Introducing the freeCodeCamp 2019 Top Contributors

2019 has been a big year for the global freeCodeCamp community.

• More people are answering questions on the forum.
• Our publication has several new, rising authors.
• And our community has made hundreds of improvements to our curriculum and learning platform.

In 2019, people used freeCodeCamp for a grand total of more than 1.1 billion minutes. That's 2,000 years, or an average of 2,000 people using freeCodeCamp at any given moment.

freeCodeCamp is a tiny donor supported nonprofit with only 7 full-time staff and a budget of only US $373,119.

And yet we are able to accomplish the mission of a 100-person nonprofit with a multi-million dollar budget.

How are we able to do this?

Because we have a global community of volunteers.

I have met with all of these people over the years, and I can say without hesitation: these contributors are among the most kind, thoughtful people I've ever met.

And in the final week of 2019, I want to recognize their incredible efforts and all that they've accomplished this year.

Without further ado, here are 2019's top contributors who make possible freeCodeCamp's ambitious mission of helping people around the world learn to code for free.

Some quick notes: This list focuses on people who are contributing through:

• the open source codebase and curriculum
• the community publication
• the community forum
• the community YouTube channel

We're shipping each of these top contributors a special version of our limited edition freeCodeCamp backpacks.

Some people have already started receiving theirs.

Note that we will recognize contributors to our new Chapter project once it launches - along with the many people who lead freeCodeCamp chapters around the world.

Note that most of the people recognized here on this year's list weren't Top Contributors in 2018.

If you contributed to freeCodeCamp in 2019 but didn't make the list, keep it up. There's a good chance you can make our list for 2020.

Here's the full list in reverse alphabetical order by first name. I list some contributors by their desired pseudonyms out of respect for their privacy.

Zubin Pratap - Publication Author

@ZubinPratap
"I want people to benefit from support that I'd fervently wished I had when I was learning to code."

Yazeed Bzadough - Publication Author

@yazeedBee
"Teaching is how I learn best. If I can't explain it simply, I don't know it well enough. In 2020, I'm going to 10x my 2019 contributions to freeCodeCamp."

Yuping Wu - Publication Author

"Writing about programming helps me consolidate what I've learned."

Xing "S1ngS1ng" Liu - Codebase Contributor

@liuxing0514
"I received lots of help from all the communities when I started learning to code. I consider investing time in helping others is a good way to return the favor"

Will Ward - Codebase Contributor and Forum Moderator

@willjw3
"I’m proud to have helped other learners work through various problems they couldn’t get past. Those who don’t code in the future will be at a disadvantage. I’m glad to try to remove that disadvantage wherever possible. I love coding, and I’d like to see those who have a strong interest in it as well, succeed."

Vivek Agrawal - Curriculum Contributor

@vkwebdev
"I know my time invested in making the platform better will impact millions of future learners and this gives me thrills."

Viktors Jenovs - Forum Moderator

@jenovs
"1,600 forum posts and counting. I'm just giving back to community."

Victoria Drake - Publication Author

@victoriadotdev
"Sharing knowledge is how we all learn! Open source material and courses like fCC helped me become a better developer. The future of the skills economy is largely technical, so I like to think I’m helping to pay it forward for the next generation of programmers."

Victor Gonzalez - Publication Author

@coderstape
"I want to teach to improve their quality of life forever and because I want to change as many lives as possible."

Top Qiang - Curriculum Contributor and Publication Author

"In 2020, I'm planning to write more about machine learning."

Tony Soukkeo - Forum Moderator

@s0ukke05
"It’s a nice feeling when you help guide or nudge someone in the right direction, and then you see them complete the challenge. We’ve all been been a beginner at some point. So I know The frustration of being stuck. I can help others out while also reinforcing my own knowledge."

Tom Mondloch - Codebase Contributor

@mot01
"I enjoy giving back to the community and I help out where I can."

Tobias Parent - Forum Moderator

@snowmonkey
"I'm passionate about coding. I have been for more than thirty years. And I recently discovered a passion for teaching and mentoring as well. freeCodeCamp's learners really, really want to learn. And that process is dynamic and exciting to be part of."

Tim Ruscica - YouTube Contributor

@techwithtimm
"I believe everyone has the right to education and that programming is an amazing field with unlimited possibilities. Everyone should be able to learn it despite their background or situation and I want to help make that possible. I will continue to contribute high quality video courses that can help a diverse group of aspiring programmers."

Thomas Weibenfalk - Publication Author and YouTube Contributor

@weibenfalk
"I've learned most of my coding skills during a lifetime of searching for answers in the community. I know the power of that. That's why it's great to be able to share my knowledge the same way. Also, I've worked with a lot of clients during the years. It is not even close to being as satisfying as teaching people stuff. Teaching can change peoples lives!"

Syk Houdeib - Publication Author

@syknapse
"I wouldn't have made a successful career switch if it wasn't for the help and the time of lots of people who directly or indirectly gave me a hand along the way. And I love to pay it forward."

Steve Roma - Forum Moderator

@roma
"I like being able to do code reviews on people's projects and help push someone to where they get that ah-ha moment and it comes together for them. It was how I learned, others giving hints and helping rather than just giving an answer. I hope to broaden my knowledge more to be able to help more. There are a few mods that I strive to be more like."

Sonya Moisset - Publication Author

@SonyaMoisset
"I like to give back to the community and to FreeCodeCamp."

Shi Yao - Codebase Contributor

@techquery_fcc
"I enjoy meeting other wonderful people through contributing to open source."

Shifa Martin - Publication Author

@valuecoders
"I like to help other developers better understand their code complexity and help them solve their problems."

Ryan Michael Kay - YouTube Contributor

@wiseAss301
"Being a self-taught developer, I feel it is my responsibility to help the next generation of developers through the problems and pitfalls I went through."

Randell Dawson - Forum Moderator and Codebase Contributor

@randelldawson
"I have learned so much more about the ins and outs of JavaScript by trying to explain complex concepts in plain language to campers. It is a win for the camper and a win for me. The better I get at explaining the concepts, the better I can identify when to implement them in my own projects. In 2020, I'm looking forward to implementing a completely autonomous bot that will help expedite the review process of pull requests in the freeCodeCamp repo."

Pier Paolo Ippolito - Publication Author

@Pier_Paolo_28
"My latest freeCodeCamp article got tweeted by NVIDIA's official twitter account. This kind of exposure encourages me to learn always something new and to gain a deeper understanding of the different subjects. In 2020, I will publish more articles related to algorithms implementation and end-to-end projects."

Phillip Shim - Codebase Contributor and Forum Moderator

@shimphillip
"Coding is so much fun. When I help other people learn how to code, I get to have more fun because I am coding and helping at the same time!"

Peter Gleeson - Publication Author

@pg0408
"I enjoy learning, and I want to share that learning with others. Technology underpins so much of modern life, yet relatively few people understand how it actually works. freeCodeCamp is helping give back that control to thousands of people every day."

Parth Parth - Codebase Contributor

@codingaviator
"Contributing to freeCodeCamp gives me a sense of responsibility and a tremendous joy. With the revamp, there are quite a few additional improvements to make. Let’s work on those!"

Oussama Jlassi - Publication Author

@osama1185
"Asking a teacher why teaching is important is like asking the sun why it's important to have a solar system."

Oleg Romanyuk - Publication Author

@olehrom1
"I'm not a professional developer, and I know how hard it is to learn technical topics. Many people stop trying to enter the IT world, scared of all the jargon and snobbish attitude to newcomers, especially without a solid technical background. So I think by putting complicated things into simple words, I'm helping people with whom I deeply sympathize."

Niraj Nandish - Codebase Contributor

@nirajn2311
When I first started to learn coding it wasn't easy. So I think that we can make it simpler by helping others."

Nicolas Mancilla - Codebase Contributor

@nicolas_amv
"Helping others understand their code is my way of giving back what others have taught me freely, including Free Code Camp."

Nelson Djalo - YouTube Contributor

@amigoscode
"There is a lot of talent out there to be discovered and not everyone has the privilege to go to universities. But everyone has freeCodeCamp."

Nate Ebel - YouTube Contributor

@n8ebel
"I really believe strongly in helping give back to others to help pay back the amazing education and mentorship I've received over the years. I enjoy helping people dream, learn, and create."

Mihail Gaberov - Publication Author

@mihailgaberov
"I like to learn myself and share the things I learn with others, too."

Megan Kaczanowski - Publication Author

@megansdoingfine
"I typically write articles based on things I've struggled with in the past. It's incredibly rewarding to see that other people are able to benefit from the lessons I learned during this process. Technology feels like it has the possibility to be an incredible equalizer. It's increasingly important that a diverse group is responsible for making the decisions which shape technology."

Matthew Potter - Codebase Contributor

@askmp
"Ideas are unique in that the more you share them, the more you get in return."

Matthew Freire - YouTube Contributor

@justdjangocode
"Education is extremely important. And sharing information can only help communities grow and provide more value around the world."

Manish Giri - Codebase Contributor

@1_infinite_loop
"When I was learning to code, I continually struggled with the lack of free and quality resources available out there. When I had doubts, asking questions on StackOverflow meant spending more time on phrasing and re-phrasing the question itself (due to fear of downvotes), rather than focusing on the problem at hand. When contributing to open source, GitHub project maintainers would often ignore my questions. Having gone through all of this, I know how much it means when someone can help you with your questions, or guide you on your journey, as you get your feet wet with coding. That is why I try to help out as many people as I can."

Madalena Aza - Forum Moderator and Codebase Contributor

@Maza_Design
"I have always believed that you learn so much by helping others. I am learning to code myself. So whenever I help others, this also improves my own  confidence with these skills."

Lasse Jørgensen - Forum Moderator

@lasjorg
"Teaching and giving help can be very rewarding. It also keeps me busy and forces me to learn."

Kyle Prinsloo - Publication Author

@study_web_dev
"I help people so they can enjoy the fruits of what coding and freelancing produces. Everything from more freedom to more income. And hopefully, they will teach others the same."

Khalil Stemmler - Publication Author

@stemmlerjs
"Code can bring you freedom, flexibility, time to spend with your family, to travel, and financials to afford the necessities. By helping others learn to code and become better programmers, I feel fulfilled and happy in a way that a raise on my salary would never be able to do. Helping others gives me, my work, and my life meaning. Knowing that I can help someone improve their economic situation is incredibly motivating. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for free resources like fCC when I was learning to code."

Kev Comedia - Forum Moderator

@kevcomedia

Jonathan Sexton - Publication Author

@jj_goose
"When I started learning to code fCC was a pillar in my journey and I leaned on others to help me when I was stuck. By writing articles on fCC I pay it forward and help the spread of knowledge."

Jingru Zhang - Codebase Contributor

@jing_ru_zhang
"I didn’t have a traditional coding education and I relied heavily on the goodwill of the online community, freeCodeCamp being one of the most important ones. It feels right to pass it on."

Jessica Chan - Publication Author

@thecodercoder
"I fell into web development without having taken any computer science classes (I majored in photography). It gave me an incredibly rewarding career at a time in my life when I didn't have real direction. 7+ years later, I love what I do and I want to help other people discover a love of coding."

Jesse Weigel - YouTube Contributor

@JesseRWeigel
"Through coding, someone can build a better life for themselves and their families without needing need a lot of money up front. I love being a part of helping someone to do that."

Jerry - Codebase Contributor

"I'm just playing my small part in helping more people learn to code."

Jeff Lowery - Publication Author

@jmlowery
"I've been doing software development a long time and have seen much sausage being made. I want to share that."

Jed Fox - Codebase Contributor

@jed_fox1
"Coding is a skill that unlocks high-paying jobs worldwide, and enables as many people as possible to access these jobs. This will bring change and innovation we can’t yet imagine."

Jason Yu - Codebase Contributor

@YHSPY
"I like to share and spread my knowledge to others."

Jackson Bates - Publication Author and Forum Moderator

@jacksonbates
"I've been very privileged and lucky in many respects in my own career, but I wouldn't have my current dev career without the contributions from others in the freeCodeCamp community. I think it's important to pay it forward."

Ilenia M. - Forum Moderator

@ieahleen
"It is empowering being able to learn something, produce something, outside of traditional learning environment, where few truly thrive and even less have access to the advanced learning where coding is thought. Everyone should have access to learning to code, even if the traditional learning path they have chosen wouldn't include it, now that we live in a digital era."

Huyen Nguyen - Codebase Contributor

@huyenltnguyen
"freeCodeCamp is where I learned to code. It helped me get my foot in the web development world. It was all thanks to the generous support from the contributors, and there was no doubt that I would return the favor."

Huseyin Polat Yuruk - Publication Author

@hpolatyuruk
"I really like to help people. I have 10+ years of experience in programming. I've made many mistakes and many lessons learned from them. I thought that it was time to give back to the community. It doesn't matter how much we can give and help others. I never underestimate how much difference we can make in people's lives. A few words can change a life."

Luoyang Hu - Codebase Contributor

"I'm doing my best to translate freeCodeCamp into Chinese for the benefit of the Chinese-speaking community."

Heath Adams - YouTube Contributor

@thecybermentor
"In cybersecurity, we have so many jobs and not enough people to fill them. By helping people learn core topics, and perhaps gain interest in our field, we can slowly make the internet a safer place."

Gwendolyn Faraday - Publication Author and YouTube Contributor

@gwen_faraday
"We all benefit from the community and it’s a great feeling to help out."

Zhongren Gu - Codebase Contributor

@guzhongren
"Helping people learn to code makes society more equal, and brings in people from all walks of life."

Guanghong Cao - Codebase Contributor

@tegrat
"freeCodeCamp helped me, so I want to help more people. Helping others make me happy."

Gregory Gubarev - Codebase Contributor

@greggubarev
"We ourselves must build the future. The availability of knowledge is one of the highest priority areas for anyone who cares about the future and freedom."

Florin Pop - Publication Author

@florinpop1705
"I'm proud of all of the articles I've written, all the people I sent to study on freeCodeCamp, and all the people I've inspired through my work on the fCC platform. I also received a lot from the developer community when I first started. I was inspired by people. I learned from them. And I think that it's not my duty (and my pleasure) to help others too."

Flavio Copes - Publication Author

@flaviocopes
"Coding is the grown-up version of LEGO bricks. It can give you great job opportunities, and the chance to work remotely and live wherever you want. Learning to code is empowering."

Fatos Morina - Publication Author

@fatosmorina
"Growth and contribution represent two of my core values that I try to live by. Writing articles is a way for me to learn myself and also teach others along the way."

Fahir Mehovic - YouTube Contributor

"There was a lack of quality resources for learning how to create games, so I made some. I will create more high quality and unique game dev tutorials in 2020."

Eric Leung - Codebase Contributor

@erictleung
"Coding, no matter your skill level, teaches you to be a DIY kind-of-person, always striving to be better, and the community around it is extremely supportive."

Emanuele Antonelli - Codebase Contributor

@_emant_
"freeCodeCamp helped me to get a really good job as developer. I feel I have to give something back."

Dereje Getahun - Forum Moderator

@dgetahun_
"Answering questions, if I can, also makes me a better coder."

David Kopal - Publication Author and YouTube Contributor

@coding_lawyer
"I believe that education on the internet should be free, so everyone can learn whatever they're interested in."

David Clinton - Publication Author

@davidbclinton
"I can't think of much that's more satisfying than knowing I'm helping people move ahead in their careers."

Dana Ottaviani - Codebase Contributor

@dana94
"I think if someone is willing to put the time and effort into learning how to code, the least I could do is help them along the way."

Colby Fayock - Publication Author

@colbyfayock
"I enjoy helping give others the opportunity to grow and contribute back to making the world a better place."

codeSTACKr - YouTube Contributor

@codeSTACKr
"There are many people who do not have the means of paying for an education. I want to help everyone by providing free courses that can assist them on their learning journey."

Cleo Aguiar - Codebase Contributor

@cleoaguiars
"Contributing to freeCodeCamp is a good way to increase my knowledge and make new friends."

Christopher McCormack - Codebase Contributor

@chrisjmccormack
"I think we are better off as a whole if everyone has the tools to succeed.  Knowledge should be shared for the benefit of everyone."

Chris Blakely - Publication Author

@Chrisblakely01
"Everyone deserves a chance to follow their dreams and if I can help even 1 person get there, it'll mean more to me than anything else in my career."

Chen Zhicheng - Codebase Contributor

"It makes me feel good to help people learn to code easier."

Casey McLellan - Forum Moderator

@stressstressstress
"I am learning to code by myself using fCC, in the same way as people all over the world. This could be a very isolating experience, but helping others and asking for help on the forum gives us a supportive community to be a part of."

Brad Taniguchi - Forum Moderator

@bradtaniguchi
"I believe in giving back, and trying my best to inspire those that can change their future. Anyone can learn to code."

Bhanu Pratap Singh Rathore - Codebase Contributor

@NitronR
"Software is a vast field and with a wide variety of problems to be solved. It is imperative that more and more people learn to code so these problems can be solved quickly and possibly make the world even better."

Dr. Barton Poulson - YouTube Contributor

@bartonpoulson
"Coding is a great way for people to do something useful and get paid well for it, regardless of where they live and their academic background. It's one of the world's great, empowering forces."

Ariel Leslie Thompson - Forum Moderator

@ArielLeslie
"So many people become limited by feeling that they "can't" do something. I love working with students who are new or struggling, when they are the most vulnerable to this false sense of failure."

Deron Lee - Codebase Contributor

@akagilnc
"I just love helping people learn to code."

Ahmed Hadjou - YouTube Contributor

@classsed
"Coding is the future and I want to give back to the community that helped me grow. I want to teach people because I got where I am by learning from great teachers."

Aditya Verma - Codebase Contributor

ezioda004
"I started my coding journey with fCC. The community helped me with my silly questions, and made me reach my goal to get a job as a software engineer. Now, I'm doing my part to help fellow campers reach their goals."

That's all. Congratulations to each of these contributors.

Again, most of the people recognized here weren't Top Contributors in 2018.

If you contributed in 2019 and didn't make the list, keep it up. We would love to have you in the fCC 100 for 2020.

Happy coding.