76 of The Best Places to Learn to Code For Free

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76 of The Best Places to Learn to Code For Free

April 8th, 2020 | Get awesome (and free) stuff here

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If you’re brand new to the world of coding and web development, it makes sense to start by teaching yourself using all the free learn-to-code resources online.

By taking advantage of these resources as you learn to code for free, you can discover what you like and don’t like before investing money into a certain coding language or set of courses. Once you've gone through enough free coding lessons to find that direction, you'll be able to channel your passion to continue learning how to code online most efficiently.

However, there are so many free coding resources and classes and books to choose from. How do you know which are the best places to learn coding online?

Well, I did some research to save you the time! Here are 76 of the best websites to learn how to code for free–from simple programming tutorials to full online coding courses. To make things easier, I broke these learn-to-code resources down based on topic. Use the table of contents below to jump around.

Disclosure: I’m a proud affiliate for some of the resources mentioned in this article. If you buy a product through my links on this page, I may get a small commission for referring you. Thanks!

 

 

Don't miss this list of 76 places where you can learn to code…for free.

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Table of Contents

• General Coding Websites and Course Platforms
• YouTube Channels to Learn Code Online
• Blogs to Help You Learn Programming
• Learn the Command Line Online
• Learn Git and Github for Free
• Learn to Code HTML and CSS for Free
• Learn to Code JavaScript for Free
• Learn WordPress for Free
• Learn to Code Python Free Online
• Learn to Code Ruby for Free
• Learn Data Science / Analysis Free
• Learn Machine Learning / AI for Free
• Learn Cybersecurity for Free
• Learn Mobile App Development for Free
• Learn UI / UX Design for Free

Please note: all information, topics taught, etc., have been taken at time of updating (March 2020) and are definitely subject to change. Thanks!

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General Free Coding Websites & Course Platforms

1. Codecademy

Codecademy is where most people who are new to coding get their start. On their platform, you can learn how to program among other technical skills. Its reputation is well-deserved. Codecademy revolves around interactive learning; that is, you read a little, type your code right into the browser, and see results immediately.

What free coding lessons they offer: HTML & CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Angularjs, The Command Line, and more

2. freeCodeCamp

This free online coding school, created by Quincy Larson, teaches coding first through an established curriculum (approx. 800 hours total), then by giving you hands-on experience working on projects for nonprofits. It's perfect for learners who want to learn how to code online by getting practical, hands-on experience that will do some good and look impressive on a resume.

Free coding certifications on offer: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, data visualization, DevTools, QA testing, Node.js, React, jQuery, and more

3. Coursera

Coursera is one of the best places to learn to code for free, with its professional and versatile course options. The site is a large online course library where classes are taught by real university professors. All courses are free of charge, but you have the option to pay for a “Coursera Verified Certificate” (prices range between $30-$100) to prove course completion. Sometimes paying for a certificate also grants access to content not available in the free versions. Coursera also offers “Specializations,” which are collections of courses on a specific topic, typically with a capstone project at the end.

What free coding courses they offer: Many (far beyond your basic coding/computer science topics)

4. edX

EdX is an open-source higher education program governed by MIT and Harvard, making it another high-caliber resource where you can learn to code for free online. The site offers over 600 great courses under the “computer science” category, teaching various coding languages.

Free programming courses offered: Java, C#, Python, and many more

5. Codewars

Codewars offers a fun and unique way to learn coding. With a martial-arts theme, the program is based on challenges called “kata.” Complete them to earn honor and progress to higher ranks. This is a fun way to learn programming online if you're motivated by a little gamification!

Coding challenges they offer: CoffeeScript, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, Java, Clojure, and Haskell

6. Code Conquest

Code Conquest is a free online guide to coding for beginners. The coding website is perfect for those who haven’t got a clue where to start. Learn how to learn to code, watch free tutorials, download cheat sheets, test your knowledge with quizzes, and more.

Topics taught: HTML/CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, jQuery, Swift, Python and more

7. GA Dash

This is General Assembly’s free online learning platform. It's entirely project-based–you build a “project” with each walkthrough–making it ideal for those who like to get hands-on while learning to code online.

They are one of the very few free learn-to-code resources that have a course on how to build a Tumblr theme from scratch. Read my review of it here.

What free coding projects they offer: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design

8. Khan Academy

Khan Academy offers tons of subjects (as their front page says, “You can learn anything”), including many on computer programming. A few courses are offered for younger kids, too–so the whole family can learn to code for free!

Coding resources they offer: JS, HTML/CSS, SQL, much more

9. MIT OpenCourseware

Competition to get into MIT may be stiff, but accessing their course material online has no tuition or minimum SAT score. They maintain an online library of every subject they teach, with no account required for access; just browse for a course and start reviewing the material. Yep…you can learn programming for free at MIT. What a world.

Courses offered: Many. Check out their website to see all the programming ones offered.

10. The Odin Project

Modern-day warriors can set sail for learning to code with the Odin Project. It's made by the creators of Thinkful—a premier online coding bootcamp—and the Odin Project is their free, open-source version. While you learn to code for free with their programming tutorials, you can check in for support from other students using the online chat group!

Tech topics available: HTML, CSS, JavaScript & jQuery, Ruby programming, Ruby on Rails

11. Udacity

Udacity offers individual free coding courses, as well as “nanodegrees” that train you for specific careers like front-end web developer or data analyst. Course materials are free, but nanodegrees require a tuition fee.

What free tech programs they offer: Many (not just coding)

Head back to the table of contents »

12. SoloLearn

SoloLearn is a social platform where anyone can learn to code. It's different than other course providers because it's mobile-based: learn coding on the go, on any device. With bite-sized lessons, achievements to unlock and interactive quizzes, it makes learning to code fun, and it's free to download.

Coding lessons they offer: Many

13. The Code Player

A compilation of video-based online coding tutorials to help you walk through a process from start to finish. Good for learning code online with “smaller” projects/tasks one at a time.

Free coding tutorials available: HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, Regex, JQuery

14. Bento.io

Their mission is to inspire people to become programmers by making learning to code accessible, affordable, and fun. Given that they offer over 200 technology topics, anything you've been thinking about learning, you can find here.

Web development tracks to choose from: Many

15. Udemy

They offer both paid and free coding classes. Note that on Udemy, courses can be created by anyone, so make sure to read reviews. Coupons can also be easily found, too, and sales are frequent. Check out their development courses here.

Free coding courses they offer: Many

16. Upskill

Free project-based, web development bootcamp. You'll learn to code by building a fictional startup called DevMatch, which will teach you how to code features found in sites like Facebook, Dropbox,and Salesforce.

Topics taught: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, Git, Bootstrap and more

17. Code.org

Code.org provides learning materials specifically dedicated to increasing the rates of female and minority students entering computer science careers. Their free coding courses are designed for K-12 students, but can be useful to all ages. Start out with their quick Hour of Code tutorials, or build projects in lab courses.

Coding courses offered: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, block programming

18. Scotch.io

This free coding website covers lots of topics related to web development and workflow. The programming learning platform features short courses, tutorials, guides, blog posts, and videos.

Free coding resources available: Angular, node.js, laravel, Sublime Text, and more.

19. Hackr.io

This isn't a learn-to-code platform itself, but it's a great list of community-curated programming resources. Simply search for the language you want to learn and you’ll get a list of the best online courses, tutorials, and books recommended by coders.

Free coding lessons they offer: None, but they recommend many

20. W3Schools

Perfect for beginner coders, W3Schools is the world’s largest web developer site, offering free coding tutorials and reference materials for learning just about every aspect of web programming. You can also test your skills with quizzes and complete coding exercises using their online editor.

What free coding tutorials they offer: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, PHP, jQuery, and more

21. Coderbyte

Learn to code by doing it! Coderbyte teaches you the basics of popular programming languages and lets you build up your new skills using their library of 300+ coding challenges and solutions.

Free coding coding challenges: JavaScript, Ruby, Python, HTML, CSS, Node.js, and more

22. Microsoft Virtual Academy

Microsoft Virtual Academy’s Learning Paths are curated free coding courses designed to help you build valuable skills through video tutorials, demos, assessments, and more. You’ll also get access to free e-books, helpful downloads, and a community support forum.

Free coding learning paths available: MEAN stack, SQL, Azure, ASP.NET, HTML

23. Edabit

Edabit is “like Duolingo for learning to code,” offering bite-sized coding challenges that simulate what programming is like in the real world.

Topics their challenges cover: Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, C#, C++, Ruby, Swift

24. Launch School Open Book Shelf

Written to supplement Launch School’s software engineering curriculum, these free coding books will help you learn the basic foundational building blocks of popular languages.

What free coding topics they cover: Git and GitHub, the Command Line, Ruby on Rails, SQL

25. Classpert

Classpert is a search engine that helps you find and compare online courses in computer science, data science, business, and more. It’s able to search through 175,000 free and paid courses from more than 25 coding websites, so you’ll be spoiled for choice. You can even watch course previews and compare syllabuses side-by-side to find the best course for you. It’s a great way to sort through the noise to find coding classes that are perfect for your goals.

Head back to the table of contents »

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YouTube Channels to Learn Code Online

26. LearnCode.academy

One of my personal favorites! This learn-to-code channel features web-development-focused videos made by Will Stern. There are a ton of free coding tutorials on JavaScript and other languages, plus videos about the various tools developers use.

What free coding videos they offer: Sublime Text, Responsive Design, Node.js, Angular.js, Backbone.js, Deployment Strategies, and more

Subscribers: 662K

27. thenewboston

Here you'll find over 4,000 videos on a range of programming, game development, and design topics. It's one of the more popular channels, with over two million subscribers learning to code with them.

What free programming videos they offer: Android development, C programming, MySQL, Python, and more

Subscribers: 2.4M

28. Derek Banas

Banas' specialty is condensing information about coding languages into a single video per language. Good for viewers who like longer but more thorough videos instead of bite-sized chunks, or want to watch overview videos of languages before diving into coding classes/curriculums.

Free coding videos available: Java, Ruby, PHP, C++, HTML, Android, Python, Assembly language, and more

Subscribers: 1.03M

29. ProgrammingKnowledge

A channel perfect for absolute beginners who want a foundation to learn to code. Step-by-step tutorial playlists cover various languages without assuming prior knowledge.

What free coding videos they offer: Java, Python, C, JavaFX, Android programming, Bootstrap, and more.

Subscribers: 1.13M

Head back to the table of contents »

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Blogs to Help You Learn Programming

30. David Walsh

This coding blog is run by David Walsh (a senior developer at Mozilla), although there are others who write on the site, too. Dive into free coding tutorials, how-tos, demos, and more.

31. Softwarehow

All about learning how to use software tools to solve common problems you encounter in tech. Tips, guides, and specific software reviews.

32. SitePoint

They have lots of writers and publish often. Topics range from HTML and CSS to entrepreneurship. The coding website also offers paid books and courses on SitePoint Premium. Make sure to check out their newer “collections” – which include coding tutorials on topics like WordPress security, React.JS, and Swift. (And new ones are added daily!)

33. Envato Tuts+

Tons of free programming tutorials, as well as paid options like actual programming courses. Has over 1,270+  expertly-instructed video courses (on all topics, not just computer-related). Also publishes eBooks.

 

 

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34. A List Apart

Lots of authors participate in A List Apart. They write books, have events, and run a great development/design blog. In addition to programming blog content, they have categories on other professional topics like design, UX, and business. See all code topics here.

35. CSS-Tricks

This coding website goes very thoroughly into CSS with their big, bad CSS almanac. However, the blog now goes beyond just CSS and talks about other things like Sass, JavaScript, PHP, and more. Explore tons of programming resources and check out their code snippets.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn The Command Line Online

36. Learn Enough Command Line to Be Dangerous

Free command line tutorial for complete beginners. Walks you through the basics of the Unix command line—no technical prerequisites required.

37. Command Line Power User

Free video series created by Wes Bos. More at an intermediate level, so not for total newbies.

38. Conquering the Command Line

Free online book by Mark Bates that goes very in-depth. You can purchase hard copy or screencasts.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn Git and Github For Free

39. Git Immersion

A guided tour to teach you the basics of Git. Set preferences and create your own projects.

40. Try Git

An interactive series of challenges to learn about and experiment with Git.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn to Code HTML and CSS For Free

41. HTML5 Dog

Start learning to code with one of the simplest languages. You can find an HTML beginner tutorial here. (They also offer intermediate and advanced HTML tutorials.) CSS tutorials are here.

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42. Marksheet

An online coding resource for beginners. Broken down into four chapters: the web, HTML5, CSS3, and Sass. It’s like an online ebook, but under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, so you can adapt it for your needs.

43. Mozilla Developer Network

Free documentation on HTML and CSS (also JavaScript). Has tutorials for people of different levels, introductory to advanced.

44. Learn to Code HTML & CSS (via Shay Howe)

Online coding tutorials to help you build beautiful and intuitive websites. Covers a variety of web design and development topics, ranging from beginner to advanced.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn to Code Javascript For Free

45. JavaScript for Cats

It’s like a book on a single webpage, broken down into sections about learning to code JavaScript…with cats. Created by programmer Max Ogden. Filled with non-cat gifs but has cat pics at the end. Just because. Lol.

46. NodeSchool

Has in-person workshops and events all over the world, as well as an active web presence. See their online coding tutorials here.

47. Learn JS

Another hands-on way to learn code online! As you go through lessons, you can type in the window at the bottom. Created by the same folks who make learnpython.org.

48. Eloquent JavaScript

Another online coding book, but longer than most. It has big-tech financial backers like Mozilla and Hack Reactor (“the Harvard of coding bootcamps”).

49. JavaScript.com

9 mini-lessons created by Code School. Quick and perfect online coding tutorial for absolute beginners. (Warning: JS in real life is a lot tougher.) At the end, it points you to more in-depth JS learning materials.

50. Watch & Code

Straightforward, no-nonsense free JavaScript video tutorials. Designed to take you from zero to advanced level. Plus, participate in weekly live study sessions for community support as you learn to code.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn WordPress For Free

51. WordPress.tv

Recordings of live WordCamp lectures around the world. Created by Automattic.

52. WPBeginner

Website for beginner WP users. Great WP glossary of terms, plus coupon deals, video tutorials, and a blog which publishes useful articles by different authors.

Bonus resource: WordPress is a great content management system for blogging. If you're interested in creating your own blog, I highly recommend checking out my friend Ryan Robinson's detailed guide on starting a blog.

53. Joy of WP

Over 50 free WordPress training videos in 6 modules all designed to help you build your website.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn To Code Python Free Online

54. A Byte of Python

Free online book for beginners learning to code. You can choose to download it for free as a PDF or spend money for a hard copy.

55. LearnPython.org

Learn to code Python for free in a hands-on way with this interactive online coding tutorial. It has a little window at the bottom where you can write your code as you go through the lessons.

56. Learn Python The Hard Way (Website)

The book costs money, but the coding website is free. Written by Zed Shaw. (I used the book when I first started learning.)

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn To Code Ruby For Free

57. Learn Ruby the Hard Way

Another book written by Zed Shaw. A free HTML version of the book is available online. Buying the hard copy also gets you access to videos.

58. Rails For Zombies

A quick, interactive way to learn software coding with Ruby on Rails right in your browser. Learn Rails basics like models, views, and controllers in just 1 hour. Created by Code School.

59. Rails Tutorial

The 14-chapter book by Michael Hartl. You can purchase ebooks, screencasts from author, and more. Or just read it for free online.

60. Ruby Koans

The Koans walk you along the path to enlightenment in order to learn Ruby. With this method, you’ll learn Ruby syntax and some of the language quirks quickly.

61. RubyMonk

Entirely free resource, though you have the option to donate. Based on interactive online coding tutorials, where you read a lesson and type in code. Lastly, “run” it.

RubyMonk has one beginner course option, two intermediate, and one advanced.

62. Ruby In 20 Minutes

Created by the official Ruby website, this is a great option for beginners learning to code Ruby. You’ll learn the basics of the language in 20 minutes or less, giving you a solid starting point.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn Data Science / Analysis Free

63. Dataquest

Hands-on free coding courses that teach you the skills you need to become a data scientist, data analyst, or data engineer. Build projects in your browser and work on real-life data science problems.

64. Springboard

A short but intensive intro to data analysis. Learn how to manipulate and analyze data with a carefully planned out curriculum made up of free online lectures, homework assignments, projects, and more. (Plus, no background in data analysis or programming needed!)

65. EliteDataScience

No-nonsense data science and machine learning guides, mini-courses, and tutorials for busy people learning programming online. You can also download code cheat sheets, checklists, and worksheets to shorten the data science learning curve.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn Machine Learning / Ai For Free

66. Machine Learning Mastery

Created by professional developer and machine learning practitioner Jason Brownlee, PhD. Offers free tutorials and resources, including a free machine learning crash course, for getting started in machine learning and beyond.

67. Google AI

Learn from ML experts at Google. Offers resources—including tutorials, courses, videos, and exercises—to help you develop AI skills. Perfect for beginners all the way up to seasoned machine learning engineers.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn Cybersecurity For Free

68. Cybrary

Free crowd-sourced cybersecurity and IT learning videos. Covers topics like computer and forensics, cryptography, and cyber threat intelligence.

69. O’Reilly Security Ebooks

Dive deep into the world of cybersecurity with these free ebooks. Learn about the dark net, privacy, cyber crime, and more.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn Mobile App Development for Free

70. Android Developers

Official site for Android app developers. Learn how to build your first Android app with detailed online coding tutorials and training courses.

71. Google Developers Training

Free, self-paced online coding courses for both Android beginners and experienced developers. Created by experts at Google and Udacity.

72. Start Developing iOS Apps (Swift)

Part of Apple’s documentation archive, this is a perfect starting point for learning to code real-world iOS apps that run on iPhone and iPad.

73. Swift Playgrounds

iPad app that lets you experiment with Swift through interactive mini-puzzles. Plus, you’ll get to see your code run in a beautiful 3D world.

Head back to the table of contents »

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Learn UI/UX Design for Free

74. The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction

An in-depth, 52-chapter look at UI/UX and interaction design. Covers everything you need to know about designing interactive products, like websites, software, smartphones, and even household objects.

75. UXPin

Tons of free UX e-books and guides covering mobile and web prototyping, wireframing, mockups, usability testing, and much more.

76. UX Beginner

Subscribe to free weekly design training and dive into the world of UI/UX with free resources, blog articles, and curated lists of the best UX courses, podcasts, and books.

Head back to the table of contents »

 

 

The big, bad list of places where you can learn to code…for free! See all 76 here.

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Conclusion: There are so many free learn-to-code resources!

As you can see, there are a ton of options you can use to learn to code for free. And taking advantage of all the free online coding resources out there is definitely the way to go when you’re just starting out.

However, sometimes even the best free coding courses will only get you so far.

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Stop waiting and start learning! Get my 10 tips on teaching yourself how to code.

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So once you have the basics down, you’ll want to start exploring paid options. Check out some of my favorite paid platforms, tools, and resources here.

If you’re looking for a place to ask beginner-level questions, share resources, and seek advice, join Learn to Code With Me Community—a free online community for self-taught coders.

Did I miss any awesome free coding tutorials/courses/books? Let me know in the comments below!

Note: there are affiliate links in this post.

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 LEARNING TO CODE

Laurence Bradford

Hey, my name is Laurence. I am the creator of Learn to Code With Me, a blog for beginners teaching themselves how to code. Once upon a time, I was digitally unsavvy. But not anymore. Find out how I changed my life by teaching myself digital skills here.