Coding is a valuable skill that is useful in different fields. The scope of programming is just growing day by day. It is already very important for students, college graduates, researchers, professionals, scientists, businesses, and so many other institutions. These days coding isn’t just for professional programmers. It is for people for all the different fields who take benefit of computer. So programming is a very important skill and it is better to learn it. Everyone can’t take a dedicated class in school, so we have selected some of the best websites to learn coding for free at your own time. You can learn by exploring and with help of experts to become a better coder.
What is Programming?
Computer programming is the process of providing a set of instructions to a computer so that it can perform a specific task. There are many things one user might need to do with a computer, and the program helps to achieve it. For example, it might be a webpage that provides information about a business. It can also be a mobile or Android application that helps to share files. Actually, there are many complex and big programs out there. All these applications have a large set of instructions or codes. These codes have a certain logic and meaning. The program codes help to execute steps according to a set process and algorithm.
Usually, there are a few important steps in programming. This includes understanding the problem, finding solutions, planning, creating algorithms, coding, debugging, and execution. The first steps are natural because we need to first find ways to solve a specific problem. Then only we can write an algorithm or steps to solve that on a computer. Finally, the core part or coding part comes. After writing many lines of code, there can be mistakes in logic, compilation, arithmetic, and syntax. So we might need to go through codes again to check and remove bugs. It is also called debugging and requires good knowledge of the programming language.
Programming Languages and Their Applications
There are so many programming languages available and everyone is different. The languages are classified into different types according to their features, properties, and application. So we must first know what to learn because that is very important. In order to know what to learn, one must know what is the goal and what is way to reach that.
For example, if you need to create a simple fast static website, then you can learn HTML and CSS. If you need a powerful and flexible website then you might need to learn PHP and Javascript. Another example is that if you are a civil engineer and you need to do the calculation of forces of truss elements without any FEM software, then you can learn MATLAB. Suppose you are a mechanical engineer and you need to make subroutines in Abaqus for FEA, then you might need to learn Python. Therefore first find out what you want to achieve.
Every programming language has its own syntax and ways of compiling. However, most of the time, their logic and working principles are the same. If you know how to code in one software and you understand algorithms, then you can get an edge while learning another language. So it is also very important to have a good idea of programming from the school level.
For example, I learned HTML at first, and then I learned QBASIC in school. The concepts of QBASIC helped me to learn C and C++ in my bachelor’s degree. Those concepts again helped me learn MATLAB in my master’s degree. So it is always useful to learn some type of language to improve skills.
Top Websites To Learn Coding for Free: Best Coding Resources
There are so many resources from where one can learn to code. There are paid courses and free courses. Our main focus here is to introduce you to some of the best free coding websites to learn programming. There are many online platforms with experts, veteran programmers, and teachers who can help you learn coding. Some platforms are paid, some are freemium, some are ad-funded, some are donor-funded and some are non-profit. So those sites provide opportunities and knowledge to people who want to learn how to code. Here we have made a list of a few best sites to learn coding without any cost.
1) Code.org
It is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that works on encouraging school students to learn computer science. Code.org is supported by donors that include Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, the Infosys Foundation. The website of Code.org has a lot of courses to teach coding to children and beginners. The organization usually targets schools and students so the courses are also friendly. Such coding courses can be fun and easy to understand. Therefore it is highly recommended to people who are just getting into the world of programming.
Code.org has a collection of basic courses in many different programming languages. This includes HTML, CSS, and Javascript. There are interactive environments such as App Lab, Game Lab, and Web Lab where students can design programs. The website also has various modules for different courses with separate lessons. This helps the students to navigate and also those who want to learn just one chapter or lesson.
In order to test your knowledge, Code.org also has assessments and surveys. This way you can know your weakness and focus on them to improve them.
2) freeCodeCamp
The platform of freeCodeCamp is a donor-supported non-profit organization that provides free coding courses to people all around the world. It is one of the best code learning websites that has thousands of tutorials on different languages. Free Code Camp has hundreds of hours of videos on different topics. Those can be very beneficial to gain a better understanding and improve skills in a certain language.
The freeCodeCamp website has a simple interface with useful features. The course modules are separated into different lessons and each lesson has a unique value. Lessons may be text-based or video-based. The videos of the lessons are also available on the freeCodeCamp YouTube channel. Some of the lessons on the website also provide an environment where students can code themselves and run the program. This provides real-time learning experiences because students can practice and learn from mistakes.
Free Code Camp offers a lot of free coding lessons on courses such as responsive web design, Javascript algorithms, data visualization, data analysis, front-end development libraries, and many more. They also provide certification in some of their courses.
3) W3Schools
In the list of the best website to learn programming, W3Schools is definitely a top place to go. The platform is actually freemium which means there is both free and premium service available. The name W3 comes from three words “World Wide Web”, so the website is highly targeted towards web development. W3 Schools mainly provides courses on web development programming languages. These include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, SQL, PHP, Jquery, Java, and W3.CSS. There are also coding courses on Bootstrap, C#, JSON, NodeJS, AngularJS, XML, ASP, Machine learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
W3School provides an interactive platform to learn. There are text-based and video-based tutorials. There are examples of programs and online compilers where students can write code themselves and test. Such an environment provides classroom experience because students can learn and practice at the same time. The website also provides quizzes, exercises, and certificates to make learning fruitful.
4) Khan Academy
It is an American non-profit organization focused on online education. Khan Academy was established by Sal Khan who is an alumnus of MIT and Harvard Business school. Khan Academy is actually a platform that has a wide range of courses available for free. The platform is not actually solely focused on coding. However, the platform does provide content on computer science and computer programming languages. The academy has a collection of courses on JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL, jQuery, and more.
Khan Academy provides free access to content on mathematics, science, engineering, economics, arts, and humanities. Knowledge regarding these are also helpful in programming. Mathematics is one of the most important subjects that programmers should know. Therefore Khan Academy can provide additional materials as a supporting site for coders.
5) edX
edX is the online education platform created by Harvard and MIT. The platform provides access to university-level courses on many subjects and topics. edX even provides full online education and even Masters’s degree. There are master’s degrees from reputed institutes such as Boston University, Indiana University, Georgia Tech, Purdue University, and many more.
Among all these, there are many free courses as well. Mainly there are free courses on coding which is our interest. edX is actually very reputed because there are real universities involved in the platform. Many courses on programming are free and students can also opt for upgrades. For example, there is a “Programming Basics” class by IIT Bombay for free. There is also “Introduction to Programming in C++” by NYU for free. Just like these, there are many opportunities for a beginner to learn to code. It is surely one of the highly reputed and best website to learn coding free.
6) Coursera
The name Coursera is very popular in the online learning world. It is an American platform that was established in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors. Coursera has a massive collection of educational content, videos, and courses on a wide variety of topics. There are both free and paid courses available on the platform. However many people use Coursera for their free courses.
Coursera provides good quality courses on programming language and coding. There are free courses on Machine Learning, Python, Cryptography, PHP, Java, OOPS, Full-stack web development, WordPress, and a lot more other topics. There are thousands of courses available in Coursera in a well-organized way. The platform can actually be taken as one of the websites to learn coding.
7) Codementor
There are so many sources to learn how to code. However, one of the challenging processes as a coder is debugging and solving issues. Veteran and expert programmers might not face many issues but budding people can face many problems. There might be a place where you might be stuck and need help. There may be some module that needs some expert consultation. Moreover, recorded courses and classes also can’t provide custom help. Surely one can take their problems to forums such as Stack Overflow to find answers but there is one interactive way to learn as well.
Codementor is a platform that connects mentors and freelancers. There is no best way to learn anything except by doing. So Codementor provides a place to connect with experts and learn. You can meet programming veterans and experts who can mentor you through your project. There is also a 1:1 session which means the experience is personalized and live. This provides an excellent way to learn and improve coding skills.
8) YouTube
YouTube is the world’s biggest video sharing platform and it is free. It has a plethora of user-uploaded content in different genres. Most people use YouTube for entertainment but education is also big these days. There are many enthusiasts, experts, professionals, freelancers, and organizations that upload educational content on YouTube. All users around the world can access educational content for free and learn.
YouTube hosts a lot of channels that cater to programming and coding. There are many high-quality uploaders and creators who upload fantastic videos regarding computer programming, app development, web development, etc. One can learn a new programming language and learn to code within a few days. If someone is dedicated then the person can even be skilled within a few weeks with solid dedication. The power of YouTube and free programming content is immense and it should not be underestimated. It should be the first step of all YouTube users to search for good teachers and channels to start learning.
Importance of Coding as a Professional
Coding is very important these days and it is a must-have skill in various fields. Programming is bread and butter for professional developers but these days many other professionals also need it for getting some jobs done. Even if you are a civil engineer, banker, investor, etc, you need programming somewhere in life. If you have good programming skills, then you can also do freelance jobs. People want quality and knowledge more than a degree. So definitely, a skilled programmer can get hired. There are so many people who have changed their stream and profession just by learning to code. People earn handsomely by working on coding projects as a freelance. So if you want to learn to code then we have listed some of the best sites to learn programming above and you can follow them.
