5 Ways to Learn to Code for Free

Coding/Development as a profession is a forever-growing field and shows no signs of slowing down. Good resources are in demand, and a good developer resource will have no shortage of offers. Unlike many other professions, coding is one in which there is little gatekeeping – in other words, it does not require a fancy degree or certification to get started. There are few professions where being self-taught is as widely accepted, and where there are as many resources as possible available from which to learn to code.

Unfortunately, many people looking into the profession see advertisements for training, certifications, schools, and paid online learning, and think they cannot afford to get started. They are unaware of the number of resources available for free, or that all you need to get started may be a mobile phone and an internet connection. 

Let’s take a look at five popular and effective ways to learn to code for free. These platforms allow you to learn on your own device in your own time, and best of all, they’re free. Flatirons Development might just be looking for your new-found skillset when you are done!

Grasshopper

Img source: https://grasshopper.app

This learning platform was developed by Google and is focused on teaching JavaScript, one of the most well-known and most-used programming languages in the world. JavaScript is the foundation for many commonly used mobile and web development platforms, such as Vue, Angular, and React, making JavaScript a highly transferable skill.

• Website: https://grasshopper.app

• Available on: Android

freeCodeCamp

Almost every developer knows freeCodeCamp. This is one of the most popular services to learn coding available. Teaching many development subjects besides programming languages, and leveraging a dedicated website platform for your study, is a must-know service if you want to learn to code for free. At the time of writing, freeCodeCamp is only available as an app for Android devices. 

• Website: https://www.freecodecamp.org/
• Available on: Android

Sololearn

img source:https://www.sololearn.com/

Sololearn is another platform offering second-to-none free coding education. This platform teaches several coding languages, including Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, C++, and many more. No matter what you want to learn, it offers free bite-sized lessons and community help. A pro version is available with additional features, but the free version offers amazing value, as well as a larger selection of coding lessons.

• Website: https://www.sololearn.com/
• Available on: iOS, Android

Programming Hub

Img source: https://programminghub.io/presskit

Programming Hub offers a great deal of content on a variety of topics and keeps track of progress with a “history” format. Lessons include Java, Python, web development, and much more. Like Sololearn, it offers a pro version with access to additional content and features, but the free resources are more than enough to get you started.

• Website: https://programminghub.io/ 
• Available on: iOS, Android

Mimo

img source: https://medium.com/getmimo/mimo-press-kit-66f5da5b0375#.yr27fppcr

This application is perfect for beginning users, as it teaches the very basics first, and there is no prerequisite knowledge. It provides challenges at the end of each lesson, to improve retention of the lessons. 

• Website: https://getmimo.com/
• Available on: iOS, Android

Honorable Mentions:

The Odin Project

The Odin Project offers complete courses where you can learn the foundations of development and more advanced topics. There are two paths offered, Ruby on Rails and JavaScript/NodeJS. Unfortunately, this platform doesn’t provide an app for download, but you can always access their website and learn using it.

• Website: https://www.theodinproject.com/

 

Progate

Progate is an online platform that can be used by beginners to learn to program. It offers in-depth lessons in its Pro option, but only introductory lessons in the free tier. This platform was very popular in Japan but is now available in over 100 countries, and boasts over 2.7 million users.

• Website: https://progate.com/
• Available on: iOS, Android

Programming Hero

This is a service with a beautiful interface and is very easy to use. You can learn to code and play coding games to improve your skills directly through your smartphone. Language localization issues are present on the website and may also be present within the lessons. However, this has not prevented over a million users from benefiting from their lessons.

• Website: https://www.programming-hero.com/
• Available on: iOS, Android

As you can see, there are many, many resources available to choose from to begin your journey in coding/development. If you are looking to begin a career, or just to understand the fundamentals for personal development, the above will give you what you need with practice and determination. Pair the coding lessons here with lessons on Agile methodologies, and you can all but guarantee your employability for years to come. Welcome to the world of coding and let us know which of these tools helped you the most!