Version History
Track CodeGuessr's evolution from initial concept through pivots to the current daily challenge platform.
v3.3.0 - Personal Plans & Premium Features
Coming: January 2026 | Status: Upcoming
Personal Plans & Premium Features - Introduction of subscription plans for individual users, upgrade banners, pricing page, and Stripe integration for seamless payments.
Planned Features
- Upgrade Banners - Dynamic upgrade prompts on homepage based on user's current plan
- Pricing Page - Comprehensive pricing page at /pricing with plan comparison
- Personal Subscription Plans - Three-tier system for individual users:
- Personal Basic ($3/month) - Daily Challenge, Statistics & Analytics, Unlimited Daily Challenges, Ad-Free Experience
- Personal Premium ($8/month) - Everything in Basic, Detailed Code Explanations, Advanced Statistics & Analytics, Custom Themes & Personalization, Priority Support
- Personal Ultra ($15/month) - Everything in Premium, Custom Challenge Creation, Advanced Learning Paths, Community Challenge Sharing, API Access & Integrations, AI-Powered Code Analysis
- Annual Billing Discounts - Up to 20% savings for annual subscriptions
- Stripe Integration - Secure payment processing and subscription management
Planned Improvements
- User Plan Detection - Automatic detection of user's current subscription tier
- Dynamic Content - Personalized experience based on user's plan level
- Seamless Payment Flow - Easy subscription management and billing
- Plan Comparison Table - Clear feature comparison across all tiers
- Responsive Design - Mobile-optimized pricing and upgrade experience
- Subscription Analytics - Track user upgrades and plan conversions
v3.2.0 - API & Developer Tools
Coming: December 2025 | Status: Upcoming
API & Developer Tools - Introduction of comprehensive API infrastructure, code execution capabilities, public API access, and developer-focused tools for enhanced integration and customization.
New Features
- Code Execution API - Real-time code execution with support for multiple programming languages
- Public API Access - RESTful API endpoints for external integrations and third-party applications
- API Documentation - Comprehensive documentation at /docs/api-reference with interactive examples
- API Key Management - Secure API key generation and management system for authenticated access
- CodeGuessr Sandbox - Interactive code playground for testing and experimentation
- Language Detection - Advanced automatic language detection for code submissions
- Rate Limiting - Built-in rate limiting to ensure fair API usage and system stability
Technical Improvements
- Enhanced Security - Secure code execution environment with sandboxing
- CORS Protection - Comprehensive CORS protection implemented across all public and private APIs
- Rate Limiting - Advanced rate limiting system applied to all public and private API endpoints
- Performance Optimization - Improved response times and concurrent request handling
- Error Handling - Comprehensive error reporting and debugging information
- API Versioning - Structured API versioning for backward compatibility
- Developer Experience - Interactive API documentation with code examples
- Monitoring & Analytics - API usage tracking and performance monitoring
v3.1.2 - Homepage Redesign & Enhanced Features
Released: November 2025 | Status: Current
Homepage Redesign & Enhanced Features - Complete homepage redesign with modern aesthetics, new typography system, advanced sandbox with Monaco editor, 10 new themes, and new teacher mode page foundation.
New Features
- Homepage Redesign - Completely redesigned homepage with modern, clean aesthetics and improved user experience
- New Typography System - Implemented a new font that elevates the entire website's visual appeal and readability
- Monaco Editor Sandbox - New sandbox page featuring Monaco editor (VS Code's editor) with full code execution capabilities
- 10 New Themes - Added 10 beautiful new themes to expand customization options:
- Aurora - Aurora Borealis Theme with Northern Lights aesthetic
- Sunset - Sunset Dreams Theme with warm sunset colors
- Midnight - Midnight Blue Theme with deep blue night atmosphere
- Emerald - Emerald City Theme with lush green tones
- Lavender - Lavender Fields Theme with soft purple hues
- Crimson - Crimson Night Theme with deep red palette
- Golden - Golden Hour Theme with warm gold accents
- Platinum - Platinum Elite Theme with luxurious silver tones
- Neon Green - Neon Matrix Theme with bright green matrix aesthetic
- Cosmic - Cosmic Purple Theme with deep space purple atmosphere
- Teacher Mode Page - New teacher mode page foundation (work in progress)
Technical Improvements
- Monaco Editor Integration - Full-featured code editor with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and IntelliSense
- Enhanced Code Execution - Improved sandbox with better code execution environment and result display
- Theme System Expansion - Extended theme system to support 21 total themes with complete CSS variable definitions
- Responsive Design - Improved mobile responsiveness across all new features
- Performance Optimization - Optimized homepage load times and rendering performance
v3.1.1 - Themes Launch & Visual Enhancements
Released: September 2025 | Status: Past
Themes Launch & Visual Enhancements - Complete theming system with 11 unique themes, plan-specific access controls, Prism.js syntax highlighting, and universal theme support across all pages.
New Features
- Complete Theming System - 10 unique themes with distinct visual identities and color schemes
- Plan-Specific Theme Access - Free, Basic, Premium, and Ultra tiers with appropriate theme unlocks
- Prism.js Syntax Highlighting - Professional code highlighting with theme-matched color schemes
- Universal Theme Support - All pages now fully support the theming system
- Theme Persistence - User theme preferences saved across sessions and devices
Available Themes
- Free Tier: Default (Nord), Dark (VS Code Dark Plus), Light (VS Code Light)
- Basic Tier: Wordle (GitHub Colors), Forest (Atom Dark Green), Ocean Deep (Coldark Dark)
- Premium Tier: Inferno (Dracula), One Dark Pro (One Dark)
- Ultra Tier: Cyberpunk (Synthwave84), Space Void (Night Owl), Neon Tokyo (Material Dark)
Technical Improvements
- CSS Custom Properties - Dynamic theme switching with CSS variables
- Theme Switcher Component - Interactive theme selection with plan validation
- Code Editor Styling - Terminal-like appearance with theme-aware syntax highlighting
- Responsive Theme Support - Mobile-optimized theme switching and display
- Database Integration - Theme preferences synced with user accounts
v3.1.0 - Design & Mobile Revolution
Released: September 2025 | Status: Past
Design & Mobile Revolution - Complete redesign with mobile optimization, code editor styling, enhanced user experience across all pages, and comprehensive documentation redesign.
New Features
- Mobile Optimization - Responsive design improvements across all pages for better mobile experience
- Code Editor Styling - Daily challenge snippets now look like professional code editors
- Completed Page Enhancement - Added daily challenge snippet display to the completed challenges page
- New Color Correct Answer Color - Replaced previous dark blue with new sparkling blue throughout the platform
- Documentation Redesign - Complete overhaul of all documentation pages with modern layout and mobile navigation
- Profile & Settings Redesign - Modernized profile and settings pages with enhanced UI and better user experience
- Enhanced UI Components - Improved visual consistency and modern design elements
- Legacy Privacy Policies and Terms of Service - Added access to older versions of privacy policies and terms of service for historical reference
Improvements
- Better mobile responsiveness and touch interactions
- Improved code readability with editor-like styling
- Enhanced visual hierarchy and user interface consistency
- Optimized layouts for various screen sizes and devices
- Streamlined navigation and improved user experience
- Modern documentation layout with responsive sidebar and mobile navigation
v3.0.0 - Education Launch
Released: August 2025 | Status: Past
Educational Platform Launch - Introduction of teacher dashboard, comprehensive documentation, and refreshed homepage design.
Major Additions
- Teacher Dashboard - Complete classroom management system for educators
- Documentation Pages - Comprehensive help guides and API documentation
- Refreshed Homepage - Modern design showcasing both individual and educational features
- Teacher Verification System - Multi-tier verification process for educators
- Educational Analytics - Basic tracking and reporting for classroom use
Legal Updates
- Terms of Service Updated - Enhanced legal framework for educational features
- Privacy Policy Updated - Additional privacy protections for student data
Platform Evolution
v3.0.0 marked CodeGuessr's expansion into the educational market:
- Dual-purpose platform serving both individual learners and classrooms
- Professional tools for educators to integrate coding challenges into curriculum
- Comprehensive documentation to support all user types
- Foundation for advanced educational features and subscription models
v2.1.0 - User Experience Enhanced
Released: August 2025 | Status: Past
Enhanced User Experience - Added comprehensive user profiles, settings, and detailed statistics tracking.
New Features
- User Profile System - We added user profiles and signin/login features
- Settings Page - Name changes, account deletion, and account management
- Advanced Statistics - Detailed performance tracking, streak history, and progress analytics
- Achievement System - Badges and milestones for various accomplishments
- Enhanced Pages - Improved user interface with better navigation
Improvements
- Better user data persistence and synchronization
- Improved mobile responsiveness across all new features
- Enhanced security for user data and preferences
- Performance optimizations for statistics calculations
v2.0.0 - The Wordle Revolution
Released: August 2025 | Status: Foundation Version
The Great Pivot - After v1.0.0's failure, we completely reimagined CodeGuessr with a Wordle-inspired daily challenge format that became an instant success.
Legal Updates
- Terms of Service Updated - Comprehensive legal framework for the new platform
- Privacy Policy Updated - Enhanced data protection and user privacy measures
Revolutionary Changes
Daily Challenge System
Introduced the game-changing daily coding challenge format:
- One carefully crafted challenge released daily at midnight
- Exactly 6 attempts to guess the correct code output
- Color-coded feedback system (blue = correct, purple = close, red = wrong)
- Streak tracking to encourage daily participation
- Social sharing of results without spoilers
Core Gameplay
- Focus on code comprehension over speed
- Progressive difficulty throughout the week
- Detailed explanations provided after completion (If signed in)
- Support for multiple programming languages
- Clean, minimalist interface inspired by Wordle
Why It Worked
The Wordle-inspired format solved all the problems from v1.0.0:
- Simple, focused gameplay that anyone could understand
- Daily habit formation through once-per-day challenges
- Natural viral sharing through a sharing feature
- Educational value through pattern recognition and code analysis
- Broad appeal to both beginners and experienced programmers
v1.0.0 - The Failed Launch
Released: July 2025 | Status: Discontinued
The Original Vision - A complex multi-game platform that failed to gain traction and led to the strategic pivot.
Original Features
- Multiple game modes (Classic Guess, Speed Round, Code Output, Debug Challenge)
- Complex scoring system with multiple metrics
- Overwhelming user interface with too many options
- Inconsistent difficulty across different game modes
- Limited social features and sharing capabilities
Why It Failed
- Too complex for new users to understand quickly
- Lack of focus - trying to be everything to everyone
- Poor user retention due to overwhelming choices
- No clear daily engagement hook
- Difficult to share results or compete with friends
- Technical issues with multiple game engines
Lessons Learned
The failure of v1.0.0 taught us valuable lessons that shaped v2.0.0:
- Simplicity beats complexity in user engagement
- Focus on one core mechanic done extremely well
- Daily habits are more powerful than occasional long sessions
- Social sharing must be built into the core experience
- User feedback is essential during development
The Pivot Decision
After over a month of poor user engagement and retention, we made the difficult decision to completely redesign CodeGuessr. The success of Wordle inspired us to apply its simple, addictive format to coding education. This pivot became the foundation for CodeGuessr's current success.
Future Development
What's coming next
Planned Features
- Donations, Personal Pro Plans, Sponsorships, Coding "World Cup" (Live Tournaments), and more!
- Mobile Applications for iOS and Android
- Additional Programming Languages and Challenge types (Java, C++, C#, PHP, Swift, HTML, CSS, etc.)
- Community Features and Both Free and Paid User-Generated Content (Teachers can create their own challenges and curriculums and sell them to other teachers)
- CodeGuessr Verified Institution Status. Educational institutions undergo comprehensive on-site evaluation, curriculum review, and compliance with established academic standards. Verification requires meeting rigorous criteria and maintaining compliance through periodic assessments. Annual renewal fees up to $1,000, with initial accreditation inspections costing $5,000-$20,000 based on location and institutional size.
The CodeGuessr Journey
CodeGuessr's evolution demonstrates the importance of learning from failure and being willing to pivot when necessary. The failed v1.0.0 taught us that complexity doesn't equal value, and sometimes the simplest solutions are the most powerful.
The Wordle-inspired v2.0.0 proved that focused, daily engagement could make learning programming both fun and effective. v2.1.0 enhanced the user experience, while v3.0.0 expanded into education. v3.1.0 brought a complete design revolution with mobile optimization and code editor styling, creating a comprehensive platform for both individual learners and classrooms.