Frequently Asked Questions about the freeCodeCamp Beta

Frequently Asked Questions about the freeCodeCamp beta

What is the freeCodeCamp beta?

Since early 2016, we’ve been working on a significant expansion to our challenges and certificates. Because many schools and institutions depend upon freeCodeCamp, we’ve decided to release all of these changes at the same time, once they’re stable.

Can I do any of these challenges now?

Yes - you can work through our new React and Redux challenges here. We are working to incorporate these challenges and many others into our updated learning platform.

Do all of these new beta challenges work properly?

Not yet. Many of them depend on updates to our challenge platform that we’re still finalizing.

What are the major changes?

  • We will offer 6 certificates instead of 3. There will still be a combined total of 25 required projects + algorithms to earn all of these certificates.
  • All projects will have built-in test suites that correspond to their user stories, which will reduce ambiguity.
  • We will also offer hundreds of more advanced coding challenges and projects. These can help you prepare for job interviews, and help you continue to expand your skills once you’re working as a professional developer.

What about the current challenges and certificates that are on www.freecodecamp.org?

Most of the old challenges will remain.

If you’ve already earned any freeCodeCamp certificates, you will keep those certificate, and their verification URL will remain valid. You will still be able to claim the old certificates even after we launch the new ones.

Each of the 6 new certificates will require completion of 5 projects. All of the other challenges will be optional.

I’ve written more about this here: freeCodeCamp’s new certificates - here’s how we’re rolling them out

When will the beta challenges replace the current challenges on www.freecodecamp.org?

As soon as they’re tested and stable.


If you have any further questions, ask below, and I'll do my best to answer them :slight_smile:

Should I wait until the beta challenges are released before doing freeCodeCamp?

There’s no reason to wait. Almost all of the challenges on www.freecodecamp.org will remain in the new curriculum, so very little of the coding you do will be redundant.

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So when approximately are you going to finish it?

As soon as they’re tested and stable. We don’t have an exact date.

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Thanks for your answer, keep up the good work!

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I have been unsure how to handle my progress. I have been a daily learner for a couple months now. For example. If I complete an algorithm on beta I have been pasting the answer to regular FCC in fear of somehow losing my beta data at some point. Do I have to do that? In other words, is only using beta from now on a smart move on my part? I know it will take a while for me to complete everything so I am in no rush for certificates or anything.

Also, when it comes to projects. I haven’t submitted any on beta yet. I guess at some point I will have to go back and insert the testing link into my old projects and edit them accordingly so they pass. Is that what I should do or will those credits somehow be transferred when beta becomes the normal site.

I think those were my only questions. Thank you so much for putting this whole thing together. It is truly AWESOME! All i knew how to do was watch Netflix a couple months ago…:sunglasses:

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We are encouraging campers to experiment with beta.freecodecamp.com, but to treat it like just that - an experiment. We are disabling account creation to eliminate this confusion.

Note that - as is currently the case - only the projects will be required for claiming the certificates. We are also considering making the algorithm challenges optional and just having 5 of the more involved algorithm challenges be required (so that each certificate has 5 projects).

This is in keeping with our philosophy that you should be able to “test out” of everything if you are able to :slight_smile:

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Since there are now 6 certificates instead of 3, is this splitting larger subjects up (e.g. front end into html and javascript projects)? Or are you adding more material? Additionally, if this is option 1, is it possible that there will be projects that we need to complete for a certificate that we have already completed for certificates we already posses? I’m really looking forward to this update.

I’ve updated my answer above. There will still be a combined total of 25 required projects + algorithms to earn all of these certificates.

We used to say that it took about 1,200 hours to complete all the certificates, but it seems to be taking most campers closer to 1,500 hours.

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Hello,

On behalf of every FreeCodeCamp camper out there, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the FreeCodeCamp team for the continuous effort they are putting in this project as well as this cause.

Looking forward to the finalized release of the beat version to start coding again.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers!

Hanna

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I am not a new user but can’t seem to log into beta. Do the changes to account creation also apply to signing in?

Hello,

How could I contribute on stabilizing the freeCodeCamp Beta version? Are there any instructions to make tests, or comprehend the framework followed in order to easily attack some parts and not all of them, download or pull the repositories, and then push them again?

Regards!

Hi, if we’re working towards a current certification like the Front End certification, will we lose progress when the new system launches?

And will we still be able to complete the original certification, or will that no longer be available?

Related question: should we rush to complete certifications before a certain date so we can earn the current 3 cents before the requirements change or the certs are no longer available in their current form?

@QuincyLarson Is there a way to get notified when I can sign up for the new freeCodeCamp curriculum?

If you already have an account on beta, you should be able to sign in using this URL: http://beta.freecodecamp.com/en/email-signin

Yes - check out https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/freeCodeCamp/blob/staging/CONTRIBUTING.md

This should help you get freeCodeCamp running locally. Then you can explore the open issues.

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@joewestcott The projects will barely change at all, and if you’ve already gotten the old certificates, getting the new ones will not require much extra work. If you really want to get the front end cert, you still have a few weeks to finish the projects and claim it.

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Hi @QuincyLarson I’m in the middle of the backend certification, working on the 3rd Dynamic Web Application Project, using the standard curriculum. If the beta will be released soon, it would be nice to be able to finish this backend certification using the standard (old) projects.

I think I saw that in beta the Dynamic Web Application Projects are quite different, so I hope my standard projects will be taken into account.

How do you see the transition for this kind of scenario ? Thanks

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Hmm, guess I’d better get on that, just for the collector’s value. I think the only one I have to finish is the Tribute Page, of all things, haha.

We’ve completely changed the back end projects to focus on building APIs (the “Dynamic Web Applications” are gone completely). These projects are much easier than the old Dynamic Web Application projects, and will also teach you security and testing, so I strongly recommend completing them as well.

Your old projects will be taken into account for claiming the old Back End cert if you still want to complete it.

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I have an account with freecodecamp using my Google+ account and linked it to my GitHub. I don’t have any certificates yet but will some of my process from the old freecodecamp site be place in this new one when this new site is finished?