Scratch 3: what does the new version of Scratch mean for your Code Club?

The team behind Scratch have announced that they are releasing a new version of the drag-and-drop programming language in January 2019. Here Martin O’Hanlon, Content and Curriculum Manager at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, tells us what this means for people running Code Clubs, and what new features you can look forward to.

A new version of Scratch is on its way, and it looks fantastic!

Scratch 3 will be the latest version of the free block-based programming language that you’re familiar with, and there is a lot to be excited about. The Scratch team has released the beta version of Scratch 3 at beta.scratch.mit.edu, and it’s definitely worth a try.

New in version 3

The look and feel have been given an upgrade, with perhaps the most notable change being that the stage is now on the right-hand side. Plus, there are new paint and sound editing tools, and larger, easier-to-read code blocks.

There are also loads of new sprites, backdrops, and sounds.

The Scratch team has also released a new extension system that allows you to use web services such as Google Translate in your projects.

There are also new extensions for hardware such as micro:bit and LEGO Mindstorms, making it much easier to use Scratch to program these devices.

And another very exciting update: Scratch 3 will work on tablets, making coding more accessible to those children who don’t have access to a computer.

Release dates

Scratch 3 will be released on 2 January 2019. It will replace the current Scratch 2 editor on scratch.mit.edu, meaning Scratch 2 will no longer be available online. At this point, you’ll also be able to download and install an offline version of Scratch 3.

If you are using Internet Explorer as your browser, then please note that it will not support Scratch 3. Scratch 3 will however be supported on the newer version of the Microsoft browser, Edge.

On our side, by January 2019 we will also update the Code Club projects so that they work with Scratch 3, although we’ll make sure that Scratch 2–compatible versions remain available so that you have time to upgrade your offline versions.

And we’ll also release brand-new Scratch 3 projects, which will take advantage of the newly introduced features, before January so that your club members can start to have fun with the new version.

Talk to us about Scratch 3

If you have any questions about the upcoming release of Scratch 3,  feel free to reach out to us via hello@codeclub.org.uk or on Twitter and Facebook.

You can also share your experience of using the Scratch 3 beta version with our community on social media — we’d love to see your projects and experiments!