IB Computer Science SL · 2014 to 2025, and the 2027 specimen
Unit 6: Programming
141 past paper questions from 40 papers across 23 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
SL archive · 2014 to 2027
Unit 6: Programming
Latest exam session: Specimen 2027
- questions
- questions
- papers
- papers
- exam sessions
- exam sessions
Topics in Unit 6: Programming
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
6.1
Programming fundamentals
9% of marks · 22 questions
- FadingVariables and data types
6.2
Data structures
46% of marks · 67 questions
6.3
Programming constructs
21% of marks · 27 questions
6.4
Programming algorithms
23% of marks · 24 questions
- DueLinear and binary search
- DueBubble and selection sort
6.5
File processing
2% of marks · 1 question
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 12 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6.2.2Arrays and lists | 9Arrays and lists, 2014: 9 questions | 5Arrays and lists, 2015: 5 questions | 1Arrays and lists, 2016: 1 question | 2Arrays and lists, 2017: 2 questions | 6Arrays and lists, 2018: 6 questions | 2Arrays and lists, 2019: 2 questions | ·Arrays and lists, 2020: 0 questions | 2Arrays and lists, 2021: 2 questions | ·Arrays and lists, 2022: 0 questions | 11Arrays and lists, 2023: 11 questions | 4Arrays and lists, 2024: 4 questions | 8Arrays and lists, 2025: 8 questions | 12Arrays and lists, 2026: 12 questions | 3Arrays and lists, 2027: 3 questions |
| 1Functions and modularity, 2014: 1 question | 1Functions and modularity, 2015: 1 question | 1Functions and modularity, 2016: 1 question | ·Functions and modularity, 2017: 0 questions | 3Functions and modularity, 2018: 3 questions | 1Functions and modularity, 2019: 1 question | ·Functions and modularity, 2020: 0 questions | 3Functions and modularity, 2021: 3 questions | ·Functions and modularity, 2022: 0 questions | 1Functions and modularity, 2023: 1 question | 3Functions and modularity, 2024: 3 questions | 2Functions and modularity, 2025: 2 questions | 1Functions and modularity, 2026: 1 question | ·Functions and modularity, 2027: 0 questions | |
| ·Linear and binary search, 2014: 0 questions | 1Linear and binary search, 2015: 1 question | ·Linear and binary search, 2016: 0 questions | 2Linear and binary search, 2017: 2 questions | 2Linear and binary search, 2018: 2 questions | ·Linear and binary search, 2019: 0 questions | 2Linear and binary search, 2020: 2 questions | 1Linear and binary search, 2021: 1 question | ·Linear and binary search, 2022: 0 questions | 5Linear and binary search, 2023: 5 questions | ·Linear and binary search, 2024: 0 questions | ·Linear and binary search, 2025: 0 questions | ·Linear and binary search, 2026: 0 questions | ·Linear and binary search, 2027: 0 questions | |
| ·Bubble and selection sort, 2014: 0 questions | 1Bubble and selection sort, 2015: 1 question | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2016: 0 questions | 1Bubble and selection sort, 2017: 1 question | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2018: 0 questions | 3Bubble and selection sort, 2019: 3 questions | 1Bubble and selection sort, 2020: 1 question | 2Bubble and selection sort, 2021: 2 questions | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2022: 0 questions | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2023: 0 questions | 2Bubble and selection sort, 2024: 2 questions | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2025: 0 questions | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2026: 0 questions | ·Bubble and selection sort, 2027: 0 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- FadingVariables and data types· last May 25 P2 TZ3
- Dueusually examined, but missing from the last two exam sessions
- Fadingused to appear, but not seen for two years or more
Free account · no card needed
See the full exam pattern
Every micro-topic in the heatmap and the complete watch list, free with an account.
You come straight back to this page with your set built.
- With a free account
- 3 generated sets of 10 past-paper questions, any scope
- One AI-marked practice set with step-by-step feedback
- The full exam pattern: every micro-topic and the watch list
Past paper generator
Generate Computer Science SL past paper questions
Choose what to revise and build a set in one click. Every question stays whole, so multi-part questions come as they appeared in the exam.
- 1Pick any unit, topic or micro-topic
- 2Generate whole exam questions from the archive
- 3Practise the same skills with AI marking
Questions on Unit 6: Programming, by exam session
Which papers asked about Unit 6: Programming, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
Specimen 2027
3 questions across 1 paper
May 2026
5 questions across 4 papers
May 2025
6 questions across 4 papers
November 2024
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2024
4 questions across 3 papers
November 2023
2 questions across 1 paper
May 2023
8 questions across 3 papers
November 2022
2 questions across 1 paper
May 2022
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2021
3 questions across 1 paper
May 2021
3 questions across 1 paper
November 2020
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2019
1 question across 1 paper
May 2019
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2018
4 questions across 2 papers
May 2018
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2017
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2017
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2016
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2015
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2015
4 questions across 2 papers
November 2014
4 questions across 2 papers
May 2014
2 questions across 1 paper
Every Unit 6: Programming question, unlocked
Generate all 141 questions in this unit at once, practise every one with AI marking, and see how each mark is awarded.
- Every past-paper question in any unit, topic or micro-topic
- Generate sets of 20 or all questions, as often as you like
- Unlimited practice with AI marking and worked answers
- See how every mark is awarded for each question
- Predicted papers and crash courses built from the same data
Used by IB students preparing for Nov 2026, May 2027 and May 2028
From €8.29/mo. 14-day money-back guarantee. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Computer Science SL exam sessions are covered for Unit 6: Programming?
24 exam sessions from 2014 to 2027, the latest Specimen 2027. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 40 papers in this archive.
Which Unit 6: Programming topic comes up most?
Arrays and lists (6.2.2): in 54% of papers, last seen May 26 P1 TZ3. Usually "State", worth about 5.1 marks in a paper that includes it.
Can I see the original question and mark scheme?
No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.
What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?
Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.
What is free and what needs Pro?
Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
Keep going
More Computer Science SL exam preparation
Every question, by paper
What each Computer Science SL paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
Open the paper analysis
All IB past papers
Every subject we have classified by topic, with the same exam-pattern analysis.
Browse subjects
Practise Unit 6: Programming the way it is examined.
Pick any unit, topic or micro-topic, see what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.