Should Codeforces Have a Division 5? When I first joined Codeforces, Div. 2 felt like climbing Everest without training. Many beginners open a contest, see the problems, and quit before they even enjoy the platform. It made me wonder: what if there was a Division 5 — a safe space for absolute newcomers?

Why Div. 5 could help Confidence building: Newcomers could solve problems without the pressure of competing against Div. 2 regulars.

Accessibility: Problems could be closer to “first steps” in programming contests — sorting, simple loops, basic math.

Community growth: More beginners might stay active, eventually moving up to Div. 4 and Div. 3.

Comparisons Other platforms already do this:

AtCoder has Beginner Contests.

LeetCode weekly contests often start with very approachable problems.

These formats show that beginner‑friendly divisions can work well.

Open question Would a Division 5 (or something similar, like beginner‑only practice rounds) make Codeforces more welcoming? Or should we instead improve existing Educational Rounds to serve this purpose?

I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Do you think a Div. 5 would help, or is there a better way to support absolute beginners?