've acquired HackHands, which pairs learners in need with real-time help from experts.

How it works

It's like calling 911 for your code. When you need help, you push a button, and your request goes out to the HackHands' community, a group of knowledgeable, vetted professionals. Within minutes, you're connected with a mentor through video chat and screen share. Together, you can work through problems, edit code, review architecture, or talk through questions. You can get unstuck. Immediately.

Sessions start at $1 per minute, with the first five minutes risk free, so you can make sure you've found the right mentor.

About HackHands

Just as Pluralsight was originally founded by developers for developers, HackHands had a similar start. Founders Forest Good, Geraldo Ramos and Assis Antunes launched the site in 2013 in New York City as part of the WeWork Labs ecosystem and Brazilian dev shop 6PS Group. As developers, they too had encountered roadblocks on projects and were frustrated with the lack of hands-on help. And they saw a huge opportunity to connect mentors with learners in an industry that changes faster than any other.

Integration with Pluralsight

Adding an ecosystem of mentors to Pluralsight will make for a truly personalized learning journey. Imagine the next time you're watching a course and don't understand something. What if you could immediately talk through the topic with someone who watched the course a few weeks ago, or better yet, the person who created it? On the flip side, what if you recently mastered a new skill and can now help a fellow learner do the same?

That's right. HackHands isn't just about getting the help you need- it's about helping others, too. When you teach, you learn, and we hope you'll consider becoming a mentor. It's a fun way to supplement your income and give back to the tech community.

While HackHands' origin focused on software development, we believe all learners will benefit from having on-demand help. We're expanding our mentor network to address the needs of creative, IT ops and other learners. If you specialize in one of these areas, don't hesitate to apply to become a mentor now. Although you won't have a mentee in the short-term, we'll start introducing you to the HackHands experience and send you more information as the integration into Pluralsight nears.

If you're not interested in becoming a mentor at this time, we encourage you to visit HackHands.com to see how virtual mentoring can save you time and help you create better work. And the next time you get stuck, remember-you're not alone.

Interested in joining HackHands? Sign up to get help or become a mentor.

Learn more about this acquisition: Read our press release and FAQs.