Learning to code for free is possible and there are a number of resources to help you learn. The key to learning to code is knowing which resources you can use and when you should use them. Additionally it is also important to not try and learn everything all at once. Do not jump around when learning to code and make sure you have learned one skill before moving onto the next.
Additionally it is also important to apply active learning techniques vs passive learning techniques. Passive learning is watching video after video on YouTube. Active learning is applying your skills immediately after learning something and doing a project. You can watch football everyday and does that make you a good football player? No of course not. You need to actually play football to understand the game in a completely different way than just on the screen.
App Academy - A coding bootcamp from San Francisco, California. They offer a thorough free Software Engineering bootcamp that is the same as the paid bootcamp. The biggest difference between the paid and is free is your lack of teacher support and guidance. The curriculum is the same and includes videos throughout the course to guide you through.
The course covers Front End and Back End. You will begin with the basics that apply to any programming language along with HTML and CSS. You will primarily learn the Javascript stack (NodeJS, React, Express, SQLite3), but also will dabble in Python. You’ll wrap up the course with micro services and Docker.
There is also a older free bootcamp with them a little hidden where you can learn some Ruby code. Click Access Previous Version of Open in the footer for additional practice. I would recommend the latest open version but still worth mentioning the additional content.
W3Schools - This website is one of the first I have come to know and from my experience is a great resource to use as a reference guide. You can go through their courses from start to finish, although I found structured bootcamps to be more beneficial in retaining my knowledge. If I am coding and need to doublecheck something, this resource is great for that. Click here to check them out.
ReactFormula - This course is designed by a former App Academy instructor Alvin Zablan. Alvin is an absolute legend when it comes to explaining programming concepts. The course teaches you how to build websites using the React framework. It provides a solid foundation on the concepts and fundamentals of React. It even goes into more complex topics such as States. You can get started for free without a credit card and access about 25% of the course before paying. You can pay per month or for a year access. I paid for the year and completed the course in about two weeks, but found it helpful to look back on the course to refresh on concepts.
The site offers Purchasing Power Parity which provides a discount based on your location. I was living in Argentina at the time and so I received a discount to purchase the course. This made it more affordable since I was receiving a salary proportional to living in Argentina.
Additional Bootcamps - Here are some other options for free bootcamps that you can check out. I cannot vouch for them personally but have heard of them. The Odin Project is known to be helpful if you are just starting out. Full Stack open is for students that already know a little bit of code and want to continue their learning.
The best places to learn more about different facets of programming can actually be the documentation provided by the creators.
If you are up for a challenge I also recommend reading Eloquent Javascript, available for free online.
One of the greatest documentation resources to help on your coding journey is the Mozilla Developer Network (MDN) Web Docs. Go here for your questions about HTML, CSS, & JavaScript.
After you become more familiar with coding you will come across sites where you can practice your coding in challenge problems. There are varied difficulties, but I would not jump right into these as they can be quite difficult when first starting out and there are better resources in actually learning the fundamentals.
Be cautious before watching programming videos on YouTube. There is numerous content online for learning how to code which can be overwhelming. It is also important not to just watch videos and be sure to be actively learning when coding. Passive learning is one of the biggest mistakes. It is important to always do a project. Know why you are going to YouTube, what you need to learn, and then have plan to apply those skills immediately afterward. DO NOT binge watch coding videos like it is a Netflix movie marathon.
That being said if I had to recommend YouTube content it would be Traversy Media.& Web Dev Simplified as the most helpful videos that I watched. These videos should be a supplement to your normal studying.
Remember it is much more useful to be working on an assignment and then watch a video to aid in completing your assignment such as grasping a concept better then to just watch videos and then assume you know how to code. Been there done that. Don’t do that.
Welcome to the world of Information Technology (IT). Learning technology branches into two buckets: Computer Science and IT. To keep it simple Computer Science is learning how to program. IT is learning about networks, security, and the infrastructure of the web. It is helpful to think of a Venn diagram where both categories are separate but also intersect a little bit.
With this in mind it is useful to know a little bit about IT even if you just want to learn how to program. CompTia is a highly regarded organization that offers IT Certifications. If you are looking to learn about computers, are still deciding whether to go the IT route or Computer Science route, or just want to learn more about the computers and the internet, I highly recommend their CompTia A+ certification which provides an overview on all the basics you should know as a Programmer or IT Specialist.
At the time I got the CompTia A+ cert I had to pass two exams. Be sure to buy a book and thoroughly study. Take advantage of all the content by Professor Messer. I also got the Network+ certification, but would say this starts getting more into the IT route so if that isn’t what you want to do then I would pass on this one.
If you are interested in cybersecurity I recommend check out the CISSP certification.
Thats a wrap on the resources I would recommend! There are plenty of others you’ll find online but these are the ones I can vouch for.
Pro Tip: In addition to this list be sure to review job listings to get an idea of the qualifications you can add to your skillset. That is how I learned about CompTia for a Technical Support Specialist job I was applying for at the time.
No fluff. Just real projects, real value, and the path from code to cash — one useful build at a time.