Programming has become the most requested work skill in this digital era. Whether you plan to get into a brand-new career, perform a role that reinforces your current set of skills, or just wish to pick up a new hobby, you will find a lot of free online courses assisting you in learning to program. Here are some of the best free online courses out there for people interested in getting started with coding.
Platform: edX
Duration: 12 weeks (self-paced)
Level: Beginner
CS50 from Harvard is a course that counts among the popular ones used by computer science beginners. It covers areas like algorithms and data structures, web development, and software engineering. This course does not call for the student to have any type of experience working as a developer or even have any prior knowledge in programming.
Key Highlights:
Broad introduction to computer science
Real-world problem-solving skills
Supportive community and discussion forums
Best For: Newbies for a hands-on introduction to programming and computer science.
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 8 months (self-paced)
Level: Beginner
This course will introduce to the basic concepts of programming using Python, a highly versatile and widely used programming language. Some big ideas include how to use Python data structures, scrape the web, and use the Python language to access web data.
Key Highlights:
Beginners do not find the course challenging.
Focused on practical tasks when working with programming.
The instructors are well-experienced in the University of Michigan
Ideal For: People interested in learning Python for data analysis, web development, and general programming.
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 5 months (self-paced)
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Involving the learning of Java programming and software engineering basics, this course combines real-world application development projects. Therefore, individuals looking for practical knowledge in this field will do well to embrace it.
Key Highlights:
It covers everything you need to know about Java programming
Practical, Project Based
Faculty from the Duke University
Ideal For: Newbie software developers and all those interested in learning Java.
Platform: edX
Duration: 4 weeks (self-paced)
Level: Beginner
Somewhat of a junior relative to JavaScript, the course shares the fundamentals of the language. Additionally, it delves into variables, functions, and events of the JavaScript language. The course also introduces users to the Document Object Model (DOM) and clarifies JavaScript's interaction with HTML/CSS.
Key Highlights:
Introduction to JavaScript with a focus on beginners
Lots of interactive coding exercises
It is taught by industry experts from Microsoft.
Ideal For: Beginners who want to get into web development and learn JavaScript.
Platform: Codecademy
Duration: 6 weeks (self-paced)
Level: Beginner
This course introduces the student to HTML and CSS, building blocks of web development. It walks through building web pages, styling content, and making them responsive.
Key Highlights:
Interactive and hands-on learning
Real-world projects and exercises
Lessons that are easy to follow
Best For: Newbies who want to get acquainted with the world of web development by starting with HTML and CSS
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 5 weeks, self-paced
Level: Beginner
This is a good course for anyone who wants to learn Python. It teaches the very basics to anyone who is new to programming installation of python, writing very basic programs, and some familiarity with basic data structures.
Key Highlights:
Focused Introduction to Python
Pre-beginner-Buddies
Very practical exercises and examples
Best For: Absolute beginners who are looking to program in Python as their first programming language.
Platform: freeCodeCamp
Duration: Self-Paced
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
freeCodeCamp provides a full curriculum on responsive web design which spans HTML, CSS, Flexbox, and CSS Grid. The course comes with active projects to build portfolio-worthy responsive web pages.
Key Highlights:
Deep and Full-Stack Web Design Curriculum
Hands-on Project-Based Learning
Community support and forums
Ideal For: Anyone who wants to learn web developmen and become a designer with the expertise to build responsive design layouts.
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 6 weeks (self-paced)
Level: Beginner
This course covers the basics of programming in Python. This includes how to use data types and conditional statements, perform iteration and the formulation and integration of built-in functions.
Key Highlights:
Basic programming concepts focused on
Practical coding problems
University of Toronto instructors, who are experienced in teaching
Best For: Beginners with the aim of getting good programming basics.
Platform: edX storybook
Duration: 9 weeks (self-paced)
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
This course is a general introduction to computer science in Python. It covers topics such as data analysis, algorithms, and data structures.
Key Highlights:
Rigorous introduction to programming and computer science
Focus on practical problem-solving and computational thinking
Lectured by the leading MIT faculty
Ideal For: People who are aiming to learn introductory programming and computer science.
Platform: The Odin Project
Duration: Self-paced
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
The Odin Project is a free, open-source curriculum for learning web development that encompasses HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Git, Node.js, and more, with hands-on projects and a supportive community.
Synopsis:
Deep web development curriculum
Hands-on projects and exercises
Friendly community support and forums
Ideal For: If you're a web development student seeking a structured and project-based learning path.