Exercism: free coding practice and mentoring in 85 programming languages
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Exercism says it is "100% free, forever": coding exercises, automated feedback and human mentoring, run by an independent not-for-profit.
Quick facts
- What it does: gives you coding exercises in 85 programming languages, with automated feedback and optional feedback from volunteer mentors.
- Price: free. The home page says "100% free, forever". No price appears on the pages we read.
- Platforms: website with an in-browser editor, plus a command line tool for working on your own computer.
- Best for: people who have started learning to code and want practice problems. It is not a first-lesson course.
Official exercise page screenshot
What it is
Exercism calls itself "an independent, community funded, not-for-profit organisation". Its pages say it offers "learning, practice and mentoring". You pick a language "track", then solve exercises that range from "Allergies" to "Zebra Puzzle", per its home page. The site counts over 8,700 coding exercises.
Is it free?
Yes, per the site. The home page says Exercism is "fun, effective and 100% free, forever", and the About page says it wants anyone to "learn and master programming for free". It asks for donations and open-source help but does not say they are required. We saw no price, so there is nothing to convert to rupees.
Exercism also links a separate beginners platform called Jiki. Jiki's own site shows a "Premium" option, so this article is about Exercism only. We did not review Jiki.
How it works, per Exercism
- Each exercise gives you a starting file and a set of tests. Your code must pass the tests.
- Write code on your computer with the command line tool, or use the in-browser editor for all 85 languages without installing anything.
- Automatic analysis gives quick feedback on your solution.
- Human mentoring is offered "for free". Mentors review your code and suggest language habits and improvements.
- Tracks can unlock exercises in a "Learning Mode" in order, and the FAQ says you can choose otherwise.
Good to know
- Sign-up is needed. The FAQ mentions logging in with GitHub, and the privacy policy mentions sign-up with a handle (a username that does not have to identify you).
- The home page says the site is available in English, Hindi, Bengali and other languages. The exercises and tracks themselves are in programming languages. We did not check which parts are translated.
- Exercism says it is "CLI-first". That means a terminal is the main way to work locally. Total beginners may prefer the in-browser editor.
Our advice
- Start with the in-browser editor and one language.
- Pair it with a beginner course if you have never coded. We did not test any exercise or mentoring session.
- Read the privacy section below before you submit code.
Privacy and data
- The privacy policy (last revised August 2021) says it collects your name and email at sign-up, and may collect usage details such as pages visited, browser details and location based on your IP address.
- It names Google Analytics and Hotjar as third-party tools, with opt-out links.
- It says it will not share data you give it, such as your email address, with other third parties.
- Important: the policy says code submissions and feedback you give may be made public under a Creative Commons licence. It says its privacy tools let you decide whether that content is linked to you.
India
- No region limit appears on the pages we read. The site lists a Hindi interface. We did not test it from India.
Frequently asked questions
Is Exercism free?
Yes. Its home page says "100% free, forever".
Do I get a certificate?
The pages we read do not mention one.
Are my solutions public?
They may be, under a Creative Commons licence, per its privacy policy. It says you can control whether they are linked to you.
Sources: exercism.org, About, FAQs, Privacy policy. Checked 20 October 2026.
Scoped recheck 23 October 2026: official home page. Exercism still says "100% free, forever", 85 programming languages and 8,763 coding exercises (the article's "over 8,700" remains accurate); the Hindi/Bengali interface mention is unchanged. Added the project's own exercise-page screenshot from its AGPL-3.0 website repository. No fact changes. Other claims retain their original source-check date. Original publication date unchanged.