Kojo (learning environment)

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox programming language

| name = The Kojo Learning Environment

| screenshot = kojo-screenshot.png

| screenshot size = 250px

| screenshot caption = A screenshot of Kojo

| paradigm = structured, functional, object-oriented

| year = {{Start date and age|2010}}

| designers = Lalit Pant

| latest release version = 2.9.28

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2024|04|27|df=yes}}

| typing = strong

| influenced by = Logo, Processing

| operating system = Cross-platform: Linux, macOS, Windows

| license = GPL

| website = {{url|https://www.kogics.net/kojo|kogics.net/kojo}}

| wikibooks = Kojo

| file ext = .scala, .kojo

}}

Kojo is a programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) for computer programming and learning. It has many different features that enable playing, exploring, creating, and learning in the areas of computer programming, mental skills, (interactive) math, graphics, art, music, science, animation, games, and electronics. Kojo draws ideas from the programming languages Logo and Processing.{{cite web |url=http://www.kogics.net/kojo |title=Kojo home page |accessdate=29 August 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://wiki.kogics.net/forum/t-263574 |title=Interview: Scala Learning Environment on the NetBeans Platform |date=19 February 2010 |author=Geertjan Wielenga |publisher=DZone |accessdate=29 August 2012}}

Kojo is open-source software. It was created, and is actively developed, by Lalit Pant, a computer programmer and teacher living in Dehradun, India. Kojo provides domain-specific languages (DSLs) for its different areas of learning, and as such can be considered an educational programming language.

Kojo is written in, and its approach is based on, the programming language Scala, where users begin with a simple subset of the language and progress in steps. Its graphical user interface is based on Java Swing; a former version was based on the Java NetBeans platform.

Lalit chose Scala as the underlying language for Kojo because of its low barrier to entry and potential power.{{cite web|last=Odersky|first=Martin|title=Bringing Scalability to the Classrooms of the Himalayas|url=http://readwrite.com/2011/10/13/bringing_scalability_to_the_classrooms_of_the_hima|work=ReadWrite|date=13 October 2011|accessdate=18 April 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.scala-lang.org/node/10714 |title=Interview: Scala is Child's Play |last=Bagwell |first=Phil |date=25 August 2011 |website=Scala-lang.org |publisher=École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) |accessdate=7 May 2013}}

Kojo has been used in schools and classes around the world. Some of these include:

• The State of Goa, within its ICT/coding curriculum.[https://docs.kogics.net/assets/pdf-books/Goa_ICT_Letter_with_curriculum_June_2021.pdf Goa ICT Syllabus, 2021]
• Himjyoti School, Dehradun, India.
• Mondrian House School, Dehradun, India.
• Rishi Valley School, Madanapalle, India.
• Cardinal Forest Elementary School, Springfield, Virginia, USA.[http://www.tjhsst.edu/~rlatimer/cardinalforest/ScratchProjects/CSI2012/Feb29-2012/kojo/ProjectsKojoMay3-2012.html Cardinal Forest Elementary School]
• Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, California, USA.
• Our Lady's Catholic High School, Preston, England.
• A Swedish 4th grade class consisting of 10-year-old children.[http://viprogrammerar.se/ Swedish 4th grade class] Kojo has been featured by Dagens Nyheter (DN) and Computer Sweden as a result of the work done by this class.
• Events like Silicon Valley Code Camp,[http://www.siliconvalley-codecamp.com/Session/2012/kojo-programming-scala-for-grade-6-to-adult Silicon Valley Code Camp] CoderDojo, Hack The Future, and Meetups.[http://www.meetup.com/Scala-Stockholm/events/115553642/ Meetups]

The development of Kojo is partly sponsored by Lightbend, formerly TypeSafe,[http://www.lightbend.com/ Lightbend] and Lund University, Computer Science Department,[http://www.lth.se/programmera/ Lund University, Computer Science Dept.] where Kojo is used to introduce children and teachers to computer programming. Professor Björn Regnell of Lund University has an informative presentation on the subject.[http://fileadmin.cs.lth.se/cs/Personal/Bjorn_Regnell/project-learn-how-to-program.pdf Professor Björn Regnell, Lund University, Kojo presentation] Professor Regnell writes, in translation: "Kojo is the best tool, with a low barrier of entry, I have seen for making real text based programming available for children, that is also usable all the way up to university level".{{cite web |url= http://cs.lth.se/english/contact/bjorn_regnell/laer_dig_programmera |title= Lär dig programmera! |accessdate= 6 May 2013 |last= Regnell |first= Björn |date= 29 April 2013}}

Kojo provides rich support for programming and learning in the Turkish language as of the latest release in 2021 and beyond.