Description #
KTurtle is an educational programming environment that uses a simplified version of the Logo programming language. It provides a visual interface where commands control a turtle on the screen, making it ideal for teaching programming and logic to beginners and young learners.
History #
KTurtle was developed as part of the KDE Education Project, with its initial release in the early 2000s. Inspired by Logo, it simplifies programming with readable commands and a user-friendly interface. KTurtle gained popularity in classrooms for helping children understand basic concepts like sequencing, loops, and geometry.
Hello World Code #
print "Hello, World!"How to Run #
Option 1: Local (Recommended)
KTurtle is a desktop application.
- On Linux (KDE-based distros): bashCopyEdit
sudo apt install kturtle - On Windows/macOS:
- Download from https://edu.kde.org/kturtle/
Open KTurtle, paste the code, and click Run.
Key Concepts #
- Turtle-based visual movement
- Print and drawing commands
- Simplified Logo syntax
- Full IDE for beginners
- Translated into multiple languages
- Supports loops and conditionals
- Designed for children and first-time coders
- Step-by-step code execution (debugging)
- Syntax highlighting and error messages
- KDE-native application (free and open source)
Try It Online #
- KTurtle is not available online — it must be installed locally.
KTurtle Project Page
Fun Facts #
- KTurtle supports full internationalization — even code can be written in different human languages.
- It was one of the first apps in the KDE Education suite.
- The turtle can draw, print, and move based on user code — all within a beginner-safe environment.
