The conventional way to become a coder is to get a formal college education. However, teaching yourself is an option if earning a bachelor’s degree is not an option. However, before opting for this method, you should know that it will not be easy since coding is highly technical, featuring intricate data structures and different algorithms.
Fortunately, self-teaching yourself coding is convenient since you can go as slow or as fast as you wish. In addition, you can focus more on the areas you feel you need more practice in and less on the parts you have already mastered.
How to Self-Teach Yourself Coding
Utilize the numerous online resources for learning to code, including books, video tutorials, and programming websites. You must be able to stay disciplined and motivate yourself if you decide to learn to code independently. If you are not good at studying alone, then join coding classes with mentors or tutors but keep in mind that such courses will cost you more.
Moreover, it is paramount to find a mentor in the UX design field. You should also ask yourself if you are capable of paying to study or looking to take advantage of the free resources. Fortunately, the internet offers both options.
To become an impeccable coder, you must stay on top of what is happening in the industry because this world is ever-changing. You also need to be flexible and willing to evolve. Additionally, develop your problem-solving skills, editing and detail skills, database management, communication skills, and typing skills (you need to be fast).
8 Free Sites To Learn Coding
Free coding websites help you hone your coding skills without paying a dime. You will be able to learn, engage, practice, code, identify your mistakes, and monitor your progress (know the areas you have mastered and the ones you haven’t).
Below are the most reliable, free sites to learn to code.
1. Coursera
This is one of the most popular sites for learning to code, offering many coding courses. Managers, employers, and, most importantly students can benefit from this website, helping them develop skills. Coursera provides free tutorials, courses, and plenty of other resources curated to help you become an excellent coder.
The online learning platform partners with more than 200 companies and universities to offer diverse courses. Top university professors compile the learning resources and teach the classes. There are tons of free courses on Coursera, but you will need to pay to access some classes. Also, you will need to pay to get your completion certificate.
2. FreeCodeCamp
This non-profit organization offers interactive learning with verified tutorials and certifications for free. The coding tutorials are supported by articles and videos. FreeCodeCamp will help you learn various aspects of coding, such as JavaScript, web design, machine learning, data visualization, and quality assurance, with the interactive portal helping you implement and practice different codes.
Everything on this platform is free, and you can choose a learning schedule that works for you. You may need to use a different platform as your skills advance since some feedbacks indicate that FreeCodeCamp’s learning materials are better suited for beginners.
3. Codewars
This website is ideal for intermediate and beginner learners offering many coding challenges you can directly solve on the platform. It also provides a community you can compare and share solutions and use to build your understanding and skills.
It will help you boost and hone your skills through repetition and practice, and the challenges are in various coding languages. Codewars is also entirely free, but it does not offer structured courses or lessons. In addition, you must prove your coding skills to sign, so use this platform only if you have some skills in coding.
4. Khan Academy
This website makes learning programming easier, offering lessons in various programming languages, and it is completely free. It is the perfect tool for beginner coders. Khan Academy is an excellent place to begin your coding journey for games or art. However, it is not the best resource if you are interested in business-oriented development.
It covers different subjects using expert-taught video tutorials. The popular non-profit organization has mobile applications for Android and iOS and does not have in-app purchases or need any subscriptions. This website is also child-friendly, and you can track your learning progress. However, keep in mind that the quality of the content varies.
5. edX
This is another learning website that works with more than 160 universities providing over 3000 valuable, high-quality courses. This open source was founded in 2012 by MIT and Havard University; hence users learn cutting-edge theories and technologies.
edX is suitable for students who value formal education because it offers college-level computer science and computer programming courses from the world’s most reputable universities. Part of your learning involves virtual environments, tests, and quizzes. In addition, since edX is a free resource, you can study coding at your speed.
This website also has a premium version with exams, graded assignments, and certification. The downside of edX is the course inconsistencies.
6. Geek for Geeks
This free e-learning website focuses on helping users learn computer science and programming. Make use of the quizzes, articles, contests, courses, and tutorials on this platform to become an excellent coder. Also, watch out for the job listings.
The courses are offered in three categories-self paced, school, and live. You can decide to learn coding from experts via pre-recorded videos, live streaming, or both. Some of the courses you can take include JavaScript introduction and HTML workshop.
You can find valuable and extensive content on different concepts and topics on Geek for Geeks to help you advance your coding skills. The codes in this platform cover various programming languages, including Python, C++, C, and Java.
Geek for Geeks is also an excellent resource and reference source for understanding competitive programming and taking part in different events. It also provides the fundamentals needed by beginner-level developers.
7. W3Schools
This website is worth considering if you are looking for high-quality free resources to learn to code. Its content comprises references and tutorials in JavaScript, HTML, Bootstrap, CSS, XML, JSON, Node.js, AngularJS, PHP, XQuery, Raspberry Pi, Java, Sass, React.js, AJAX, C#, and C++.
Besides interactive, useful code blocks, W3Schools also provide valuable information in a documentation style. The programming tutorials on this platform will help you improve your coding skills, and it also offers excellent examples for experimenting with code blocks. In addition, it has great courses, exercises, and references.
8. HackerRank
You can use this helpful website to further your coding and programming skills using beneficial resources. It runs crash courses like the 30-day challenge designed to help you gain a deeper understanding of programming languages.
This platform is great for companies and developers alike. On the one hand, it helps developers strengthen their coding skills, and on the other allows companies to recruit their best candidates. HackerRank is a great place to be if you seek to be employed as a programmer.
Summary
Independently learning to code requires using the best resources. With so many options today, finding the one that suits you best isn’t easy, so you must research, try different sites, and ask for suggestions. The list compiled above contains valuable, trustworthy sites to aid your learning.