About the news
Penza State University has started teaching students to program using Cyrillic: instructors translated JavaScript syntax and exercises into Russian, registered a patent, and integrated the system into a Codewars‑like platform with automatic checking and gamification.
Proponents say this reduces language barriers, increases engagement and strengthens the role of Russian in IT; they cite similar initiatives in China, India and some Arab countries.
Experts warn of risks: abandoning English terminology may hinder graduates’ employment in international environments and complicate work with existing libraries and standards.
Expert opinion
Anton Averyanov notes that JavaScript’s ecosystem contains thousands of English‑language libraries, so a full switch to Russian code is impractical and would complicate interoperability and community collaboration.
