What’s new
Every update of the site by version — the newest at the top.
Project news is also in our Telegram channel (in Russian): t.me/OctoLearn
Version 1.6.3 · Updated documents Latest version
- Improved Updated documents: emails with codes are now sent by our hosting provider instead of Yandex Mail, and the new site address octolearn.ru is listed.
Version 1.6.2 · Emails from OctoLearn
- Improved Emails with codes now come from the site’s own address — noreply@octolearn.ru.
Version 1.6.1 · Small improvements
- Improved The home page now links to “What’s new” and shows the site version.
- Improved Names like “OctoLearn”, “Support” or “admin” can no longer be taken, so no one can pretend to be the site.
Version 1.6 · Security and convenience
- Added “Forgot password?” — regain access with a code sent by email.
- Added Email address confirmation.
- Added A “Security & data” section in settings: change password, sign out on all other devices and delete data — all in one place.
- Added Optional sign-in with a code from a phone app (Authy, Google Authenticator, Yandex Key).
- Added Search on the character pages — by the character itself, pinyin (with or without tones) and meaning.
- Added This “What’s new” page lists every update of the site.
- Improved Improved protection of student and teacher data.
- Improved Updated documents; new contact address — octolearn@yandex.com.
Version 1.5 · HSK 4 textbook
- Added HSK 4 textbook: 35 lessons covering all 1000 words of the level — dialogues with audio, grammar and exercises.
- Improved Better on phones: buttons and tabs are no longer cut off.
- Improved A whole class can sign in at once from one school network.
- Improved Improved security.
Version 1.4 · Faster and more reliable
- Added You can share a link to a specific course in the catalog.
- Added A “Radicals” chapter in the textbook with an invitation to the free course “Азбука иероглифов: 214 ключей” (taught in Russian).
- Improved The site loads faster, and updates show up right after release.
- Improved Custom languages, task types and worksheet settings are saved more reliably.
Version 1.3 · Textbook
- Added The “Textbook” section: basics and HSK 1–3 lessons — dialogues with audio, vocabulary, grammar and exercises in Russian, English and Chinese.
- Added Phrases voiced with natural voices; choose the speed and the male voice.
- Added Text-to-speech in the course editor for teachers.
- Added Nice link previews of the site in messengers.
- Improved Regular data backups.
Version 1.2 · Characters and worksheets
- Added 3000 HSK character pages: pinyin, meaning, stroke order, writing animation, components, example words and audio.
- Added Worksheets: a stroke-by-stroke mode, ready presets for kids, teens and adults, printing on A4.
- Added English and Chinese versions of the character and worksheet pages.
- Improved Characters and words voiced by recordings of real speakers.
Version 1.1 · Teacher groups
- Added Teacher groups: students join on their own; the teacher sees each lesson’s result, time and mistakes, the group’s difficult spots and who hasn’t studied for a while; sets homework and leaves notes for students.
- Added Access to individual chapters of a large course.
- Added Teachers choose how the chapters of their course unlock.
- Added Worksheets from ready-made lessons — no need to type the characters again.
- Added A full avatar editor; you can still upload your own photo.
- Added You can delete your account with all personal data yourself, without contacting support.
- Improved A refreshed teacher menu; all buttons are labeled on computers; a new menu and a comfortable layout on phones.
- Improved New sounds on the site.
- Improved Improved server security and reliability.
- Improved Updated documents: privacy policy, user agreement and consent.
Version 1.0 · Before version numbering
- Added June 2026 — OctoLearn launched. Version numbers started in October 2026; before that, news was posted in our Telegram channel. The highlights of those months are below.
- Added August 2026: the Android app.
- Improved August 2026: a new purple color and the octopus mascot; the site became universal — not only for Chinese.
- Improved August 2026: the site moved to its own server.
- Added August 2026: sign-up — progress syncs between devices; ready-made courses can be published and downloaded for free.
- Added August 2026: friends, audio speed in settings, automatic updates of downloaded courses.
- Added August 2026: a shared streak with friends, @usernames, the first avatar editor; streak and XP are stored safely on the server.
- Added August 2026: math and music — 6 new task types (practice drills, “pair hunt”, numeric answers, rhythm, melody, staff notation); a character radicals game; larger characters in tasks.
- Improved September 2026: a new site address — octo.state-group.ru; new sounds; pages load lighter.
- Added September 2026: a task type builder — a canvas of blocks based on any of the site’s engines; custom task types are saved on the server; the showcase shows which courses are already downloaded.
- Improved September 2026: a signed version of the Android app.
- Added September 2026: private courses — only for your own students, by code, code with password or personal invitation; a new admin panel with five tabs; the mobile version was fixed up.
- Added And by October the site also had: lessons by chapter with stars and Chinese demo lessons with audio; 23 task types — flashcards, translation, images and video, pairs, sentence building, true/false, pinyin and tones, listening, dictation, transcription; stroke-by-stroke character writing and stroke order demos.
- Added A lesson vocabulary and an overall vocabulary with audio; a daily streak, XP and a leaderboard among friends.
- Added Video calls with a whiteboard, slides and chat; a character worksheet generator.
- Added A course editor for teachers with cloud drafts, a language manager (courses on any subject), lesson import and export, authenticity check for lesson results.
- Added Three interface languages (Russian, English, Chinese), a dark theme and a reduced-motion mode.