Learn to code for free, with 90+ interactive courses across 21 languages
Libre Academy is a free, open-source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux where you learn programming by writing real code in a built-in editor and getting instant feedback from hidden tests. That's 90+ courses across 21 languages, with no paywall and no sign-up. It's a free, open-source alternative to Codecademy, freeCodeCamp, and Scrimba.
Download the app → Browse all 96 courses
- 90+ courses
- 21 languages
- $0, free forever
- Open source (MIT)
Why Libre Academy
- Write code, don't watch video. Every lesson has a real Monaco editor and hidden tests that grade your work. That's active recall, not passive lectures.
- Free and open source. No paywall, no Pro tier, no sign-up to start. The site, the desktop app and the sync server are all MIT-licensed.
- Bring your own book. The desktop app turns any technical PDF or EPUB into an interactive course with generated exercises.
- Local-first and private. Courses and progress live on your device; optional free cloud sync mirrors progress across machines. Anonymous, cookieless product analytics (Plausible) help us improve the apps, with no personal data, no cross-site tracking, and you can turn it off anytime in the app's settings.
- Free desktop app. Download it for macOS, Windows and Linux, with native compilers, offline use, and no account required.
How Libre Academy compares
| Libre Academy | Codecademy | freeCodeCamp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free tier + paid Pro | Free |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | No | Yes |
| Languages | 21 | ~14 | ~10 |
| Run code instantly in the app | Yes | Yes | Yes (some) |
| Turn your own book into a course | Yes | No | No |
| Sign-up required to start | No | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop app | Yes | No | No |
Popular courses
- JavaScript for Beginners · JavaScript · 38 lessons
- Eloquent JavaScript · JavaScript · 33 lessons
- The Rust Programming Language · Rust · 168 lessons
- Learning Go · Go · 258 lessons
- Exercism Python Track · Python · 146 lessons
- Composing Programs · Python · 23 lessons
- Crafting Interpreters (JavaScript) · JavaScript · 30 lessons
- Mastering Bitcoin · JavaScript · 87 lessons
- Algorithms (Erickson) · Python · 23 lessons
- Learning JavaScript & TypeScript · TypeScript · 157 lessons
- Exercism Rust Track · Rust · 109 lessons
- Mastering Ethereum · JavaScript · 133 lessons
Languages you can learn
JavaScript · TypeScript · Python · Rust · Go · SQL · C · C++ · Java · Kotlin · C# · Swift · Assembly · Solidity · Svelte · SolidJS · HTMX · Astro · React Native · Three.js · Bun
Learn to code in your language
Every course is being translated into 17 languages, so you can learn to code in the language you think in: Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, Indonesian, Russian, French, Urdu, Japanese, Turkish, Korean, Vietnamese, Persian (Dari), Filipino (Tagalog), Nepali, Swahili. The lessons, hints and built-in AI tutor speak your language while the code stays universal, so nothing is gated behind English.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Libre Academy really free?
- Yes. Every course is free, there's no paid tier, and you don't need an account to start. The whole project (the website, the desktop app, and the cloud-sync server) is open source under the MIT license.
- Do I need to sign up or install anything?
- No account, ever. Download the free desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux and start any course, no sign-up required. The app adds offline use, native compilers, and the ability to turn your own books into courses.
- What programming languages can I learn?
- 21, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go, C, C++, Java, Kotlin, C#, Swift, Solidity and more. JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go and the web frameworks run instantly in the app; compiled languages like C, C++, Java and Swift run with native toolchains.
- How is it different from freeCodeCamp or Codecademy?
- You write real code in a Monaco editor and hidden tests grade you on every lesson, so you're doing active recall instead of watching passive video. It's fully open source, asks for no sign-up, and the desktop app can turn any technical book (PDF or EPUB) into an interactive course.
- Is it good for complete beginners?
- Yes. There are beginner tracks such as JavaScript for Beginners alongside deeper books and challenge packs, so you can start from zero or level up a language you already know.
- Can I learn to code in my own language?
- Yes. Libre's courses are being translated into 17 languages, including Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, Indonesian, Russian, French, Japanese, Turkish, Korean and more, so the lessons and the built-in AI tutor teach in your native language while the code stays the same.
- Is it open source?
- Yes, it's MIT-licensed. The source lives at github.com/InfamousVague/Libre.academy.