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Now more than ever people want to learn to code for free. Maybe there’s job uncertainty. A paycheck that just isn’t cutting it. Or maybe you just want to see what this coding thing is all about.
But where do you start?
A career change is scary. There’s a lot to think about.
- There’s not enough time to learn to code!
Actually, there is. Maybe you only have a few minutes a day. Or aren’t sure what programming languages to learn.
There are ample free resources offering short lessons, condensed reading and simple coding challenges.
- I have all the time in the world. No way I can learn to code for free completely.
You might be surprised. You can immerse yourself in free courses, free challenges and even free games.
And you can treat it like a full time job.
- I don’t have a college degree!
No worries – you don’t need one. This is a high paying career field where you don’t need a college degree to be successful.
- I don’t have any money!
That’s okay. You can learn to code for free. There are tons of free courses, free tutorials, free books and free games available that don’t cost a penny!
You can improve your life.
You can change your career.
You can learn to code for free.
And the time is now.
Here is a list of 102 places to learn to code for free.
Bonus: Look for the 🍬 to see RealToughCandy’s top picks for best sites to practice programming!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation if you buy something. Read my disclosure for more details.
General learn to code for free resources
1. Code.org
Want to write your own game in under 10 minutes? What about a dance party with Katy Perry and Lil Nas X? Code.org has you covered.
Code.org caters to children and young adults. And it focuses on fun projects with beginner-friendly programming languages.
Bonus: You don’t need an account to get started.
2. Codecademy
If you’re not sure which programming path you want to pursue, check out Codecademy. They offer plenty of courses in web development, general programming and data science.
You won’t find tons of videos on Codecademy, but there are some.
Instead, you’ll be writing working code in minutes using their interactive code editor.
Codecademy is an excellent place to learn to code for free. They also offer an expansive premium program designed to get you into the industry ASAP.
💥 We think Codecademy is awesome. Find out why in our full Codecademy review.
3. Coderbyte
The handful of courses on Coderbyte provide FAANG-style interview prep. In addition, they offer 1-week video crash courses in JavaScript, Python and Ruby.
4. Codewars
Codewars is an educational community for computer programming. But there aren’t any tests or quizzes here. Instead, you train on programming challenges known as kata. These individual exercises cover a variety of skills in various languages.
Languages range from the lesser-known (NASM) to the well-known (JavaScript, PHP, Java).
Codewars is one of the best sites to practice programming for free.
5. Coursera
Coursera features thousands of courses. Many of these are partnerships with leading universities and established tech companies.
As a result, Coursera offers expansive video courses on everything from Google Cloud Platform fundamentals to machine learning.
Other specializations include:
- Data science
- Python
- Mathematics for machine learning
- Applied data science with Python
- R programming
- Matlab
Coursera offers quizzes and hands-on projects to accent the video material.
💥 Coursera is a mixed bag. Read our opinions in our full Coursera review.
6. Edabit
December 2020 update: Edabit offers a free tier (first 30 questions free), but anything over that is now on a premium pricing plan.
Edabit offers languages like Ruby, Java, Python, PHP and more.
The site simulates real world programming scenarios presented in a gamified way. Gain XP, unlock achievements and level up! Learning here is fast, easy and addictive.
Bonus: There’s a random code challenge generator. Choose your language, difficulty level and type of problem.
🍬 7. Educative.io
Educative.io offers free courses to learn coding from scratch. Languages include:
- Python
- Java
- Scala
- C++
- C
- Dart
- Rust
- Perl
- R
- PHP
- Ruby
And more.
With robust interactive coding playgrounds, tons of illustrations, quizzes, challenges and lessons, Educative.io consistently produces high quality, engaging courses.
💥 Educative.io is one of our favorite places to learn to code for free. Read why in our full Educative review.
8. edX
Ever dream of attending an Ivy League school? Now you can for free.
edX collaborates with schools like MIT, Harvard, UC San Diego and more of the world’s leading universities. You can learn to code for free with over 2500 free courses.
Accelerate your career with a computer science program and choose courses like:
- AI for Everyone: Master the Basics
- Introduction to Python Programming
- Visualizing Data with Python
- and more
Pro tip: If you are completely new to programming, don’t miss CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science by HarvardX. This insightful introduction to the art of programming will prepare you for any software developer career path.
9. Egghead.io
Egghead.io admits that their courses aren’t meant to be code-along workshops. They are, however, meant to be short and concise shots of knowledge.
Their video-based platform caters to developers of all abilities. From Write Your First Program with the Rust Language to GitHub Tips and Tricks, instructors release courses regularly.
10. freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp is a nonprofit platform that has been making waves since 2014. In addition to coding challenges and products, freeCodeCamp offers multiple learning tracks.
You can also earn certificates in:
- responsive web design
- JavaScript algorithms and data structures
- front end libraries
- data visualization
And much more.
As you learn to code for free, you’ll start to have favorite instructors. And you’ll find many of them on freeCodeCamp.
11. GA Dash
With an interactive code editor, GA Dash teaches the fundamentals of HTML, CSS and JavaScript for free.
The platform is project-based and you will be tasked with the following:
- Project 1: Build a Personal Website
- Project 2: Build a Responsive Blog Theme
- Project 3: Built a Small Business Website
You can write code and see the results of your work in real time.
12. Goal Kicker
Goal Kicker is unlike other learn-to-code platforms. Rather than videos or tutorials, they feature programming notes for developers of all abilities.
From frameworks to languages, to version control and databases, each booklet contains ample code examples and can be downloaded as a PDF.
Goal Kicker regularly publishes new releases and updates frequently. It’s a unique place to learn to code for free.
13. Gymnasium
With courses ranging from JavaScript foundations to creating a WordPress theme, Gymnasium offers time-flexible learning options:
- Take 5: tutorials cover practical developer skills in just 5 minutes
- Gym Shorts: all courses last under an hour
- Full Courses: 3+ hours of video, quizzes, assignments, final exam and a certificate
Bonus: Courses are not limited to programming. For example, Writing for Web & Mobile caters to copy editors, marketers, web designers and content strategists.
14. Hackr.io
Hackr.io is a search engine for programming courses. You can filter by type (free or paid), medium (video or book), level (beginner or advanced), language and more.
Languages and frameworks include:
- Java
- Python
- Node.js
- Bootstrap
- C
- C#
- Vue.js
- React
- and many more
Courses are user submitted and rated by users.
15. Khan Academy
The mission of Khan Academy is to provide free world class education for anyone, anywhere. However, the emphasis is on K-12 and early college learning.
A nonprofit organization, their library includes videos, articles and exercises geared towards young coders. Students practice at their own pace. And instructors can tailor the curriculum.
Bonus: With Khan Academy, teachers and students can learn to code for free.
16. Launch School (Open Book Shelf)
Open Book Shelf is a series of free tech books to accent Launch School. Although the school costs money, the books are completely free.
Select from topics like:
- Introduction to the Command Line
- Intro to Git and GitHub
- Intro to Programming with Ruby
- Object Oriented Programming with Ruby
- Demystifying Rails
- and more
The books are well organized and offer lots of code samples.
17. Microsoft Virtual Academy
Microsoft Virtual Academy is the official platform for learning Microsoft technology. The learning paths and modules reflect this:
- Azure Fundamentals
- Introduction to PowerApps
- Power BI
- Write your first C# code
- and more
Lessons are largely text-based with a few videos sprinkled in.
Definitely check out this site if you plan on working with Microsoft tech.
18. MIT OpenCourseWare
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is world renowned. And with MIT OpenCourseWare, you don’t have to worry about admission, tuition or finals. Their goal is to publish all undergraduate and graduate educational materials at no cost.
So you can learn to code for free.
The platform features courses in Python, Java, C and more. They also offer general programming courses where you exercise your problem-solving skills with puzzles.
19. Open Source Society University (computer science)
The OSSU computer science curriculum is a complete education for software developers. It’s designed to mirror degree requirements of undergraduate computer science majors.
The courses are high quality, often coming from Princeton, MIT, Harvard, and more.
Curriculum includes:
- Intro to CS
- Core CS
- Advanced CS
- Final Project
- Pro CS
Be prepared for this one! This curriculum takes about 2 years to complete, assuming you study around 20 hours per week.
But you’ll learn computer science for free, so it’s worth it.
20. PHP: The Right Way
PHP powers everything from WordPress to Facebook. Unfortunately there just aren’t that many quality PHP resources out there. But PHP: The Right Way is the exception.
This site features an easy-to-read layout, an expansive topic list and links to updated tutorials. While geared towards beginners, you’ll want to be familiar with some basic programming principals before diving in.
This is one of the rare places you can learn PHP for free.
21. Scotch.io
Scotch.io offers a variety of courses for devs of all abilities. Course offerings are unique, engaging and practical.
Enjoy Game of Thrones? Check out the Game of Thrones Quiz Game with React and GraphQL.
Love role playing games? Try Build a Gif Battle Site with Angular and Node.
This site has dozens of free coding courses to choose from. Your biggest challenge will be deciding which ones to enroll in.
22. Scratch
This is another great site to encourage youth to discover the joys of coding. Scratch is a project of the highly respected Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Students program interactive stories, games and animations. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically and work as a team.
23. SoloLearn
With tens of millions of users, SoloLearn is one of the largest online coding communities. The platform features an interactive coding environment and hundreds of quizzes for each course.
Some course topics include:
- Python
- HTML/CSS
- PHP
- SQL
- Swift
- JavaScript
- and more
Big Bonus: SoloLearn stands out with their code playground area. Students can share their projects, but that’s just the beginning. Other students are able to interact with the code, edit it in real time and even save it to their own account.
24. The Odin Project
The Odin Project mirrors the curriculum you might find at an in-person coding bootcamp. Its entire platform is geared towards code newbies.
The tech stack includes:
- HTML & CSS
- JavaScript
- Ruby & Ruby on Rails
- Node.js
- Git
- and more
You’ll also pick a learning track: full stack JavaScript, frontend only, or full stack Ruby on Rails.
Bonus: If you don’t like your track, you can change it without losing progress.
The Odin Project is frequently mentioned by programmers as their favorite place to learn to code for free.
25. Unity 3D
With the explosion of 3D applications, it’s never been a better time to learn Unity 3D. Unity is a cross-platform game engine used to build games, virtual reality apps and more.
On this platform you learn by doing from start to finish. Tutorials explore specific Unity features with bite-sized lessons and demos.
26. Udacity
No matter your flavor of software development, Udacity probably has it. Udacity has partnered with Google to offer free courses in multiple disciplines:
- Android
- TensorFlow
- Web
- Firebase
- Deep Learning
- VR
- and more
Beginner, intermediate and advanced courses are available.
Udacity is a useful platform to learn to code for free, and consider signing up for on of their programs if you like the learning style.
27. Udemy
While best known for their dirt-cheap courses, Udemy also offers a bevy of video-based freebies. For example, type in “free javascript” and you’ll be greeted with over 1,000 results.
Pro Tip: Be sure to read current reviews to make sure the courses are up to date.
28. W3Schools
W3Schools focuses strictly on implementation. It’s essentially a newbie-friendly documentation site where you can learn all about web technologies.
All the standards are here including extras like SQL, Raspberry Pi, XML, Machine Learning and more. The examples are simple yet powerful. And you can run them right in your browser.
If you find the MDN web docs to be overwhelming, check out W3Schools. It’s one of the best platforms to learn to code for free.
Learn to code for free with HTML & CSS
29. CSS Grid Garden
CSS Grid Garden is gamified to make the CSS learning process more fun. With 28 levels, the goal is to write CSS code to grow your own carrot garden. For example, on Level 1 you have to water only the areas that have carrots using the grid-column-start
property.
After you’ve grown your garden of delights, head over to Flexbox Froggy to learn CSS Flexbox with frogs and lily pads.
This is one of the most fun places to learn CSS for free.
🍬 30. Flexbox Zombies
This application sets the new standard for learning CSS. Ridiculously unforgettable, Flexbox Zombies presents zombie survival challenges that force you to learn CSS Flexbox like your life depends on it… for free.
Created by Dave Geddes, Flexbox Zombies joins Grid Critters and Service Workies in his trio of gamified learning environments.
This is another fantastic place to learn CSS for free.
31. HTML Dog
HTML Dog features HTML, a cute dog logo and so much more. With tutorials, techniques, examples and references, HTML Dog also shows you CSS and JavaScript – the most common languages used in making web pages (in addition to HTML).
The interactive bare-bone examples show you the code in action from simple HTML text styling to more advanced concepts like Z-index
.
32. Learn to Code HTML & CSS
The goal of Learn to Code HTML & CSS is simple: teach people how to build websites using clear and organized lessons. Topics include everything from building your first webpage to taking a deeper look at things like selectors, preprocessors, and transitions & animations.
Bonus: You don’t have to sign up or give up your email/personal info. Just log on, click and learn.
This is one of the better places to learn to code HTML & CSS for free.
33. Marksheet.io
Do you find the “less is more” approach appealing? MarkSheet.io delivers 50 short lessons in 9 digestible chapters. Beginning with an introduction to the web, within minutes you’ll start learning HTML5 and CSS3.
While the lessons largely focus on syntax, you’ll also go beyond simple implementation. For example, ever wonder why CSS exists in the first place? Chapter 4, Lesson 1 has you covered.
Bonus: There’s a 5-lesson chapter on Sass.
🍬 34. MDN Web Docs
MDN Web Docs is the documentation site for all things web development. Learn the basics like HTML, CSS & JavaScript, or push it further with web APIs and SVG. Every part of MDN is created by an open community of developers. This ensures accurate, updated information no matter what you’re doing.
MDN Web Docs will be a go-to site throughout your developer career. There’s a lot to explore – log on early and often.
Learn to code for free with JavaScript
35. Auth0
While best known for its authentication software, Auth0 also features a blog catering to software developers. Perhaps their best known post is the expansive Glossary of Modern JavaScript Concepts: Part 1. In this glossary you’ll learn the fundamentals of functional programming, reactive programming, and functional reactive programming in JavaScript.
Some topics include:
- purity
- statefulness & statelessness
- mutability & immutability
- higher order functions
- observables
And much more.
36. Eloquent JavaScript
Much like the You Don’t Know JavaScript series, Eloquent JavaScript offers both paid and free versions. The free format provides a modern introduction to programming using the language of the web.
With 21 chapters, Eloquent JavaScript covers everything from values, types and operators; to bugs and errors; even an introduction to Node.js.
Author Marijn Haverbeke also guides you through multiple projects such as building your own programming language.
Eloquent JavaScript is one of the best places to learn JavaScript for free.
37. ES6features.org
This site is focused exclusively on ES6 (a major update to JavaScript). It features dozens of code snippets comparing ES6 to ES5. The overview and comparison is ideal for people who know JavaScript basics and need to brush up on the features and syntax of ES6.
38. Javascript.com
With a name like javascript.com, the pressure is on. Fortunately, industry veteran and owner of the site Pluralsight delivers on a Promise. Get it? Get it?!
With an interactive coding editor on the home page, you can start coding JavaScript immediately.
Other features include a skill assessment area, expansive resource page and a super-clean user interface.
Topics covered include:
- strings
- numbers
- boolean
- objects
- arrays
- functions
- operators
- conditionals
This site sticks to the basics but parent company Pluralsight offers expanded offerings (both paid and free) on their own site.
39. JavaScript 30
JavaScript 30 is home to the 30 Day Vanilla JS Coding Challenge. In this course, Vanilla JS means you are only using the core of the language from scratch:
- no frameworks
- no compilers
- no libraries
- no boilerplate
Creator Wes Bos leads you on a journey to create 30 projects in 30 days using his 30 tutorials.
Wes’ advice for code newbies is to “Build things. Lots of things. Build 1000 things. Keep it up and don’t stop. Seriously.”
Although you will need to know JavaScript fundamentals, JavaScript 30 is a fun yet challenging program to build your JS chops.
JavaScript 30 is a fun and challenging way to learn JavaScript for free.
40. JavaScript is Sexy
What comes to mind when you think of JavaScript? If you said “sexy,” check out the hottest little number this side of web development. While the title may make you LOL, the lessons inside are no laughing matter.
JavaScript is Sexy features hundreds of lessons by Dan Wellman. An author of 9 books on JavaScript and a former frontend engineer at Microsoft, his experience is reflected in each post he publishes. While some posts dig right into the technical protein, others focus more on general programming advice.
For example:
- OOP in JavaScript: What you NEED to Know
- How to Learn JavaScript Properly
- Understand JavaScript’s
this
with Clarity and Master It - 16 JavaScript Concepts JavaScript Professionals Must Know Well
- Understand JavaScript Callback Functions and Use Them
Learn JavaScript for free with JavaScript is Sexy.
This is a massive site. You’ve been warned!
41. The JavaScript Beginner’s Handbook
All hail the PDF! Written by Flavio Copes, this 70-page manual covers all the JavaScript basics. It explains everything from syntax to variables to arrays and loops. This is an excellent JavaScript primer.
It’s also a good place to start before you tackle the You Don’t Know JavaScript series by Kyle Simpson.
42. Learn JS
You can get started with all the basics and learn JavaScript for free with Learn JS. They even throw in a few advanced concepts like OOP, inheritance and function context.
Learn JS puts you right inside the action with interactive tutorials. You start with a basic hello, world
program, running your code right in the browser. In addition, if you’re stumped on a problem the solution button is easily accessible.
43. Modern JavaScript Cheatsheet
There was a time when websites consisted of just a few files and a server. Well, the web ain’t what it used to be. Nowadays, most new web apps consist of a dizzying amount of files, features, and third party code.
The Modern JavaScript Cheatsheet aims to simplify this landscape.
This guide is not intended to teach you JavaScript from the ground up. However, it can help developers new to the language with examples, code snippets and explanations.
Creator Manuel Beaudru also provides his tips to make the cheatsheet more approachable.
44. NodeSchool
NodeSchool, but not old school. This app features open source workshops that teach various web development skills such as JavaScript, npm, Git, Markdown and more.
You have two options: self-guided teaching and/or attending a local NodeSchool workshop. To get started with the learning modules you’ll need Node.js installed on your computer and a code editor of your choice.
This is one of the few places you can learn Node.js for free.
🍬 45. Service Workies
A service worker is a script that your server runs in a background separate from a web page. This opens the door to features that don’t need a web page or user interaction (like push notifications).
Creator Dave Geddes is at it again with Service Workies. If this platform doesn’t get you excited about service workers, nothing will. Blending dragons, dark knights and a mechanical crow, you play an engaging game which demonstrates this newer technology.
Gamified learning environments are always a fun place to learn to code for free.
46. Watch and Code
With Watch and Code you focus on what matters most – programming fundamentals. As a beginner, your most important task is mastering the building blocks of programming: functions, objects and conditional logic.
Instructor Gordon Zhu shows you these must-learn topics with a video-based approach. You are then challenged with a series of coding exercises.
Gordon turns up the educational heat with a weekly live study session through video chat.
47. You Don’t Know JS
You Don’t Know JS is a 6-part series diving deep into the core mechanisms of JavaScript:
- Up & Going
- Types & Grammar
- Scope & Closures
- this & Object Prototypes
- Async & Performance
- ES6 & Beyond
While the paperbacks are for sale on Amazon, author Kyle Simpson has made them available for free on GitHub. And whether you want to learn about generators, promises, objects or want to get funky with the really weird parts, this series has something for almost every developer.
You Don’t Know JS is truly one of the best places to learn JavaScript for free.
Learn to code for free with Python
48. A Byte of Python
Python is consistently ranked as a top programming language. Its versatility, simple syntax and robust community make it a go-to for millions who want to learn Python for free.
A Byte of Python is a gentle introduction to this powerful language. This book is ideal for those with limited computer knowledge. Author Swaroop introduces you to you Python 3 – the most recent version.
49. CheckiO
Ever dreamed of a robot mollusk eating a castle? Or maybe having to code your way off an island? CheckiO creates exciting gamified Python coding challenges.
Choose your challenge level, type of problem and collaborate with other users on the forum.
CheckiO is probably the most fun way you’ll learn Python for free.
Bonus: There’s also a path for JavaScript.
50. CodeCombat
CodeCombat is geared towards kid coders and instructors. It’s a game-based computer science program. The games encourage trial and error, critical thinking and creativity.
Kids have fun learning to code. And teachers track student progress through customized tools.
Learning paths are Python and JavaScript.
51. Google’s Python Class
Google for Education offers this Python class for users with a bit of coding experience. The class includes written materials, lecture videos and ample code exercises.
Lecture videos include:
- Introduction, strings
- Lists and sorting
- Dicts and files
- Regular expressions
- Utilities
- Utilities urllib
- and more
The first exercises work on basic Python concepts. Then later on, you’ll work with text files, processes and http connections.
Google’s Python Class is an excellent place to learn Python for free.
52. LearnPython.org
If setting up a local programming environment discourages you, check out LearnPython. Each lesson has an interactive coding environment. This lets you run your code right in the browser. It also gives real time error messages when your code isn’t up to snuff.
Both basic and advanced tutorials are available.
53. Microsoft’s Intro to Python
This brief one hour course is truly an introduction to Python. But in this short time you’ll learn basic syntax and build two programs.
Text-based, Microsoft’s Intro to Python is a perfect prep course for those exploring the language.
And because you can learn Python for free, there’s no risk.
Learn to code for free with Ruby
🍬 54. App Academy Open
Clocking in at over 1500 hours, App Academy Open’s curriculum is not for the faint of heart. However, if you can stay focused for 8 months to a year, consider checking this one out. This is the same curriculum used in App Academy’s in-person coding bootcamp.
With videos, assignments, projects and other challenging tasks, you’ll learn both theoretical concepts along with practical implementation.
55. Rails Tutorial
Newly updated for Rails 6, this book teaches you Ruby on Rails (a framework for Ruby). You’ll learn how to develop and deploy real world web applications while building projects.
Note: The first 3 chapters are free. Anything after will require your purchase. Even still, these foundational chapters are a great way to get up and running with Ruby on Rails.
56. Ruby in 20 Minutes
As the name suggests, this is a small Ruby tutorial that takes about 20 minutes. You’ll learn about methods, strings, objects, classes and more.
So you’ll learn to code Ruby for free in just 20 minutes.
Note: Ruby needs to be installed on your computer before you get started.
57. RubyMonk
This highly interactive site features beautiful watercolor illustrations. It’s a nice change from the usual and contains a library of Ruby courses including:
- Ruby Primer
- Ruby Primer: Ascent
- Metaprogramming Ruby
- Metaprogramming Ruby: Ascent
The lessons are brief yet informative.
You can also run code right in your browser with their interactive code environments.
Learn to code for free with Git & GitHub
58. Git Handbook (GitHub Guides)
Got 10 minutes? Then you’ve got time for the Git Handbook. You’ll learn all about the purpose of a version control system such as Git.
Then you’ll spend the last few minutes creating a new repository and pushing it to GitHub. This definitely beats mindlessly scrolling through Twitter on your lunch breaks!
59. Git Immersion
Learn the fundamentals of Git through a guided tour. Git Immersion features over 50 labs where you’ll not only learn the basics, but also some more intermediate concepts:
- fetch changes
- create aliases
- stage and commit
- move files
- rebasing vs. merging
- cloning repositories
- sharing repos
- and MUCH more
Git Immersion has a clean and hip interface, creating a user-friendly learning experience.
60. Try Git
Try Git is a springboard for multiple Git resources. It features cheat sheets, the Git Handbook and a Learn by Doing area.
The Learn by Doing section also has a Git visualizer. With this app you can explore how Git commands affect the structure of a repository using various scenarios.
Learn to code for free with the Command Line
61. Command Line Power User
This site features a video series covering the command line. It shows you some of the best modern tools like npm, Git, Gulp and more.
Videos include:
- Command Line Basics
- Custom Terminal Colors
- Installing iTerm or Cygwin
- Discovering ZSH Features
- and others
Instructor Wes Bos is also the creator of some of the best-loved web development tutorials online. You’re in good hands with Command Line Power User.
62. Conquering the Command Line
Conquering the Command Line covers nothing but Unix and Linux commands for developers. Author Mark Bates dives right in, showing you commands like pwd, ls, -a, -l, -r, rm, mv
, and maaaaaaaaaaaaany more. And that’s just the first chapter.
By the time you reach Chapter 9, you will be a command line commander.
63. Learn Enough Command Line to be Dangerous
This book is an introduction to the command line for complete beginners. It assumes you know nothing about programming.
The first 2 chapters of Learn Enough Command Line to be Dangerous are free. Anything after will require your purchase. Even still, these foundational chapters are a great way to get started.
64. Viking Code School
Viking Code School is an online coding bootcamp. But they also offer a free mini course in web development including a command line crash course. Here you’ll get acquainted with your command line and learn the commands you’ll actually need to use.
This text-based introduction caters to both Mac and Windows users. It also links to additional free resources.
Learn to code for free with UX/UI Design
65. CareerFoundry
CareerFoundry is an online coding and UX/UI bootcamp that offers a free UX Design short course. Here, you’ll get an intro to UX (user experience) along with various exercises.
You’ll receive 6 daily lessons that take about 15 minutes to complete.
A benefit of this short course? You can play around with the idea of UX as a career with zero obligation or commitment.
CareerFoundry is a one of the best places to learn UX/UI for free.
🍬 66. The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction
Warning: This is not for casual reading! It contains 53 chapters filled to the brim with scientific findings. Accompanying this massive text are photographs, videos, charts and other visual aids.
From mobile computing to activity theory. Tactile interaction to somaesthetics. Wearable computing to 3D user interfaces. These are just a handful of topics.
This is truly the Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction.
67. UX Beginner
UX Beginner is a good resource page for UX newbies. Although there are no courses, there are numerous offerings including:
- UX dictionary
- commonly asked UX questions
- list of UX communities and groups
- UX reading list
- a UX getting started page
- and more
The UX newsletter also doubles as a weekly training series.
Because of its offerings, UX Beginner is a good place to learn UX for free.
68. UXPin
This site features dozens of free e-books and whitepapers related to UX. Some titles on UXPin include:
- Why Build a Design System?
- The Futureproof Responsive Web Design Bundle
- The Psychology of Web Design
- The 5 Building Blocks of Interaction Design
- and many others
Learn about prototyping, mockups, project management or anything else related to the UX process.
Learn to code for free with Blogs
69. Andrew McCombe
If you have an interest in PHP, check out Andrew McCombe’s blog. An experienced full stack web developer, Andrew writes about everything from Apache server files to PHP-based CMSes. He also has a collection of Laravel tutorials.
70. Codeburst.io
This site features tutorials, articles and software development news. A sampling of Codeburst.io content includes:
- a 7-part series on Rust
- Caching API with Redis and Node
- JavaScript Interview Question: What is a Blob?
- 5 Ways to Write Cleaner Angular Code
- and more
While not recommended for code newbies, there are some good advanced-beginner and intermediate articles here.
🍬 71. CSS-Tricks
CSS Tricks practice what they preach. Founder Chris Coyier has created a CSS empire with 100s of tutorials, code snippets, videos and guides.
This site caters to both code newbies and CSS professionals alike. And with daily updates, you’ll never be left behind.
CSS Tricks is one of the best places to learn CSS for free.
Bonus: There’s a job board.
72. SitePoint
With a clean and modern interface, SitePoint features tutorials on modern web development. Popular articles include:
- 20 Essential React Tools
- How to Migrate a React App to TypeScript
- Managing Dates and Times Using Moment.js
- A Basic HTML5 Template for Any Project
- and many others
Bonus: The SitePoint community message board is bustling with activity. Reach out if you need some extra help!
73. Tuts+
Tuts+ offers hundreds of free how-to tutorials. You won’t have the luxury of videos or interactive code environments here. But you will have the chance to learn everything from JavaScript and HTML5 forms to PHP scripts.
With plenty of screenshots and step-by-step instructions, Tuts+ has a diverse collection of learning guides.
74. Web Dev Simplified
A relative newcomer to the software education scene, Kyle from Web Dev Simplified is a rising star. Aside from his YouTube channel, he also produces this protein-packed blog.
With bite-sized topics emphasized with numerous code snippets, this is the most engaging blog I’ve come across this year. For example, in CSS Specificity Demystified, he includes a hand-coded calculator you can use to play around with specificity.
Web Dev Simplified has plenty of resources to learn to code for free.
Learn to code for free with YouTube Channels
75. Ania Kubów
Tetris? Whack-a-mole? Frogger? Oh my! If you like games, check out Ania Kubów. With a focus on building games through JavaScript, you’ll be creating the Nokia 3310 snake game in no time. She explains her reasoning behind her coding choices, making this an especially insightful channel for code newbies.
76. Coding Garden with CJ
When he’s not livestreaming codewars katas, CJ is showing you everything from game development to HTTP requests. With most videos running hours long, you get up close and personal with the code.
CJ’s channel has a relaxed vibe with lots of audience participation. Follow along with the various projects or just sit back and learn.
77. Colt Steele
Colt Steele is the Godfather of Udemy. Known for his Web Developer Bootcamp video course, he also has a dozens of free web development videos.
He also has a 10-part Webpack course that starts with the basics and expands to configuration, cache busting, plugins, and much more.
Take advantage of the opportunity to learn to code for free with Colt Steele.
78. David Mahler
This channel features videos on Git and GitHub. Titles include:
- Introduction to Git – Core Concepts
- Introduction to Git – Remote
- Introduction to Git – Branching and Merging
These half hour videos will get you up and running with Git, an important version control system.
Stick around for David’s other videos which feature a variety of network engineering topics.
79. Dev Ed
Are you interested in frontend development? How about web design? Check out Dev Ed. It’s one of the few popular coding channels that also incorporates topics like logo design, vector illustration and Photoshop tricks.
80. freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp also brings massive value to the YouTube space. With regularly uploaded content spanning from Python basics to multiple C# crash courses, it’s also one of the most popular and diverse coding channels on the ‘Tube.
This channel features exciting tech stacks as well, like MEAN, MERN and PERN.
freeCodeCamp is one of the top places to learn to code for free.
81. Net Ninja
Shawn Pelling is the talented voice behind The Net Ninja. While this channel tackles the expected web development basics, it also goes deep into specialized topics. The Net Ninja features engaging, multi-part videos that are often project based.
His 14-part Firebase Cloud Functions tutorial, 30-part Laravel tutorial and 35-part React Native tutorial are only a few of the countless options.
The Net Ninja is a go-to for developers who want to learn to code for free.
82. Peter Fisher
It’s tough finding modern PHP resources. But Peter Fisher brings his expansive knowledge of this critical backend web language for all to enjoy on this YouTube channel. Some of the coolest and most insightful videos are his livestreams, where he codes an object oriented programming (OOP) project using PHP.
Peter also has videos on web developer freelancing, HTML5 and Python.
83. Tech with Tim
Java, Python, Machine Learning, JavaScript and even game dev tutorials are all abundant at Tech With Tim. But he goes particularly in-depth with Python, offering tutorials such as building your own neural network and building a voice assistant.
Tech with Tim is a good place to learn Python for free.
🍬 84. Traversy Media
Traversy Media is hands down the king of developers on YouTube. Picking up where the legendary New Boston left off, Brad has hundreds of well-produced software development tutorials and crash courses.
His style is easy to understand and newbie friendly. Whether you want to learn, build, or just sit back and watch somebody else do the coding…Your first destination on YouTube as a developer should be Traversy Media.
Traversy Media is hands down one of the best places to learn to code for free.
85. Web Dev Simplified
Web Dev Simplified lives up to its name. This channel has dozens of newbie-friendly videos and playlists. But creator Kyle Cook is also a computer science fan, so you also get a healthy dose of CS topics too.
From basic HTML to design patterns, Web Dev Simplified takes a highly complex discipline and makes it easier for us all.
As we’ve said time and time again, Web Dev Simplified is an excellent resource to learn to code for free.
Learn to code for free using WordPress
86. WordPress.tv
Have an interest in WordPress development? Check out WordPress.tv. This site includes presentations, highlights and behind-the-scenes footage from WordCamps around the world.
What’s a WordCamp, you ask? It’s an informal community-organized event put together by WordPress users. The idea is to share ideas around WordPress while networking.
87. WPBeginner
This is a site for WordPress newbies. The focus is on technical implementation. For example, do you want to create a contact form with multiple recipients? There’s a tutorial showing you 4 ways to do just that.
The articles on WPBeginner have tons of photos and clear step-by-step instructions.
Bonus: There’s an expansive glossary of WordPress terms for those new to the platform.
Learn to code for free with Machine Learning
88. Google AI
What better place to learn about artificial intelligence than the master of the medium? Google AI offers information and exercises for both aspiring and seasoned machine learning practitioners.
Are you fascinated by the YouTube algorithm? Take their course on Recommendation Systems. Maybe you’re concerned about our modern social challenges. Check out the AI for Social Good Guide.
With multiple courses and guides, you choose your own learning path.
Google AI is an ideal resource to learn artificial intelligence for free.
89. Machine Learning Mastery
Dr. Jason Brownlee’s email course and ebook emphasizes practicality over theory. Machine Learning Mastery features hundreds of tutorials and multiple quick-start guides.
Sections are organized based on ability:
- Foundations
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
This site is packed to the gills with information.
Bonus: The FAQ contains expansive answers to real world student questions.
Learn to code for free using Data Science/Analysis
90. Dataquest
While Dataquest is a paid platform, they do offer a free course. Choose from multiple paths:
- Data Analyst in Python
- Data Scientist in Python
- Data Engineer
- Data Analyst in R
- Data Analyst in SQL
The student dashboard allows you to switch learning paths as you please.
Bonus: Practice mode lets you work on challenges in an interactive coding environment.
91. EliteDataScience
EliteDataScience offers a free Data Science Career Guide. It provides detailed answers to FAQs from nearly 30,000 email subscribers.
Topics covered include launching your career, roles and requirements, best advice, and future-proofing your career.
This site also provides guides, tutorials, and career guidance.
EliteDataScience has a handy guide to help you learn data science for free.
92. O’Reilly
A highly respected name in software publishing, O’Reilly offers 3 free data ebooks:
- Business Models for the Data Economy
- What is Data Science?
- Migrating Data Analytics into the Cloud
Bonus: Free books in other categories include IoT, web development, and web ops.
O’Reilly books are a great way to learn to code for free.
93. Springboard
Ebooks, mini courses and learning paths – oh my! Springboard’s free resources page offers a diversity of data science topics. Featured learning offerings include:
- Data Analysis with Python, SQL, and R
- Intro to Python for Data Science
- The Data Science Process Email Course
- Guide to Data Science Jobs
- and more
Bonus: Free courses also include topics spanning from web development to blockchain.
Springboard offers plenty of avenues to learn to code for free.
Learn to code for free with Cybersecurity
94. Cybrary
Want to see what this hacking thing is all about? Cybrary’s IT training library offers a totally free course for newbies: Introduction to IT & Cybersecurity.
In addition, they offer free activities throughout their training library.
95. Hacker101
Hacker 101 is a free class for web security. It targets programmers with an interest in bug bounties along with seasoned security professionals.
This video-based site provides free guides and resources. Upping the stakes, you’ll also have a chance to play Capture the Flag (CTF) to sharpen your skills.
96. Master of Project
Not all hackers are bad guys. Master of Project offers free ethical hacker training.
You’ll learn hacking basics and gain access to ethical hacking study materials.
With a global rise in security breaches, ethical (White Hat) hackers are in demand now more than ever.
Learn to code for free with Mobile App Development
97. Android Developers
Android Developers is the official documentation page for Android. It’s an expansive reference for anyone interested in mobile app development.
Included are design guidelines, developer guides, Android studio and so much more.
Android Developers is our top pick to learn mobile app development for free.
98. Google Developers Training
This is a video-based series of courses for aspiring Android developers. You’ll build your first Android app, add functionality, set up databases and more.
Google Developers Training is newbie friendly but also caters to intermediate and advanced Android devs.
Courses are routinely updated.
If you like learning by watching videos, Google Developers Training is a good way to learn web app development for free.
99. Learn App Making
Create iOS apps in this 7-day course. With just a few minutes a day, master the basics of building iOS apps with Swift and Xcode.
You’ll also discover how to avoid the most common iOS development mistakes.
Bonus: This course is updated for the most current version of Swift.
100. Start Developing iOS Apps (Swift)
Jump right in to developing beautiful iOS apps with this platform. Text-based, it includes dozens of screen shots and code samples.
You’ll build the UI and work with table views. After that you’re encouraged to learn Swift, debug and test your app and more.
This is by no means a complete course, but it’s a great way to get started.
Et Cetera resource to learn to code for free
101. Pramp
Pramp provides both mock interviews and coding problems for developers. The site will pair you with a peer that’s based on your availability and tech preferences. Pramp provides the interview questions, but you can also ask your own.
You and your peer interview each other over video for 30-45 minutes, then provide feedback. This immersion helps prepare you for real world software interviews.
BONUS: NEW FOR 2021
102. BitDegree
BitDegree is one of the hottest new platforms to hit the market. It’s layout is similar to Udemy: The courses are cheap and most of them are video-based.
But you’ll find some interactive courses like Introducing Coding for Beginners: an HTML and CSS Online Course.
Bonus: They have a revolving set FREE courses.
💥 Want to know what we love about BitDegree? Read our full BitDegree review.
Whether you want to start small or go all in, you can learn to code for free.
These 102 places to learn to code for free are available to help you:
- choose your language learning path
- move at your own pace
- find a teaching style that works for you
- learn with both institutions and peers
- learn to code for free
Everyone’s coding adventure is unique. Where will yours take you?
Have you used any of these resources in your coding journey? Or maybe a favorite free resource that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
Can you really learn to code for free?
Yes. Whether you are looking for code snippets or a full course, there are plenty of options available to learn to code for free. There are thousands of videos, text-based lessons and interactive games on the web.
Can you move at your own pace when learning to code?
Yes. Whether you have a full time job or open availability, you can learn at your own pace. There are no grades, no deadlines. Even a few minutes a day can get you closer to becoming a software developer.
What is the benefit of using multiple resources to learn to code?
You can experience various perspectives and learning styles when you diversify your coding education. Using free resources is a great way to learn what works best for you without a financial investment.
Is it worth learning to code?
Yes, it is worth learning to code. Software development is an exploding industry. You don’t even need a computer science degree. Even top tech companies like Apple and Google dropped their degree requirement. You can easily earn a 6-figure salary as a software developer.