Translation is a powerful tool that can change lives. Everyone should have access to free learning resources in their native language.
To achieve this, freeCodeCamp has started translating our curriculum into dozens of world languages, with the help of thousands of volunteers around the world.
To honor our translators and proofreaders, we will be hosting a World Translation Summit. We will share updates on our translation effort and answer your questions. If you would like to join our translation effort, we will also onboard new volunteers.
📌 It would be great if you could join us. We will have two sessions: Friday, April 8 at 9pm EST and Saturday, April 9 at 9 am EST.
In this article, you will find an overview of the progress of our translation effort:
- Welcome to freeCodeCamp
- Our Translation Effort
- Community Leaders
- Student Testimonials
- World Translation Summit 2022
🔹 Welcome to freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp is a donor-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to help people learn to code for free. We create and share thousands of interactive coding lessons, articles, and videos for anyone who wants to learn.
With our curriculum, you can learn to code for free, earn certifications, and build projects to start or expand your portfolio.
Since freeCodeCamp started in 2014, the community has grown steadily, and there are campers all over the world learning from freeCodeCamp's resources.
In 2019, we asked ourselves this question: could we expand our mission and help people learn to code in their native language?
The answer was "yes!", so we decided to take our mission one step further by translating and creating learning resources in other world languages.
From that moment, this has been one of our main goals because we believe that everyone should have access to free coding education around the world without any language barriers.
🔸 Our Translation Effort
Our amazing team of volunteers and the members of our staff have achieved some impressive milestones so far and continue to progress on our translation effort. Let's see this in more detail.
Curriculum
The community has translated our curriculum into Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, and Japanese. These languages are already live and you can select them in the home page.
There has also been significant progress in many major world languages, including:
- Afrikaans
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Catalan
- Czech
- Danish
- Dutch
- Finnish
- French
- German
- Greek
- Hatian Creole (Kreyòl)
- Hebrew
- Hindi
- Hungarian
- Korean
- Norwegian
- Persian (Farsi)
- Polish
- Romanian
- Russian
- Serbian
- Swahili
- Swedish
- Thai
- Turkish
- Urdu
- and Vietnamese
💡 Tip: you can learn more about our translation effort in this article written by Quincy Larson Learn to Code in Spanish, Chinese, and 30 Other Languages – freeCodeCamp's Translation Effort
Publications
We have localized publications in the following languages, and are actively working on others:
Portuguese
Our Portuguese publication has more than 190 translated articles and we publish new ones every week.
Italian
Our Italian publication has more than 85 translated articles and it is growing consistently every week.
Japanese
Our Japanese publication has more than 30 translated articles and we are constantly translating new articles into Japanese.
Chinese
Our Chinese publication has more than 720 translated articles and we publish new ones every week.
Spanish
Our Spanish publication has more than 370 translated articles and we publish new ones every week.
Arabic
Our Arabic publication has more than 75 translated articles and we are translating new ones every week.
Bengali
Our Bengali publication has more than 30 articles published and we translate new ones every week.
Ukrainian
We also have a Ukrainian publication where we translate articles for the community.
Urdu
We are also working actively to start an Urdu publication. We already have 29 articles translated into Urdu and this publication will be live very soon.
Translation Projects and New Certifications
We are also translating new projects and certifications into many world languages.
Learn to Code RPG
Last year, freeCodeCamp launched a visual game novel created by Lynn Zheng in which you can "teach yourself to code, make friends in the tech industry, and pursue your dream to become a developer."
The game has more than 600 Computer Science quiz questions to help you practice coding.
You can help us translate the game into your native language in Crowdin:
Rust Course
We also have a Rust course created by Shaun Hamilton that you can follow step by step on YouTube or interactively on Replit. This course is being translated into many world languages.
You can help us translate this course in Crowdin.
Responsive Web Design Certification (Beta)
We recently released a Beta version of the new Responsive Web Design curriculum that's focused on learning by building projects interactively. This new certification is available for translation in Crowdin.
Relational Database Certification (Beta)
This year we also launched this certification created by Tom Mondloch in which you can learn how to work with relational databases step by step. We are also planning to translate this certification into other world languages.
As you can see, we have new and exciting projects that you can help us translate. By translating, you can learn while being part of an initiative that is transforming lives around the world.
Discussion Forums
When you are learning how to code, being able to ask questions is priceless. This is why we currently have discussion forums in: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Chinese. On these forums, you can post coding questions and get help and advice from members of the community.
💡 Tip: you can also share your projects and ask for feedback. There will always be members of the community who will be glad to share with you their thoughts and advice.
Localized Twitter Accounts
We have active Twitter accounts in the following languages:
- Spanish: @freecodecampES
- Italian: @freeCodeCampIT
- Chinese: @freeCodeCampZH
- Bengali: @freeCodeCampBN
- Portuguese: @freecodecampPT
- Japanese: @freecodecampJA
- Arabic: @freeCodeCampAR
- Ukraine: @freeCodeCampUK
YouTube Channels
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to choose learning resources for their learning style. This is why we also create and publish full video courses on YouTube.
Currently, we have four localized YouTube channels in:
We started our Spanish YouTube channel in early 2021. Now it has more than 76,000 subscribers, more than 1.6 million views, and more than 214,000 hours of watch time. So far, we have published five courses on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and React and we are creating new courses for the community.
Our Chinese YouTube channel has more than 2,960 subscribers and two courses on JavaScript and Git.
Our Hindi YouTube channel has more than 22,900 subscribers and 22 videos and courses on Python, Flutter, HTML and CSS, Android Development, C#, and TensorFlow.
Our Bengali YouTube channel has more than 460 subscribers and one course on Responsive Web Design. We are working actively to create new courses in Bengali.
We are working actively to start a Portuguese YouTube channel.
We also have a freeCodeCamp bilibili account for the Chinese community where contributors can share video tutorials and organize live events.
Discord
We also have Discord where you can can join the freeCodeCamp community, ask questions, learn how to contribute, and interact with other members of the community.
🔸 Community Leaders
Now let me introduce you to the community leaders. They are native speakers of their respective languages and their tasks include onboarding volunteers, creating resources, translating articles, preparing events and making sure that everything works smoothly for volunteers.
- Islam Mahfouz (@codezilla_) is leading the Arabic community.
- Farhan Hasin Chowdhury (@frhnhsin) is leading the Bengali community.
- Joy Shaheb (@JoyShaheb) is leading the Bengali YouTube channel.
- Miya Liu (@miyaliu666) is leading the Chinese community.
- Ilenia Magoni (@ieahleen) is leading the Italian community.
- Dario Di Cillo (@_DarioDC) is leading the Italian community.
- Yoko Matsuda (@_sidemt) is leading the Japanese community.
- Daniel Rosa (@Daniel__Rosa) is leading the Portuguese community.
- Nielda Karla Gonçalves de Melo (@NieldaKarla) is leading the Portuguese YouTube channel.
- Rafael Hernandez (@RafaelDavisH) is leading the Spanish community.
- Estefania Cassingena Navone (@EstefaniaCassN) is leading the Spanish YouTube channel.
- Anastasiia Buievych (@anisiangel) is leading the Ukrainian community.
- Zaira Hira (@hira_zaira) is leading the Urdu community.
- Hillary Nyakundi (@larymak1) is leading the Swahili community.
🔹 Student Testimonials
Our learners inspire us and motivate us every day. The best way to show the impact of our translation effort around the world is to read students' testimonials on how freeCodeCamp has changed their lives and impacted their careers.
Spanish Testimonials:
English Translation:
"I brought a web development course. I decided to share what I learned. The excitement in their faces and their motivation to learn is amazing. They registered for the Responsive Web Design course at @freeCodeCampES."
- Translation by Estefania Cassingena Navone.
English Translation:
"I don't think there is anything better for someone who wants to start programming than @freeCodeCampES courses."
- Translation by Estefania Cassingena Navone.
Chinese Testimonials:
Testimonial by 陈志成 ZhichengChen:
freeCodeCamp 最吸引我的地方不仅在于超棒的在线课程，更在于背后优秀的国际化开源团队。在这里我可以通过协作翻译、发表文章、分享视频、贡献项目等方式参与到开源世界里来，可以有机会和世界各地的贡献者交流，甚至会收到 Quincy 的连线问候。参与开源是技术快速提升的途径之一，开源也是一种精神，更是一种生活态度。freeCodeCamp 里面有很多手册类文章，和其它手册不同的是，freeCodeCamp 里面的手册更侧重于实践，是一种很棒的学习方式。我一般会把每一个操作步骤实践一遍，然后再通过翻译加深理解，等到工作中用到相应的知识再回过头来过一下手册，从熟悉到掌握再到慢慢精通，既参与了开源贡献，又提升了技术水平。
English Translation:
"What I like the most about freeCodeCamp is not only the great online courses, but also the great international open source team behind it. Here you can participate in the open source world by collaborating on translations, posting articles, sharing videos, contributing to projects, and more. You can have the opportunity to communicate with contributors from all over the world, and even receive a “hello” from Quincy. freeCodeCamp has a lot of manuals, but unlike other manuals, the freeCodeCamp manuals are more hands-on, which is a great way to learn. I usually practice each operation step once, and then deepen my understanding through translation. When I use the corresponding knowledge in my work and then go back to the manual, from familiarity to mastery to slowly become proficient, to participate in open source contributions, and to improve the technical level."
- Translation by Miya Liu.
Testimonial by 罗基印 luojiyin:
我是一名运维开发工程师，通过 freeCodeCamp 学习了有关前端的知识。翻译英文资源，可以接触最新的知识和想法， 提高自己的英文阅读能力和中文的写作能力。也能加快知识的传播，方便别人入门
English Translation:
"I'm a DevOps Engineer who has learned about front-end through freeCodeCamp. By translating English resources, I can get access to the latest knowledge and ideas, and improve my English reading and Chinese writing skills. It also speeds up the spreading of knowledge and makes it easier for others to get started."
- Translation by Miya Liu.
Arabic Testimonial:
English Translation:
"I've completed 3 certifications on freeCodeCamp's website, and honestly I found it much better than a lot of different curriculums that are being taught in public universities and even expensive private ones, at least where I live. freeCodeCamp was also better than expensive specialized schools."
- Translation by Islam Mahfouz.
🔹 World Translation Summit 2022
Now that you know more about our translation effort and the impact that we are having in communities around the world, we have something special for you.
🌐 We would like to invite you to join us for the World Translation Summit. We will have two sessions for different time zones:
- Friday, April 8 at 9pm EST.
- Saturday, April 9 at 9 am EST.
📌 It would be awesome if you could be part of our summit. If you are interested in participating, please register to receive an invite.
During the summit, you will meet our international staff and you will learn more about our new projects and the progress of our translation effort. We will answer your questions and we will welcome and onboard new volunteers interested in joining our initiative.
By joining our translation effort and our international community, you will be helping people around the world. You will also be making the world a more accessible place where language is no longer a barrier for anyone who wants to learn and thrive through dedication, education, and enthusiasm.
How to Contribute
To join our translation effort:
Step 1: Fill out this Google form.
Step 2: Join the freeCodeCamp Official Discord and visit the "start-here" room. You can then join a language-specific room and speak your native language.
Note that Discord has a couple of verification steps you will need to complete.
Alternatively, if you just created your Discord account, you might need to wait up to 5 minutes to send messages. (This is an anti-spam counter-measure).
You will receive an email from a Language Lead within a few days to learn a bit more about you and your goals. They may give you access to the freeCodeCamp publication, where you can start translating articles.
Thank you
Finally, we would like to thank our awesome team of volunteers who dedicate their time, knowledge, and energy to our translation effort because everything that we have achieved so far would not have been possible without you.
Quincy Larson, the founder of freeCodeCamp, would like to share this message with all of you:
"Let's make the world's math, programming, and computer science knowledge available to everyone. With some love and care, we can help people around the world learn in their own native language. This is a team effort by the freeCodeCamp community."
You are the reason why we are here. We will continue working for you and with you to make sure that education is free and accessible for everyone around the world.
freeCodeCamp has many exciting new projects and ideas, and we welcome you to join our mission. This is just the beginning and we can do this together.
🔸 Questions Asked During the Summit
Thank you very much for joining the summit. It was great to see you there. We would like to share with you the answers to the questions that you asked during the event.
What tool can we use to translate freeCodeCamp? Do you have a glossary with technical terms that contributors can refer to?
The tool that we are using to translate freeCodeCamp is Crowdin, a localization management platform. You can learn more about Crowdin and how to contribute to the translation effort in our Contribution Guidelines.
Do you have any intention/plan to do a WEB 3 and Blockchain Curriculum in the future?
An alumnus is giving us a donation to develop this course. It will not be listed in the main curriculum, but we are creating it because there are many related job positions, and we can teach you the skills you need to apply for these jobs.
How long until freeCodeCamp will start the Bachelor's degree program?
It can take years or even a decade for freeCodeCamp itself to achieve this. But we may be able to work and partner with existing organizations to speed up the process.
Will freeCodeCamp be translated into native languages?
We definitely will if we can find volunteers who want to translate the resources into these languages. As a small nonprofit, we need volunteer contributions to do this. If the curriculum is translated into these languages, we will invest the resources necessary to have the curriculum live.
Why doesn't freeCodeCamp use GitHub and Markdown for the translation effort?
That is a great suggestion. We tried using GitHub in the past and things really started taking off when we started using Crowdin because it can be used by everyone even if they don't have a technical background. Crowdin provides a basic machine translation that can be improved by the translators. We can create a glossary of important terms that appear repeatedly in different files. Our conclusion based on our experience is that Crowdin is a more specialized tool to translate the core curriculum.
We have used GitHub to translate articles for the publications. Every language is experimenting with the tool that works best for the community.
How does freeCodeCamp create the glossary on Crowdin?
We have a repository where we write the list of terms for the glossary, and we upload it to Crowdin. The proofreader team is responsible for making sure that the most accurate translation for the word is being used.
How can I start translating another file without going to the main page on Crowdin?
You can open another file from the file that is being translated. Ilenia Magoni explained this during the event step by step.
If you reach the end of the file there will be a prompt that asks you if you want to go to next file or choose which file to open:
You can also open a different file from the breadcrumb path:
In the modal to open a new file, you can see which folders and files still have words to translate. This can help you to choose which file to go to next.
