Learning to code is essential whether you're trying to break into the tech industry or just for fun. Programming knowledge can be very helpful in various aspects of life, especially in the digital age we're living in. In this post are the top 10 free websites you can learn coding on.
1. FreeCodeCamp
FreeCodeCamp is one of the best most popular websites to learn to code. It's 100% free and open-source and offers a range of courses from web development to data science and machine learning. The entire company lives on donations and contributions. They have one of the best tech blogs and a weekly newsletter where Quincy Larson(the founder) shares some great learning resources about programming.
2. CodeCademy
CodeCademy is also a great place to start if you're new to programming. They have a wide variety to choose from ranging from web development to data science, machine learning, database design, and cybersecurity. They have courses on a lot of programming languages including GO, Kotlin, Java, C++, JavaScript, Ruby, C#, and Swift to name a few. They also have a Pro subscription which will give you access to a lot more learning resources such as their career paths and real-world projects along with certificates of completion. The Pro subscription is available for individuals and students.
3. Dash
This is sort of a mini-course on web development. It is offered by General Assembly which is a boot camp for people that are looking to change careers. It teaches you web development by building projects which include a landing page, a blog theme, a restaurant website, a robot, and a simple game. It starts with simple HTML and CSS and slowly advances to JavaScript and jQuery as you complete the projects.
4. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is an online academy that teaches a wide variety of subjects at all levels of education from 1st Grade to college. Their programming courses include Intro to computer programming, web programming, SQL, and data structures and algorithms. Khan Academy is also 100% free and lives on donations.
5. The Odin Project
I like this platform because rather than just teaching a programming language, it teaches you by using documentation and articles. This teaches you how to read through the documentation and it also teaches a lot about the concept of problem-solving which is the core concept of being a software developer. It has three paths, the foundations' path which teaches you the basics of web development from which you can branch out to either the full stack Ruby path or the full-stack JavaScript path.
6. Solo Learn
This is another platform that teaches a wide range of topics and programming languages including Java, PHP, Python, Swift, Kotlin and so many more. It uses a quiz-like pattern of teaching and has a mobile app which is great for on-the-go learners. I recommend this platform as a way to refresh your knowledge due to its quiz-like structure.
7. Upskill
If you're looking to learn web development very quickly, Upskill is a platform you should consider, it has a concise web developer essentials course that teaches you everything you need to know to start building websites, including bootstrap, jQuery, and Git. It also has a PRO version that unlocks a lot more courses.
8. Code.org
This platform is specifically catered for kids but if you're someone who's fund of gamifying your learning process, then you might want to check it out. It teaches the basics of computer science and programming along with building games.
9. Viking Code School
Viking Code School is part of Thinkful, an online boot camp that trains people who want to become fully-fledged software engineers. It's free and covers topics from web basics to web design and development.
10. Alison
This is another great fully rounded platform that teaches a wide range of skills not just in IT but also business, art, language and so much more. Their courses come with either a diploma or a certificate when completed. Their IT topics include Fundamentals of JavaScript, Cybersecurity, computer networking, and more.
These are the top 10 platforms I'd recommend to anyone trying to learn to code. I don't recommend learning from one source alone but I'd say start with one and when you're done with that one pick another source and go through it because you might come across valuable information in one source that's not mentioned in the other.
Conclusion
There's no best way to learn programming, whichever way that's more suitable for you is the best. Now go out there and start learning and I'll see you guys next week with another article.