Frequently Asked Questions

What is Code Thesaurus?

Code Thesaurus is a polyglot developer reference tool that shows programming language structures side by side, so you can compare how a concept works in a language you know with one you don't. It's meant to be a quick reference for developers who switch between programming languages often. Learn more on the About the Project page.

Who created Code Thesaurus?

The concept was invented by Sarah Withee in 2015, and the project has grown since with help from 110+ contributors. Read the full story on the About the Project page.

Is Code Thesaurus free and open source?

Yes! Both the main site and this documentation are open source. Both repositories are licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3 (AGPL v3).

What technologies does Code Thesaurus use?

The main site is a Django project built with Python. It stores its language data in JSON files rather than in a database, and it uses SQLite by default locally with PostgreSQL in production. This documentation site is built with MkDocs.

Do I need to know multiple programming languages to contribute?

No! The project welcomes contributions from people of any development experience level and any language background. Adding concepts in a language you know, fixing bugs, or improving this documentation are all great ways to help. See the Contributing page to get started.

How do I run Code Thesaurus locally?

Check out the Installing and Running section of the docs, which covers both Docker and manual setups for the main site and this documentation.

How do I add a new programming language to the thesaurus?

See the Thesaurus Editing section, especially Adding a New Language.

Does Code Thesaurus participate in Hacktoberfest?

Yes! Code Thesaurus grew out of the community built during past Hacktoberfests and plans to opt in to future events. See the Contributing page for more details.