Last Updated on September 4, 2024
You can be the next Mark Zuckerberg.
Will you create the next billion-dollar social networking site? Maybe. The odds are certainly against you, but with basic knowledge of coding, you are taking the first step toward what could be the next big thing.
If you want to learn how to code but don’t know how to go about it, there’s some good news. You no longer have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for school to learn how to code. You can build any website or app you want, and you can make it from home as long as you have a computer and an idea.
Learning how to code has never been easier. There are plenty of websites that teach you everything you need to know. They will familiarize you with the language and educate you on when to do what.
Here are eight great places to learn to code for free.
8. Khan Academy
One website that will get you started in the world of coding is Khan Academy. They offer short video lectures, interesting projects and interactive lessons. The best part is that it’s totally free, and you don’t even have to sign up to start a lesson.
If you do sign up, you can also sign up for a parent or coaching account. You can then link your children or student to your account and be able to monitor their progress. This is great if you want to learn with your child, but you can easily do the lessons for your own benefit as well.
7. Dash
General Assembly has a website called Dash that teaches you basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript for free. These are the three most commonly used languages you need to learn as a beginner.
Dash will have you work through four different projects, each one being slightly more difficult than the last. These four projects are great to begin with because other websites might overwhelm you with the amount of offered courses. The projects from Dash include fun situations like designing a website for a friend and coding a CSS-powered robot.
Dash is helpful to beginners because it shows you your work in real-time. It also shows you what your work looks like on a mobile device as well as a desktop.
6. The Odin Project
The Odin Project is a website that was created by developers who put together a course they wish they had when they started coding. It teaches you all the basics, has dozens of projects and gives you the ability to work with other students.
The Odin Project is full of content, and it offers you over 900 hours of projects. While this might seem overwhelming, you will need to commit hundreds, even thousands, of hours to become a great coder. The idea of The Odin Project is that you will be ready for a job in web development after you complete the course. Make sure you take full advantage of your Odin Project experience.
5. Code.org
Code.org is determined to give students and beginners a chance to learn how to code. Although their website seems to gear their courses toward younger students, all beginners could use their program to ease into the world of coding.
Code.org has a program called the “Hour of Code,” which is where they teach you the fundamentals of coding in an hour. One reason people are hesitant to learn how to code is because there are so many different languages and techniques that the idea of coding becomes very overwhelming. With just an hour of the basics, however, you will see that coding can be a fun and interesting challenge.
4. Udemy
There are few websites with better online courses and a variety of topics than Udemy. However, anyone can post a course on Udemy, so it’s crucial to read the reviews and make sure the teacher is legitimate.
Although some courses cost a good chunk of change, you can find plenty of courses for free that will help get you started with coding. Most courses come with video tutorials and assignment sheets so you can efficiently learn how to code.
3. edX
One website that offers plenty of courses from top universities is edX. You can find courses on many different topics and even earn college credit or advanced certificates.
Some courses cost money for enrollment or for a certificate at the end. However, you can find a few courses that are free and will teach you the basics of coding. One of these classes is CS50x, which is an introduction to computer science class at Harvard University. This project will teach you the common coding languages as well as how to recognize and solve problems.
2. Free Code Camp
Free Code Camp has plenty of detailed tutorials that will teach you many different aspects of coding. You’ll learn how to code, solve certain problems and ultimately accomplish what you want.
However, there is one key thing that separates Free Code Camp from the rest — real work experience.
Non-profit organizations submit their coding issues and web development needs to Free Code Camp, and you can volunteer to help them out. This solves two main problems: organizations’ desire for cheap web developers and new coders’ desire for real-world work experience.
After you go through the hundreds of hours of coding tutorials, you can immediately use your knowledge to gain experience and build your resume.
1. Codecademy
If you are interested in learning how to code, you may have already heard of Codecademy. If you haven’t heard of it, though, then there’s one thing to make clear: Codecademy is the best learning tool for beginners.
You might find that some advanced coders are against Codecademy, and that’s because it doesn’t offer much beyond the most basic concepts. If you want to get really good at coding, then you will eventually want to take more advanced courses on sites like edX or Udemy.
However, you definitely want to use Codecademy if you have never seen a line of code before. It will teach you what everything means and why you are doing it. The interface is also very organized, and the code is color-coordinated so you can easily distinguish one set of code from the next.
Learn to Code
Now that you have plenty of resources to get started, it’s time to learn how to code. Just remember, it’s going to take some time to understand all the ins and outs, so don’t give up.
Good luck!