Learn to code for FREE

Becoming a developer is a clear path to a higher salary, career stability, and upward mobility in this age of fast-paced technology! Learning this skill, however, does not have to be an expensive pursuit. There are many ways to gain the building blocks of this skill for free!

4 Places You Can Learn to Code For Free

To learn to code for free, one must first be aware of all of the free resources online, including tutorials, videos, mini-courses, and game-based learning experiences.

In this article, we’ll show you the top 4 ways you can accomplish learning to code for free. With pros and cons listed under each of these options, anyone hoping to figure out how to get into coding will have all the answers they need to get started on this exciting technological adventure, completely free. Let’s get started!

1.   Khan Academy

Khan Academy is one of the leading names in online education, and just about all of it’s services are entirely free. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons in relation to this program.

Pros:

• Easy to Understand – Khan Academy has an amazing reputation of being accessible to all levels of understanding and expertise.  Many homeschooling parents and college professors alike assign these courses to students of all ages!
• Great For Beginners – Because of Khan Academy’s coding source being so easy to understand, it is generally marketed as a beginners class for kids. However, anyone who isn’t familiar or has nothing but a general understanding of code will find this resource very helpful.
• Lessons Cover Several Techniques – Khan Academy’s course covers jQuery, HTML, and CCS. This means they basically provide an overview of several of the most popular and widely-used types of coding around, so any education you receive from them will equip you to further your interests with a well-rounded foundation.

Cons:

• Made for Younger Kids – Though students of all ages may find this source helpful, it is hard to ignore that some of the lessons are definitely created with kids in mind. While their teaching is still effective, this might be frustrating to some audiences.

2.   Codecademy

The next coding source up on our list is Codecademy! Codecademy is beloved for offering a plethora of courses, and some of them are free. Below, you’ll find the associated pros and cons.

Pros:

• Basic Courses – As another selection that is ideal for beginners, there is no need to stress about having any kind of technological foundation before taking Codecademy’s courses: they are accessible to all and easy to understand.
• Large Programming Range – You can find not only HTML and CSS classes here, but Codecademy also offer C++, Python, Ruby, SQL, Javascript, R, and even PHP. This wide range of options is ideal for someone looking to learn a range of skills from one platform. 

Cons:

• Some Classes Aren’t Free – Speaking of career goals, if you want to make coding your day job, Codecademy can help…but after you pass beginner classes, you will have to pay. Their more advanced and higher-quality courses are only available to those who pay.

3.   Code Combat

Code Combat is such a fun addition to the world of free coding education, we had to include it on our list! Check out why in our pros and cons below:

Pros:

• Made For Different Demographics – Code Combat provides a different learning platform based on whether or not you’re a parent, a student, or even a coding teacher! This approach to each separate demographic makes them incredibly user friendly.
• Learning Through Gaming – One of the reasons people get into learning code is to learn how to create games. Code Combat bases its learning style around gameplay, so it feels more like having fun than learning.

Cons:

• Designed for Children – A little like Khan Academy in this way, Code Combat is created for kids 7 through 16, and if you’re trying to learn code as an adult, you may only enjoy Code Combat’s learning style if you’re in touch with your inner 10 year-old gamer.

4.   aGupieWare

Next on our list is aGupieWare! Don’t be fooled by the funny name: as you can see from the list of pros and cons below, this free coding resource gives a helping hand to anyone hoping to learn the skill.

Pros:

• Bachelor’s Degree-esque education – One of the best things about this course is that it is designed to mimic a college-level program in coding. In fact, this is the model for all of aGupieWare: to provide access to as many free college courses on coding as possible!
• University-Level Quality – It should not be assumed that because the classes aGupieWare offers are free, they are low in quality. Just the opposite! Many of these courses are from reputable universities like Stanford and MIT.

Cons:

• Less Beginner Friendly – Because of the scholarly nature of this coding resource, beginners might find it more challenging than one of the other options on this list.
• No Certification – Despite the emphasis on bachelor’s-degree resources, aGupieWare only offers this education for the sake of learning, and offers no certification in coding.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, learning to code for free is all too possible with resources found online! Whether you’re looking for a more scholarly, professional-feeling approach like aGupieWare, or a fun gaming approach like Code Combat, there is something for everyone. Learning programming and coding can be fun, easy, and free thanks to these services!

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