The rise of websites like W3Schools means there are a lot of resources out there to help you learn how to code. But how do you know which ones are worth your time? There are thousands of tutorials and tons of other online resources that advertise themselves as helping you learn how to code.
Learning how to code online is becoming increasingly popular. There are thousands of courses, tutorials and full courses, which can be overwhelming for beginners. I created this post to showcase the top 10 sites that will teach you how to code for free.
YouTube:
You may have heard the saying, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
But I think there’s a great corollary to this, for our purposes: If you can dream of learning something, and you can find a YouTube video that teaches it, then you can totally learn it.
I’m not kidding. YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning a lot of stuff for free, or at least for getting started on the path to learning something without having to pay anything.
If you want to code but don’t want to spend too much money on classes, YouTube is one of your best options. You can learn how to code from just about any programming language without spending a dime.
To help you find the best coding channels, I’ve put together a list of the top YouTube channels for learning how to code.
- Programming with Mosh
- The Net Ninja
- LevelUpTuts
- Academind
- FreeCodeCamp
- Fireship
- Traversy Media
- Clever Programmer
- Coding Tech
- FunFunFunction (No longer producing new content but great stuff)
- Codewit
Coursera:
It is a free learning site that offers MOOCs courses from well-known universities. All Coursera courses contain pre-recorded video lectures that you can watch when it is convenient for you. This site includes courses that are often taught in college, so they’re very thorough and intense. It also has plenty of resources for beginners and novice programmers who want to learn some basic skills. You get a lot of free courses. This is good for people who prefer a classroom style approach to online learning. You can take some courses for free, or get 7 day free trial for most of the courses.
Check out some of the courses:
Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate
IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
Python for Everybody Specialization (University of Michigan)
Web Applications for Everybody Specialization(University of Michigan)
Data Structures and Algorithms Specialization (UC San Diego)
edX
You’ll get to explore a variety of courses and topics with edX, which is a non-profit MOOC provider. The online learning platform was founded by Harvard University and MIT in 2012 and now includes over 100 global partners. With edX’s wide selection of courses, you can learn how to code with offerings in some of the most used programming languages like JavaScript, Python, Java, C++, HTML/CSS, and more. I personally love the Intro
With edX’s course options comes the opportunity to earn a certificate from the platform upon completion of your chosen course or program. While there is no free certification option available for coding courses at this time on edX, there are several paid certification programs geared towards preparing you for careers in web development or data science.
Check out these free courses:
CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python
Data Science: Machine Learning(Harvard)
Edx was acquired by 2U. Check out the link to find out more.
Udemy
Udemy is a fantastic resource for learning how to code.
It has a large selection of courses on coding languages, including Python, Ruby, and JavaScript. You can learn from literally thousands of different instructors in various video formats. Most Udemy courses are free to try and very affordable if you decide to purchase them. The Udemy platform is simple to use and allows you to watch videos anywhere (even offline) with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. I have more than 50 paid courses here. Don’t be like me and fall into the trap of just buying courses and not watching them. I’m guilty as charged. lol
The Complete Swift iOS Developer — Create Real Apps in Swift
Become an Android Developer from Scratch
Introduction to Cloud Computing
PluralSight
Although it does not offer as much as some of its competitors, PluralSight is a great resource for video-based learning. It has a huge variety of courses on technology and software development. The courses are created by experts in this field, so you can be sure that the content is up to date and accurate.
The downside is that most of these courses are paid. However, if you pay for their monthly subscription ($29/month), you will have access to all their courses. You can also get a free trial for 10 days to see if the website works for you before signing up for the subscription plan. There are also plenty of free courses available on PluralSight, which don’t require any subscriptions or sign-ups.
Whether you want to learn to program or improve your web development skills, CodeAcademy has something for everyone!
LinkedIn Learning:
Hey! So, I’m sure you all know what LinkedIn is. I bet a lot of you have a LinkedIn account, or at least have one but don’t update it anymore because you haven’t gotten a job through it or something. Well, I am here to tell you that LinkedIn isn’t just for job hunting anymore. It’s also for LEARNING!
LinkedIn bought Khan Academy and now has all their videos on programming and technology available for free if you have a LinkedIn Premium account. You can do a free trial for one month to see if it’s something you want.
Without an active premium account, you can still take some courses for free.
Guess what? That is not all. Microsoft is providing an opportunity through LinkedIn Learning to become a Software Developer, Data Scientist and more. See opportunity here (Valid till 30th June)
SoloLearn
SoloLearn is a great resource to learn to code.
On SoloLearn, you can learn to code with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and more. You can access the courses on their website or on the app. In addition, you can stack your newfound knowledge against other learners in quiz games that will test your abilities as a coder.
Udacity
Udacity offers both free and paid courses. The free courses are self-paced, but you’ll have to pay if you want the mentorship and project-based learning that comes with most other options. Udacity’s Nanodegrees are a good choice if you already know what you want to learn, as they’re often focused on a specific subject or job role. The Nanodegrees also include mentorship and career coaching; these programs range from about $100 to $300 per month for three to six months of instruction.
CodeAcademy
It is an excellent introduction to the world of coding, especially if you’re a beginner. Its courses let you learn to code in HTML and CSS, JavaScript, React Native, MongoDB, SQL (a standard language for databases) and more by building interactive websites and games. Very text-based approach to learning. You can start for free and when you feel comfortable subscribe to the pro version.
FreeCodeCamp
This is a great resource for those looking to learn some coding, as it’s 100% free, open-source, and a non-profit. This website is self-paced and allows you to start with the basics and work your way up to building real-world apps. Learn HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Databases, DevTools, Node.js, React.js & more! Through their online code editor, you will be able to apply your skills in real-life projects in order to practice what you have learned. Freecodecamp is a lifesaver. It is unbelievable that everything is for free. Even its YouTube courses are without ADS.
Codewit
CodeWit offers free tutorials on HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Python. You can join the community of learners and alumni on their discord channel. They also have scholarships for paid diploma courses.
There are so many ways to learn, you just have to find the one that’s right for you.
But it’s important to remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to learning code. There are so many different ways of learning, you just have to figure out which ones work for you, and then go with it.
For some people, classroom learning is the best way to learn, with a teacher present to help them when they get stuck. Others might prefer self-guided learning using online tutorials or books. And still, others will prefer hands-on practise by building their own projects.
And some people might find that they need a combination of the above approaches before they really feel ready to start coding in their careers.
All the best. If you need some handholding or advice on getting into Tech, feel free to drop me a message on Twitter
