Unofficial NGP Questions Topic (READ BEFORE POSTING ABOUT NGP)

CharPikMar

EDIT: I want to clarify as there is no such thing as 3.5. 3.0 is defined as the scratch-www version, which released in 2016 onto the WEBSITE, around when the scratch EDITOR was ScratchR2. The EDITOR (bear with me here) was updated to fit with the scratch-www in 2019, AND the editor is SEPERATE FROM THE WEBSITE DESIGN. Now the NGP WEBSITE will PROBABLY be called scratch-ngp and that will update the WEBSITE, and then “4.0”, which will update the EDITOR, which is separate from the scratch-ngp. Got it? Okay. Please stop calling it Scratch 3.5.

This thread has evolved to be a general questions thread about NGP, but before asking questions about NGP outside of this thread, please read before posting.

EDIT: We have gotten a lot of new information about this Scratch NGP update. Here is what we know so far:

CONFIRMED - Meaning confirmed by the Scratch Team.
UNCONFIRMED - Meaning there are no sources to back this up.

They will rework the explore page (confirmed)
Google accounts can now be used to sign in (confirmed)
Studios and servers will be improved (confirmed)
New features for the home page and profile (confirmed)
Scratch NGP will be on scratch.org (confirmed)
Backpacks will stay intact (confirmed)
Scratch NGP will not update the editor and it is just an update to the website (confirmed)
Scratch NGP is not 4.0 (confirmed)
Scratch will move to a new forum engine (confirmed)

I made some new changes to this topic. For one, the title is now Unofficial NGP Questions Topic. Hopefully this will be easier to understand what it is for most people. I also got rid of “ultra-confirmed”. We don't really need that. I made this topic easier to read, and I fixed some grammatical issues, and got rid of some things.

Please update with more information if you do have it.

https://scratchfoundation.org/announcements/ngp

Hey, Scratchers!

We have some exciting news to share with you. As you might have heard, we’re working on Scratch 4.0 – the newest version of Scratch with exciting new tools, features, and upgrades. But before Scratch 4.0 is released, we need to create a strong foundation to build it on. We’ve been working on something we call the Next-Generation Platform (NGP) – the step between Scratch 3.0 and 4.0. Some of the changes in NGP will be easy to see, like refreshed designs on some pages. Some of the changes won’t be as easy to see, like making back-end systems faster and more reliable.

We’re looking forward to rolling out some features you have been asking for for a long time, like:

Google sign-on support
Improved studio experience
Refreshed designs and new functions on the homepage and profile pages
Customizable notifications
New project tagging system
Upgraded Explore page

Scratch’s NGP is truly a brand new platform, and it is going to take some time to move Scratchers out of our current platform and into this new space. This summer, you can expect some downtime as we transition from Scratch’s current platform to our NGP. Don’t worry: your projects, comments, and profiles aren’t going anywhere. This move will happen over a few days, and then you’ll be ready to connect and create on the NGP.

The NGP isn’t Scratch 4.0 yet, but we hope you’ll enjoy some of the changes we have in store! We’ll share more about our plans as we get closer to the big move.

Last edited by CharPikMar (Today 13:31:44)

WPONTA

WOAH, finally after 7 whole years! :D , I'm so excited!

samuelthedude

I’m just wondering, what will it look like? Will there be a beta for us to test?

CST1229

I don't think this is 3.5. A Scratch version update would entail large changes to the editor. (if anything, spork would have been that, not this change). I'm 99.9999% sure NGP won't change the editor at all.

So uh, unless you count the 2015/16 (don't remember the exact date) new homepage in 2.0 as “Scratch 2.5”, this is still 3.0.

Last edited by CST1229 (April 23, 2026 16:03:32)

CharPikMar

samuelthedude wrote:
I’m just wondering, what will it look like? Will there be a beta for us to test?

Who knows. Maybe a select few will be testing. I think it will look like Scratch but 3.0. Will they implement blocking? Nah. Probably being able to customize your profile even more, which is SUPER great for aesthetic users. I could make my entire profile Hollow Knight!!

ChristianScratcher1

CharPikMar wrote:
So I was just browsing Scratch and freaked out about Scratch 4,0 probably releasing, but it's some weird NGP thing? IT likes a hybrid between scratch 3.0 and 4.0?
https://scratchfoundation.org/announcements/ngp

So they are implementing what we have wanted for so long?? Will our forum pages finally be updated to 3.0?

Or to 3.5 or 4.0

Also I hope this includes new blocks that are practically necessary in coding (such as an exponent block)

CharPikMar

CST1229 wrote:
I don't think this is 3.5. A Scratch version update would entail large changes to the editor. (if anything, spork would have been that, not this change). I'm 99.9999% sure NGP won't change the editor at all.

So uh, unless you count the 2015/16 (don't remember the exact date) new homepage in 2.0 as “Scratch 2.5”, this is still 3.0.

so like 3.4? It's weird, but I think they are just making overall changes to the website itself for quality of life additions.

(EDIT: THIS IS OLD, IT'S NOT 3.4)

Last edited by CharPikMar (Today 13:33:03)

CST1229

also, i think there might just be completely new forums (starting from scratch) instead of just an updated 3.0 skin (since ST members have said several times that the forums are the hardest and most expensive part of scratch to maintain, alongside cloud variables)? at least, i hope this means we finally get modern features like search, if this means a new forum engine.

im not sure though, i hope they do the best-case scenario of migrating posts.

Last edited by CST1229 (April 23, 2026 16:07:07)

WPONTA

The Scratch version will only change the website (upgrading the 2.0 pages to 3.0, reworking features, and bringing old features back).

CharPikMar

ChristianScratcher1 wrote:
CharPikMar wrote:
So I was just browsing Scratch and freaked out about Scratch 4,0 probably releasing, but it's some weird NGP thing? IT likes a hybrid between scratch 3.0 and 4.0?
https://scratchfoundation.org/announcements/ngp

So they are implementing what we have wanted for so long?? Will our forum pages finally be updated to 3.0?
Or to 3.5 or 4.0

Also I hope this includes new blocks that are practically necessary in coding (such as an exponent block)

There's also no reason to reject exponent blocks because we have sin/cosine blocks. I think this will be calledd Scratch 3.0 - NGP?

CharPikMar

CST1229 wrote:
also, i think there might just be completely new forums (starting from scratch) instead of just an updated 3.0 skin (since ST members have said several times that the forums are the hardest and most expensive part of scratch to maintain, alongside cloud variables)? at least, i hope this means we finally get modern features like search, if this means a new forum engine.

I really hope they update the forum engine. It's powered by DjangoBB and is really outdated, it's literally from the early 2000s

Rosics

samuelthedude wrote:
I’m just wondering, what will it look like? Will there be a beta for us to test?

Most likely the same site we all know and love on scratch.mit.edu just a few pages upgraded like what happened with Ideas and Community Guidelines, I'm sure they aren't upgrading those pages again however and Codubee said the forums are going to be upgraded but I have a question: Will the 2.0 pages be upgraded in NGP?

Actually, will it still be scratch.mit.edu?

Summer starts June 21 and ends on September 21

Last edited by Rosics (April 23, 2026 16:18:05)

CharPikMar

Rosics wrote:
Actually, will it still be scratch.mit.edu?
-snip-
Summer starts June 21 and ends on September 21

What if they update the URL because they aren't associated with MIT anymore?

(EDIT: CONFIRMED)

Last edited by CharPikMar (Today 13:33:32)

WPONTA

Scratch Team wrote:
When is Scratch moving to the NGP?
We are planning to begin this work over the summer. In the US, where Scratch is based, summer is from June-August. We don’t have a specific date yet, but we’ll share it with you as soon as we can.

ChristianScratcher1

CharPikMar wrote:
CST1229 wrote:
also, i think there might just be completely new forums (starting from scratch) instead of just an updated 3.0 skin (since ST members have said several times that the forums are the hardest and most expensive part of scratch to maintain, alongside cloud variables)? at least, i hope this means we finally get modern features like search, if this means a new forum engine.
I really hope they update the forum engine. It's powered by DjangoBB and is really outdated, it's literally from the early 2000s

Iirc the forum software is gonna change. Last week djangobb was on auction and someone asked if they’re gonna bid for it, apparently they’re gonna use a new software

Rosics

ChristianScratcher1 wrote:
CharPikMar wrote:
CST1229 wrote:
also, i think there might just be completely new forums (starting from scratch) instead of just an updated 3.0 skin (since ST members have said several times that the forums are the hardest and most expensive part of scratch to maintain, alongside cloud variables)? at least, i hope this means we finally get modern features like search, if this means a new forum engine.
I really hope they update the forum engine. It's powered by DjangoBB and is really outdated, it's literally from the early 2000s
Iirc the forum software is gonna change. Last week djangobb was on auction and someone asked if they’re gonna bid for it, apparently they’re gonna use a new software

I'm sure they aren't doing that just yet for NGP. This platform is worse to migrate because I'm sure the ST doesnt have the tooling on DjangoBB rather than WWW.

Last edited by Rosics (April 23, 2026 17:38:42)

B06DAN3L2

This is their post that got mentioned in the Scratch News tab (i think that it was called like that):

“Hey, Scratchers!
We have some exciting news to share with you. As you might have heard, we’re working on Scratch 4.0 – the newest version of Scratch with exciting new tools, features, and upgrades. But before Scratch 4.0 is released, we need to create a strong foundation to build it on. We’ve been working on something we call the Next-Generation Platform (NGP) – the step between Scratch 3.0 and 4.0. Some of the changes in NGP will be easy to see, like refreshed designs on some pages. Some of the changes won’t be as easy to see, like making back-end systems faster and more reliable.
We’re looking forward to rolling out some features you have been asking for for a long time, like:
Google sign-on support
Improved studio experience
Refreshed designs and new functions on the homepage and profile pages
Customizable notifications
New project tagging system
Upgraded Explore page
Scratch’s NGP is truly a brand new platform, and it is going to take some time to move Scratchers out of our current platform and into this new space. This summer, you can expect some downtime as we transition from Scratch’s current platform to our NGP. Don’t worry: your projects, comments, and profiles aren’t going anywhere. This move will happen over a few days, and then you’ll be ready to connect and create on the NGP.
The NGP isn’t Scratch 4.0 yet, but we hope you’ll enjoy some of the changes we have in store! We’ll share more about our plans as we get closer to the big move.
Scratch On!
Scratch Team”

Holy…. Not only they promised a LOT of very nice features, but they didnt mention AI, which is nice, and means that Scratch realised that we actually dont want AI that much. And we already experienced NGP: the block updates. Now I am more curious than ever about Scratch 4.0…

EDIT: They do mention AI, but in a more positive way: "There are no new uses of AI in the NGP. Our existing extension, Face Sensing, is powered by local-side AI (learn more here: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/842592/) and will also be available in the NGP."

Last edited by B06DAN3L2 (April 23, 2026 18:10:42)

blackcow29

What is your question?
And by the way, I’m glad that they finally gave an official announcement saying that they won’t be using any AI (besides face sensing); I wish they could bring the people that left because of all of those misunderstandings back.

SushiCat_75

As they said, it's more of a UI redesign.

B06DAN3L2

i mean i have nowhere to put this so i just put it in questions about scratch, sorry. Also they said that NGP will not use Ai, but they didnt say anything about 4.0

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