There’s a lot of messaging out there that learning to code is a one-way ticket to full-time, guaranteed employment. While that’s true in a sense – coders are in high demand, and coding skill will net you a higher than average salary – coding isn’t an easy skill to pick up. It takes a significant investment of time and practice to learn to code well enough to do it for a living.
Before you start thinking of learning to code as a career saver, first consider this: what is your end goal? Do you want to learn the basics for your personal use? Or is your goal to learn the complex coding needed to become a software developer or engineer? The reason you’re learning to code will inform what resources are best for you, and which coding languages you focus on learning.
beginner resources for those new to coding
So you’ve decided to learn to code! Since you’re new to coding, you’ll probably be starting out learning HTML and CSS, which make up the foundation of most websites. Here are a few of the most popular beginner coding resources to get you started.
codecademy
Far and away the most popular coding resource on this list, Codecademy is the gold standard of learning to code. Even if you’ve never glimpsed a line of code in your life, Codecademy breaks down learning to code into small, interactive lessons. You read a short lesson, and then immediately put it into practice with interactive exercises. Though well regarded as a beginner tool, some expert coders say Codecademy sticks too close to the basics. So you may need to seek out other resources for more advanced coding.
Coding languages you can learn: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, Python, Ruby, SQL, Swift, & others
Skill level required: beginner
Cost: Free, with a paid pro version available
treehouse
Treehouse is a popular coding resource for visual learners, with over a thousand videos amassed. It’s highly regarded by both beginners and experienced coders, though the material does tend to cater more to those who are new to coding, and has frequently drawn comparisons to Codecademy. The design and user-interface may be a little more user-friendly, though you’ll pay for the pleasure, as the basic package starts at $25. Treehouse’s teaching style tends to be more project-based, so it’s great if you have a particular end goal in mind (i.e. coding a website or creating an app.)
Coding languages you can learn: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, C# & others
Skill level required: beginner
Cost: $25 basic, $49 pro
code.org
Code.org is a nonprofit intended to help students learn coding basics. The courses are generally designed with children in mind; however it’s a good resource for adult beginners, too.
Coding languages you can learn: HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, SQL, C, PHP
Skill level required: beginner
Cost: Free
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resources to upgrade your coding skills
If you’re already familiar with coding basics, you may be interested in sites that’ll help you take your coding skills to the next level. Below are a few coding resources that have been embraced by intermediate and advanced coders. Though you can certainly learn new coding languages through these resources, they also delve a little deeper than some of the beginner tools listed above.
udemy
Udemy offers an online library of courses, however unlike most other options on this list, all content is user-sourced. That means anyone can create and sell a course. As such, courses can be hit and miss, though there’s a handy rating and review section to help you verify which courses are worth your time and money and which aren’t.
Coding languages you can learn: countless
Skill level required: beginner to advanced
Cost: Depends on course, some are free, some are paid
code school
Much like others on this list, Code School teaches code though a combination of video lessons and interactive exercises. It’s a little more intensive than some of the beginner options like Codecademy, but it’s both engaging, easy to use, and has an excellent user interface.
Coding languages you can learn: HTML5, CSS, CSS3, jQuery, Ruby, Ruby on Rails & others
Skill level required: intermediate to advanced
Cost: 10 courses free, $29 per month for full access
coursera
A favourite of beginner and advanced coders alike, Coursera allows you to pick and choose from hundreds of courses ranging in skill level offered through over a hundred institutions ranging from Stanford to the University of Toronto. Though Coursera is well known as a tool to learn programming, the site offers lessons covering all kinds of topics including science, medicine, and even economics.
Coding languages you can learn: numerous
Skill level required: beginner to advanced
Cost: Free, with paid certificates
We’ve just scratched the surface of excellent coding resources. Whether you’re a beginner who’s never written a line of code, or an expert who’s looking to learn a new programming language, there’s plenty of highly recommended resources out there in the coding community.
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