7 best free resources for learning programming

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Take your first steps towards a developer career or learn how to create your own projects using these sites.

1.freeCodeCamp

• Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Node.js, React.js and others.
• Cost: completely free.
• Difficulty level: all levels.
• English language.

The freeCodeCamp program consistently teaches the user all the basic aspects of web programming, from basic concepts to complex development techniques. At the beginning of each lesson, you read the theory, then put it into practice: write the code in a special editor, and the system checks you. If difficulties arise, you can discuss them with other students in the forum.

At the end of the theoretical modules, you are shown projects that you should use to create your own web applications. The development results must be published on the resource, after which they can be evaluated by other users.

In addition, freeCodeCamp helps students get together and work collaboratively on real non-profit projects. This is a good chance to gain valuable development experience and portfolio needed for employment.

freeCodeCamp →

2. Codecademy

• Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular.js, React.js, Python, Ruby and others.
• Cost: free or from $ 20 per month for additional content.
• English language.
• Difficulty level: easy-medium.

Like the previous resource, Codecademy focuses on learning web programming. You read the theory and then complete the tasks in an interactive code editor. There are separate courses dedicated to different technologies at the user's service. The bulk of each of them is available for free, but verification tests and project development tasks are opened after subscribing.

Codecademy also has comprehensive paid programs that organize and combine materials from different courses. For example, Build Websites from Scratch teaches you step by step how to develop a simple website from scratch using various technologies.

Codecademy →

3. Coursera

• Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular.js, Java, Python, Ruby, Swift and others.
• Cost: free or from $ 49 per month for additional content.
• Language: English, Russian and others.
• Difficulty level: all levels.

Coursera offers a variety of courses in a variety of programming languages from the world's leading universities. Here you can learn not only web development, but also the creation of mobile and desktop programs. Some courses are self-contained, but most are bundled into specializations - sets of related courses.

You can view the theoretical material presented by texts and videos for free. But most of the test and practice tasks that require verification by a teacher or other users are available only with a paid subscription.

Coursera →

4.edX

• Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, Python, Ruby and others.
• Cost: free or from $ 49 per month for a certificate.
• Language: English and others.
• Difficulty level: all levels.

On edX, you can access courses from renowned companies and universities. Among them are, for example, the famous introduction to beginner programmers, Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University. Educational content is presented mainly by video lectures and texts. Some courses contain tests and other interactive activities.

For the passage of most of the materials, the platform does not ask for money. But you can only get a certificate confirming the successful completion of a particular course for money.

edX →

5. INTUIT

• Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, algorithms and databases, C #, Java, Python, Ruby, and others.
• Cost: free of charge or from 500 rubles per month for the services of a tutor.
• Russian language.
• Difficulty level: all levels.

The catalog of the educational platform "INTUIT" contains text and video courses from Russian educational institutions and international IT companies. The content of the site covers all the main areas of programming from website development to the creation of desktop programs. Self-study is free, but there is a paid service in which the user is assisted by a personal tutor.

"INTUIT" →

6. Stepik

• Technologies: JavaScript, C #, neural networks, C ++ and others.
• Cost: completely free.
• Language: Russian, English.
• Difficulty level: easy-medium.

Another non-profit platform, courses for which are created by Russian companies and universities. Although there is not much material on specific programming languages on Stepik, here you can learn fundamental knowledge of mathematics and the theory of algorithms that will be useful to every developer.

Stepik →

7. A modern Javascript tutorial

• Technologies: JavaScript and others.
• Cost: free of charge or from 6,500 rubles for an additional course.
• Russian language.
• Difficulty level: all levels.

This resource is dedicated to the JavaScript language and related web technologies. Here you will find a very detailed, well-structured and easy-to-understand textual JS course. Assignments after each topic will help to consolidate the knowledge gained. At the same time, the material is purely theoretical and does not teach the creation of projects in practice.

You can study the textbook on your own for free or pay for advanced courses that include learning JavaScript itself or related technologies with a teacher.

"Modern Javascript Tutorial" →