Free Online Coding Classes: The Best Online Coding Schools

There was a time when coding seemed like an obscure language that could only be understood by a few exceptionally intelligent people. But that is not the case anymore. Now, many people are learning to code by enrolling in free online coding classes.

As with other languages, coding can be learned and mastered with the right guidance and ample practice. This article will fill you in on all the best online coding platforms and resources you can put to use for free to become a coding expert.

Online Platforms to Learn Coding

Some of the best online platforms for learning and practicing coding are listed below.

Codecademy 

Codecademy is one of the largest online platforms for studying coding. It is geared toward beginners and has over 45 million users. Its tutorials cover almost all major programming languages, from Python to Ruby and Java. It is particularly well known for its Java tutorials, and some users consider it the best free online Java learning source.

It also offers multiple paid courses and memberships, allowing users to study more advanced code. With Codecademy, you can evaluate your needs and skill level, then choose the tutorials that fit with your budget. 

Coursera

Coursera is one of the largest massive open online course providers. It has collaborated with more than 200 leading colleges and companies and provides recognized certifications for many of its courses.

This site contains some of the best C tutorials on the internet, taught by real world professors who are experts in their fields. It also offers many ways to practice programming.

All Coursera courses are free, but you need to pay for the certification upon completion, with fees ranging from $30 to $100.

Edx

Edx is also among the largest open source learning websites available. It is governed by MIT and Harvard, and is affiliated with over 160 colleges and universities, most of which are Ivy League. It offers almost 600 courses on computer science alone, many of which delve into coding.

Almost all of the courses are free. After finishing a course, you can even get certification by the associated university, although some of these cost money. 

Udemy

Udemy is another massive open online course provider that offers a mixture of free and paid courses. What sets it apart is that anyone can post a course on Udemy. This means you must make sure to read reviews before enrolling in a course. 

It has many highly-rated courses designed for those who have zero programming knowledge. You should definitely give this site a shot if you want to get a better understanding of the basics.

Udacity

Udacity is a unique online platform that offers both courses and nano-degree programs. Most of the courses and course materials are free, but the nano-degrees must be purchased.

Sololearn

Sololearn is one of the largest platforms online for those learning to code. It is different from other sites mainly because it is entirely mobile based in a bid to make learning more convenient. Its lessons are broken into smaller time frames, and it also offers a lot of interactive quizzes to make the learning process fun and engaging.

At the end of most courses, a certificate is provided for free.

GitHub

GitHub is the largest open source network in the world. It has over 31 million active users who review projects, manage code, and provide help through its forums. It is a great reference to use if your code fails and you are struggling to pinpoint what went wrong. 

It is also a platform for showcasing your coding skills, and the GitHub community is extremely supportive.

W3Schools

W3Schools is the largest online platform for web developers. It offers free course materials, developer resources, quizzes, website templates, and certifications. This site is undoubtedly the best platform to learn PHP online due to the simple language used in its tutorials.

It has courses for most programming languages but specializes in HTML, Javascript, and PHP courses.

Microsoft Virtual Academy

Microsoft Virtual Academy was started to popularize coding and encourage more people to learn this skill. The site consists of thousands of hours of lectures on coding topics that will help a programmer build valuable skills. 

It also provides thousands of free ebooks, course materials, and excellent community support.

Edabit

Edabit is the best personalized coding website on the internet. It is very popular among beginners and provides interactive sessions and quizzes to keep you entertained while you learn. 

It also contains multiple realistic programming challenges that will give you an idea of what it’s like to work as a programmer. These challenges are available in the Ruby, PHP, Java, and Javascript languages. 

Galvanize 

Galvanize is one of the largest platforms for studying data science. It has basic Python tutorials, as well as multiple Python-based data science courses for a variety of skill levels. Most of the courses are free, but for more specialized courses, you must pay a premium of $495.

Hackreactor

Hackreactor has the best online coding bootcamp for Javascript. It is geared toward beginners but is also used by experts looking to brush up on basics. The site has millions of users all around the world. 

The courses on Hackerator are free, but if you are seeking a guided experience, you will have to pay a fee of $250 upfront.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free learning institution founded by Salman Khan in 2006. It’s a non-profit that uses animations, quizzes, and videos to teach programming languages such as Java, PHP, and Python. 

It also has excellent web development courses in HTML and CSS. It is very popular among young coders worldwide.

MIT open courseware

If you are already well-versed in coding and are looking for something more advanced, then you might want to check out MIT’s courses. It offers free courseware materials for specific programming languages such as Java, Matlab, C, and C++. 

These are high-level courses that should only be taken after you have plenty of experience with coding. 

Best YouTube Channels to Learn Coding

When it comes to learning a new skill, it’s always a good idea to check YouTube. It is the largest video sharing platform in the world and offers many lessons on programming topics. Below, we have listed some of the best YouTube channels for learning to code.

LearnCode.academy

Learncode academy is one of the most popular YouTube channels for web development tutorials. It offers straight-forward coding tutorials in HTML and Javascript, and also teaches viewers how to use common web-developer tools. The channel has over 662,000 subscribers, with the community growing each day.

Thenewboston

Thenewboston has about 4,000 videos on a wide array of topics including programming, game development, and web development. The channel has over 2.4 million subscribers, and is quite popular among the newbie developers who are eager to learn. Check out its Java tutorial series if you are looking to learn Java quickly and for free.

Derek Banas

Derek Banas’ coding channel has more than 1.2 million active subscribers. This channel is unique because it reduces each programming language to the basics, and fits the information into a single video. This means you don’t have to scroll through long playlists to find the information you need. 

It is ideal for people who prefer long videos packed with information.

Programming with Mosh

Programming with Mosh offers more personalized coding courses. The channel’s 1.45 million subscribers are a testament to the quality of the content, in which Mosh explains difficult coding concepts in very simplified terms. 

Programming Knowledge

This is the best YouTube programming channel for beginners out there. The instructor teaches programming based on the assumption that viewers have no prior knowledge in the field. He explains concepts from the ground up.

The video tutorials cover Java, Python, C, JavaFx, Android App development, and more. It currently has over 1.15 million subscribers.

Choose Your Learning Method and Get Coding

As you can see, there are numerous options out there for learning to code, including free coding bootcamps. If you’re willing to learn, it’s time to choose one and get started. Once you have covered the basics in a free course, you may want to subscribe to paid courses and those that provide reputable certifications. 

In the end, practice is the key to success in programming, so you should turn to the above resources to continue learning. You can create projects on GitHub, or participate in coding competitions to exercise your skills.