5 Best Free Resources to Learn to Code for Beginners
To find the best free resources to learn to code for beginners, we had to do a lot of sifting. Frankly, the resources—and even the free resources—are almost endless. That’s a good thing for you, but it can be overwhelming. In this article, we’ll start with some basic advice and then get to our most recommended resources.
I’d also like to give a shoutout to David, the smart, math-loving 8th grader I ran into yesterday who inspired this article. You’re off to a great start already, and I hope this article helps you out!
Best Programming Languages for Beginners
The endless debate rages on about the best programming language for beginners to learn. Two of the most recommended choices are Python and JavaScript, and we recommend these highly as well, especially since most of the best free resources are geared toward these.
Python is easy to read as programming languages go, and it’s also growing rapidly in use. This is an excellent back-end programming language to get started with.
JavaScript is mostly used in front-end web development, and is one of the most used programming languages. Many websites are built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Here’s a good way to understand how JavaScript works alongside HTML and CSS:
- HTML structures the headings, text, and images on your page.
- CSS determines the look of a web page, such as the colors, backgrounds, and fonts.
- JavaScript controls dynamic content on web pages—anything that moves without you reloading the page.
WIth that basic background, let’s move on to the best free resources to launch your coding journey.
Best Resources for Beginning Programmers
Khan Academy has earned a reputation for providing some of the best free educational content on the web. This is a great place to gain a basic understanding of front-end web development with HTML and CSS, JavaScript, and SQL.
As you may have guessed from the name, FreeCodeCamp is free. It also offers an immense amount of quality content, and even lets you earn certifications.
While primarily teaching JavaScript, it does integrate other languages including Python.
Another high-quality free resource is The Odin Project, which gives three tracks to choose from. You can focus on JavaScript or Ruby on Rails.
This popular website is designed for kids and teenagers to learn coding, making it a great place to get started. The visualization helps to explain coding concepts as clearly as possible.
EdX
You can pay a fee for a certification, but you can also take EdX courses for free from some of the most respected universities in the world. We’d recommend one of the two courses below:
Harvard CS50 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course is interactive and starts simply before ramping up.
Georgia Tech – Computing in Python I
For those who want to learn Python, Georgia Tech offers a full progression of Python courses, starting with this one.
More Resources
If you need more resources, here are articles from other websites that list great free computer science resources. If you’re interested in studying computer science, we’ve also compiled a list of the best colleges for computer science in every state.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the best free resources to learn to code for beginners.
42 Best Classes to Learn to Code for Free in 2020 by One Month
20 of the Best Free Resources to Learn to Code by Eton Digital