7 Places You Can Learn How To Code For Free

Can you really learn how to code for free?

We’re not saying you can master coding that easily, but you certainly can, with the right attitude, learn to code in as little as three months. In time, that’s equivalent to one semester of a computer science degree – hardly long enough to set anyone up to code professionally? But computer science is far broader than just coding. Given the same length of time, a motivated person with a narrower goal can achieve something pretty impressive, useful and highly addictive!

Three months is the time it takes to complete one of our full-time coding bootcamps, and to set our graduates well on their way in their coding careers. But it’s not the only way to go about learning. A recent survey on StackOverflow.com of working developers showed that 41.8% of respondents were self-taught, exceeding the percentage of people who had bachelors’ degrees in computer science or a related field. But how much can you really learn in three months?

Invest In The Challenge

It all, of course, depends on how much time and effort you are willing to put in.

There are fantastic resources available online if that’s the path you choose. We’ve rounded up a few of the best to get you started – whether you’ve decided to go the self-taught route or just want to get a better idea of coding before you embark on a boot camp or college level course. However, before you journey down any of these routes, don’t forget the free 5 Day Coding Challenge. It will give you the basics of some of the fundamentals like HTML and CSS. Within five days, you’ll have built your very first web page. Register through the form below.

Take An Introduction To Computer Science

For an introduction in the absolute basics of computer science, you can take an introductory module in computer science from Harvard, MIT or Stanford. You can find courses on Edx.org or Coursera, some of which are interactive and certified if you start before a specified date. Recommended for absolute beginners who want to get an idea of the basic concepts of programming, but not for those who already have some experience.

Foundations of Programming: Object Oriented Design

Most modern programming languages, such as Java, C#, Ruby, and Python, are object-oriented languages, and these tutorials from Lynda.com are designed to introduce you to the core ideas and terminology in object-oriented design.

The Code Academy

http://www.codecademy.com/
One of the most popular free sites for learning to code interactively and tracking your progress, along with features for learning with friends.

Programming Basics With Khan Academy

http://www.khanacademy.org/cs/tutorials/programming-basics
More programming tutorials among a broader collection of courses.

Learn Python the hard way

Despite the title, this is a pretty straightforward collection of exercises to get you started in Python. There’s a paid version available but the ebook can be read for free.

Google Code University

http://code.google.com/edu/
A good free resource from Google if you are interested in Android development. Also covers some more advanced topics.

HTML Rocks

http://www.html5rocks.com/
A collection of useful tutorials centred on HTML 5.

These are a few good sites to get you started, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to learn to code in a short space of time, you won’t lack resources. The internet is home to as much information about its inner workings as any novice coder could need. All you have to bring to the table is time, dedication, and a real interest in coding.

Whether you do it alone or guided through a coding bootcamp, in three months’ time you could be a proficient coder with a valuable skill-set.

Hands On, Mentored Experience

One major bonus to doing coding bootcamps and paid courses is the guidance and support of experienced tutors. If you’re learning by yourself, you should also be taking full advantage of the many personal accounts available online from fellow autodidacts as well as your network of friends, if you are lucky enough to know some more experienced coders.

If you think you’re up to the challenge, we wish you the best of luck, and a whole lot of coffee.

Learn to Code for Free

If you want to learn some code for free, register through the form below for our 5 Day Coding Challenge.

Further reading: If you want to find some resources for young coders, this might help.