What is CodeJam and why did GWC build this platform?

CodeJam is a coding platform built exclusively for Girls Who Code Clubs by GWC. In CodeJam, there are two code editors: BlockJam is the block-based editor and TextJam is the text-based editor. Members can create projects right in HQ, our browser-based learning platform. It's completely free, privacy-focused, is fully accessible, and rooted in our core values of bravery, sisterhood, and activism. BlockJam integrates new curriculum directly, eliminating the need to toggle between HQ and a separate coding platform. This feature will be coming to TextJam by 2027.

Why did we build it? GWC has long relied on a mix of third-party coding platforms to support our programs. But as our programs grow—and as schools put measures in place to protect student data—these tools no longer meet the needs of our community.

Some platforms we’ve depended on are blocked in school environments due to how they collect and manage student data. Others have become less student-friendly, introducing paywalls or removing features designed with younger learners in mind. On top of that, requiring students to switch between multiple tabs—moving back and forth between our HQ platform and an external coding platform—disrupts the flow of learning and creates navigation challenges. These obstacles prompted a bigger question for our organization: What if we built our own coding platform—one designed specifically for GWC students, Facilitators, and our curriculum? This is how CodeJam was born!