Top 13 Websites to Learn Coding for Free
Becoming a self-taught developer is easier now more than ever. There are many websites that allow us to learn coding for free. The need for technical talent within the market has risen considerably over the past decade with the digitization of almost all sectors and industries. The education providers have responded to this demand and have gone on to establish themselves online with the guarantee of serving a larger market than before.
So, are you a beginner looking to get into coding? Not sure where to start? Look no further. This article highlights some of the best online free coding websites with the aim of guiding and helping you start this exciting journey even sooner.
1. Zindua School
Zindua School is one of the leading coding schools in Africa, pioneering different deferred tuition options for students. It combines interesting tutorials, articles, and live lecture sessions for their core programs.
They offer free introductory courses in Data Science, Software Development, and No-code Product Development courses for non-techie founders and entrepreneurs. The programs are self-paced and are perfect for beginners looking to get into coding. Their programs are specially gamified to make learning more interesting and interactive.
This is definitely a perfect place to start for anyone looking to kickstart their career in code.
2. FreeCodeCamp
FreeCodeCamp is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help people learn coding for free. It combines thousands of tutorial videos, articles, and interactive coding lessons for anyone looking to get into coding.
FreeCodeCamp has free verified certifications in courses such as Web design, Data Science, Data structures and Algorithms, Machine Learning among others. It also has a YouTube page that anyone can visit and a resourceful community that is always ready to support their own. This is definitely a good place to start.
3. CodeAcademy
CodeAcademy is one of the most known online coding websites globally. It is preferred by many people because of its wide range of courses and its interactive on-platform IDE that enables one to code without having to have installed an IDE on their computer.
If you are a beginner and unsure of the coding path you want to take, Code Academy offers a quiz on its website that recommends a path for you depending on your interests. It also offers helpful tool tips and real time feedback as you proceed with the lessons.
It has a paid plan where it offers premium content and material. The courses offered include HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Python, C++, Ruby, SQL, and Java among others.
4. HackerRank
HackerRank is one of the best coding websites around. It is curated for both developers looking to learn and horn their skills, and companies looking to hire tech talent. It offers many programming courses for people to learn coding for free and invest their time.
It is one of the best coding websites to get hired since it offers timed preparation kits for anyone looking to prepare for a technical interview. It offers courses in Algorithms, AI, Data Structures, Linux Shell, C++, Python, Java, and Databases.
5. GeeksforGeeks
GeeksforGeeks is a resourceful online coding website that is designed for anyone looking to get into programming. It combines free tutorials, well written articles, live classes, coding competitions, webinars with industry leaders, and employment opportunities for its standout students.
It has useful resources on almost all related topics that you might search and is usually accompanied by code samples in almost all programming languages. It offers courses and tutorials in Java, Python, C, JavaScript and much more.
6. W3Schools
W3Schools is one of the best online coding schools for anyone looking to get into coding. W3Schools takes a documentation-style approach and offers a wide range of resources for developers. The programming languages featured include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, SQL, Java, NodeJS, C++, and C#.
It is also helpful to continuing developers since it has updated resources that allows one to continuously re-learn specific syntaxes and commands. It has a paid service that offers certifications but it would be best to start with the free material whilst still a beginner until you grasp all the important concepts and decide on the path you want to follow.
It has an interactivity feature that allows you to write and execute code on the website. Visit their website today and start learn .
7. YouTube
YouTube is arguably the best place to learn coding as a beginner. It offers the widest range of tutorials covering all programming languages, Data structures and Algorithms tutorials, Systems design, among others. Unlike most of the other websites covered, YouTube exclusively has videos which anyone can watch and code alongside as they learn.
There are tons of good tutorials, and it is therefore important to watch a couple and settle on what works for you. A pro tip, even though the videos are good and insightful, be careful not to be trapped in the tutorials loop where all you do it watch videos. The tutorials are good while starting out but make sure you build something afterwards to test your understanding of the concepts. I would highly recommend starting your learning journey on YouTube before visiting other sites.
8. KhanAcademy
KhanAcademy is one of the leading e-learning platforms globally whose mission is to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. It offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.
It offers a wide range of courses cutting across other non-tech disciplines making one of the most holistic platforms covered on this article. For the tech programs, it offers full and immersive Computer Science lessons, and also specific languages such as Python, HTML & CSS, and JavaScript.
9. Cousera
Cousera is hands down one of the best online platforms for beginners looking to get into coding or any other technology-focused career. It offers a wide range of tutorials and resources that are compiled and delivered by professors from top universities globally allowing you to learn coding for free.
It offers verified certifications from industry leaders such as Google, IBM, Meta, and Salesforce upon completion of its programs though one has to pay to access the certification. The prices are however subsidized for the value of content offered and it also offers scholarships that people can apply to and get access to all premium benefits.
10. edX
edX is one of the leading online coding platforms that anyone can learn from. It offers free online courses by global reputable universities such as MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and more.
The courses are a bit more intensive and requires more time and dedication, but most of them are self-paced and therefore can be taken during your free time. The platform offers different courses in Computer Science, Data Science, Full Stack Development, JavaScript, Python, AI, and Machine Learning. edX offers a verified certificate that has to be paid for but most of its courses are freely accessible.
11. Udacity
Udacity is an online learning website that partners with leading technology companies to learn how technology is transforming industries and teach the critical tech skills that companies are looking for in their workforce.
The Udacity programs are commonly referred to as Nanodegrees as they are like little degrees you get for each topic you learn. Most of their courses are free and have a wide range of courses such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Cloud Computing among others.
12. StackOverflow
StackOverflow is an online platform that helps developers interact, share solutions, and helps them find answers that they need. They have a public Q&A platform that people visit, learn, and share technical knowledge complete with code snippets.
It is normal to be stuck and get bugs that you cannot solve by yourself while coding. Stack Overflow’s interactive platform allows people to engage with experts, share their problems, and get possible solutions from the community.
This is best suited for anyone who is already building something and needs some solutions to specific problems they are facing while coding.
13. Udemy
Udemy is one of the most holistic e-learning websites that offers a wide range of courses that are both tech and non-technical. It allows different tutors to create and upload their content onto the platform.
There are a lot of paid and free courses available with almost all programming languages covered. The courses usually have previews at the beginning to help explain the contents and deliverables and help you decide before purchasing or starting them. They usually have an interactive section where students can ask and talk to the lecturers. As a pro tip, be sure to look at the ratings and watch the preview videos before deciding on a course. Happy learning.
Conclusion
Finally, coding is not easy. This article is for anyone looking to learn coding for free. It is a skill like any other that requires serious time and dedication to perfect. However, there are many people that have gone ahead of you and succeeded. You too can. Online learning allows you to study at your own pace, make mistakes, and bounce back at the comfort of your home. If you are looking to transition from another career, it gives you the flexibility of learning during your free time.
I hope this article helps you get started and that you achieve your objective. Remember to focus on building real life projects and enriching your portfolio. Once you are confident try out open-source projects, collaborate with peers, join communities, and start preparing for technical interviews as early as possible.
Go forth and build!
