It has never been easier and accessible to learn to code. With the rapidly evolving technology, becoming proficient in programming may open up a number of opportunities in a variety of domains, including data science, artificial intelligence, and web development.
According to a recent survey, approximately 65% of all job roles would demand technical skills by 2030, including coding. So, if you’re looking to learn coding without breaking the bank, then Here are the top five free resources to help you jumpstart your programming journey.
1. Codecademy
If you’re a beginner, you will especially like Codecademy, which provides a highly interactive learning experience. They offer various essential Languages such as Python, JavaScript, HTML and CSS, and SQL that are covered by their courses. One of the best things is that it offers hand-on exercise and projects on the platform. So, you can learn coding practically, right in the browser, making it a fun learning experience.
Why It’s Great:
Since its inception in 2011, codecademy has taught more than 50 million people to code. By project-based approach, the platform helps make the users understand the real world applications of the code, making them confident & also reinforce concepts.
Courses Available for Free:
Multiple free courses are available on Codecademy for beginners. For instance, “Learn Python 3”covers all the major aspects of Python, one of the most widely used languages for data science and machine learning.
Paid Version (Codecademy Pro):
$39.99/month or $240/year — plus more exclusive courses, real world projects, quizzes, and certificates. Advanced modules offer career paths like “Full-Stack Engineer” or “Data Scientist”.
Who It’s Best For:
If you’re just getting started or curious about exploring multiple programming languages then Codecademy’s free resources are surely a fantastic way.
2. edX:
MIT and Harvard founded edX, an online courses platform by top universities all over the world. Most of the courses offered on edX are paid; however, many introductory programming and computer science courses are free (with a fee only for certification).
Why It’s Great:
edX offers in depth learning, structured assignments and lectures, bringing the feel of a college education to your home. For instance, Harvard’s “CS50: Introduction to Computer Science, is one of the most popular online courses around the world, which provides students with a solid foundation in programming and computer science concepts.
Courses Available for Free:
“CS50” courses include algorithms and data structures, as well as full stack development. Specialized programming course offered by other universities like Python, Java and C++.
Paid Version:
Certificates cost between $50 – $300 per course. There's more comprehensive content available with higher end programs such as MicroMasters.
Who It’s Best For:
Provides a great way for learners wanting a more in depth understanding and those who prefer the structure of a college style education without the expenses of tuition.
3. FreeCodeCamp
FreeCodeCamp is a nonprofit organization that teaches coding through a series of extensive hands-on projects and challenges. Because it is so popular among people wanting to gain real-world programming experience. This platform has more than 8,000 hours of programming lessons involving all areas of front end development, back end development, and full stack projects.
Why It’s Great:
In fact, more than 40k FreeCodeCamp graduates have found jobs with tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. The curriculum in FreeCodeCamp touches on very important programming languages like Java script, Python as well as frameworks including React and Node.js. In addition, the project driven approach simulates real world coding tasks.
Courses Available for Free:
All of FreeCodeCamp’s curriculum includes certifications, which are free.
Who It’s Best For:
People that learn by doing. FreeCodeCamp is an excellent resource if you want to create a portfolio of projects to showcase your expertise and skills.
4. Khan Academy
For individuals who are new to coding, Khan Academy offers courses on programming that are easy enough for beginners. The interactive coding lessons on the platform includes JavaScript, HTML, CSS, all the way down to SQL. Khan Academy's emphasis on simplifying difficult ideas is seen from its easy-to-understand courses and tasks.
Why it’s Great:
Khan Academy’s courses are easy to follow, interactive, and visually engaging. The platform’s “Intro to JS: Drawing and Animation” course is particularly popular, with exercises that make coding fun and accessible. Khan Academy also has interactive feedback and instant correction to help students learn by immediate practice.
Courses Available for Free:
All courses on Khan Academy are free, covering introductory levels in JavaScript and SQL, among others.
Who It’s Best For:
This is an excellent book for young learners and beginners who wish to experiment with programming without fear.
5. MIT OpenCourseWare:
MIT OpenCourseWare, or OCW as it is typically known, is essentially an invaluable resource and a simple place to start learning programming and computer science. OCW includes massive amounts of material from MIT’s programming and computer science classes as part of MIT’s initiative to provide its entire breadth of university courses for free.
Why It’s Great:
MIT OCW is a goldmine for aspiring software engineers and computer scientists here. Because OCW provides access to the same course materials MIT students use. This is where you will find the detailed course notes, assignments, exams, so anybody can self learn at their own pace. The most popular course on the platform is their “Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python”, reflecting the high standards of MIT education..
Courses Available for Free:
If you’ve taken MIT’s “Introduction to Computer Science” (6.00SC) or “Introduction to Programming in Python” courses, you already have a strong foundation in algorithms, data structures, and computational thinking.
Who It’s Best For:
For advanced beginners and intermediate learners looking for a challenge, or seeking a future in computer science or software engineering.
Honorable Mention: YouTube Channels and Other Coding Platforms
Apart from those structured courses, there are YouTube channels like Traversy Media, CS Dojo and Academind with coding tutorials as well as project based learning for free. The above courses are invaluable but these free resources can be a great supplement as they will provide you with tutorials and fast insights into some specific programming languages and frameworks.
Furthermore, here are some other beneficial resources that can also help you streamline your learning process:
Coursera
Free Version: Most courses are free to audit and allow you to take quizzes.
Paid Version: Coursera Plus starts at $59 per month or $399 per year and certificates range from $39 to $99.
Sololearn
Free Version: Available beginner courses and community challenges.
Pro Version: Prices range from $6.99/month or $59.99/year with advanced content and ad free learning.
W3Schools
Free Version: Basic tutorials around web development topics.
Pro Version: Interactive exercises, quizzes, and certificates included at $8.25 a month or $99 a year.
Udacity
Free Version: Beginner and introductory free courses, limited.
Pro Version: Project based learning with mentor support, Nanodegree programs starting from $399.
How to make the best use of these Resources?
Set Clear Goals:
Decide what you want to do; it could be learning a language, building a portfolio or getting ready for the job, and pick the resource that serves your purpose.
Practice Regularly:
Practice makes perfect, and to that, I believe as well for coding. Build momentum by trying to set a daily or weekly grind and stick with it.
Build Real Projects:
Structured projects such as you can find them on FreeCodeCamp exist, but no matter where you are, work on small personal projects on a regular basis to strictly set your skills.
Join Communities:
Get on communities such as Stack Overflow, r/learnprogramming subreddit or any forums related to each platform. It’s also good to ask questions and solve other people's issues to help make you understand more.
Conclusion
With so many free online resources available, learning to code has never been easier. Whether you’re a newbie or are aiming to simply level up your expertise as a software development agency, these platforms are among the best ways to get started on your coding adventure. By choosing the right resources and committing to regular practice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming proficient in programming and unlocking new opportunities in the tech world. Remember, persistence is key, start small, and stay curious!
