Learning how to code is no longer just for IT professionals and software engineers. As the face of every business has moved online, being able to manipulate what website visitors see and interact with has become treasured. Today, knowing how to program code can be one of the most important skills you can learn that will directly affect career advancement. If you can bring value to your online presence, then you can make a positive and measurable impact to any business.

Why Should You Learn Code?

If you are a newcomer to the world of web development and coding, it makes the most sense to start by teaching yourself how to code so that you may discover what you do and don't like, before investing resources into courses for a particular coding language. Additionally, learning to code doesn't have to cost a fortune—some resources require low finacial investment to absolutely nothing. The job market for coding specialists and web developers is only getting larger, and top companies around the world are looking for the best and brightest minds to fill these positions. When approached right, you may even find that you will not even have to pay a dime to learn how to code—depending on your learning path. It is a skill that will never be overlooked by potential employers and is valuable.

Where Can You Learn Code Online?

There are many different types of ways to learn including premade learning paths as well as individual courses that can be taken individually. There is something for everyone that is looking to learn to code. These are 25 of the best websites to learn how to code.

1. Treehouse

Students will be able to learn from more than 1,000 videos that have been created by experts on the topics of web design, coding, etc. The library is continuously refreshed so that it reflects the latest news and information on web technologies and coding so that it is always right at or ahead of the curve. Students will practice what they have learned by taking quizzes and completing interactive code challenges. This type of practice will allow students to retain the information that they are learning so that they can successfully apply it to their future projects. Upon completing various courses and skill tests, students will earn badges that indicate which skills are possessed and are publicly visible, and can be seen by companies that are looking through the site. After a free trial, users can choose the basic plan for $25 per month, or the pro plan for $49 per month. Hundreds of community organizations, schools, and businesses use Treehouse to help them develop valuable skills. This is why we are affiliate partners with Treehouse, where you can learn to code, gain a new skill, and get a new job. 

2. Khan Academy

This site offers education in the form of practice exercises, a personalized learning dashboard, and instructional videos. Students are able to study at their own pace to learn the essentials to coding. There are millions of students from all over the globe with their unique stories that learn through Khan Academy. The resources can be translated into over 36 languages. There are pages upon pages of coding courses and resources for students to use to expand their coding education. It is the mission of the institution to provide a world-class, free education to anyone that is anywhere. When looking for their desired course, students can browse all that are available, or can sort them by type like videos, articles, programs, and exercises. There are courses for beginners that don't know where to start, all the way up to professionals that are just looking to sharpen their skills.

3. Code School

This is an interactive learning destination for those who are aspiring or experienced developers. The courses offered by Code School are organized into various Paths, which are based on technology. Students should explore the paths to find the one that is right for them. Students can choose HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, Elixir, PHP, .NET, Python, iOS, Git, SQL, and even some electives. Students will have experienced and engaging instructors that take them through the material with high quality video lessons. Code will be practiced tight in the browser through course challenges, and students will receive immediate feedback. For incentive, students will earn points through challenges and will earn badges as each course level is completed, which leads up to the course completion badge. The Report Card will track all of the activity of the student including earned points and badges, completed courses, watched screencasts, and more. Code School has taught over 1 million students from about 237 countries. When enrolling in Code School, users will have unlimited access to 69 courses with 253 screencasts, and may cancel any time. Students can expect to pay monthly at $29 per month, or pay for a year at $228 one time, which breaks down into $19 per month/

4. EdX

This leading online learning platform is not for-profit; it is open source. It was founded in 2012 by MIT and Harvard. Because of this, you know you will be learning about the newest and cutting-edge theories and technologies available. EdX has over 90 partners around the world, and include the world's leading nonprofits, universities, and institutions. Students will be able to choose their courses from about 60 schools. Those who enroll in the courses are located all over the world and are focused on learning more about engineering, computer science, languages, writing, marketing, biology, and so much more. EdX is founded and governed by by universities and colleges. Open edX is the actual platform that is used for the edX courses and is available for free. Technologists and educators are able to build tools for learning and contributing new features for the platform, and to create groundbreaking solutions that will benefit students across the globe.

5. Coursera

Since its inception in 2012, Coursera has matured into a large for-profit educational and technological company that offers over 1,000 courses that come from 119 institutions. There are a number of introductory programming courses that are free from leading universities like Vanderbilt, University of Toronto, Stanford, and the University of Washington. Additionally, there are some more advanced courses available for a fee. Courses are available in English, Spanish, and French, and can be subtitled in English, Spanish, or Chinese. There are courses available in business, data science, and computer science. Every course available is taught by the world's best educational institutions and are made up of video lectures, community discussion forums, and peer reviewed assignments. Those who complete their course will receive an electronic course certificate. The courses run from 4 to 6 weeks, and are normally priced from about $29 to $99, and are not only online, but available to everyone that has access to a computer.

6. CodeWars

This website is made to offer a fun and creative way to learn coding. It is martial arts themed and the whole program is based on challenges that are called “kata”. Students will complete these to advance on to more difficult lessons. Students can choose to learn their desired coding language like C++, Java, JavaScript, Rust, Ruby, SQL, PHP, Swift, TypeScript, Crystal, and more. Students will sharpen their skills by challenging themselves on kata. The kata has been created by the CodeWars community to help strengthen different skills. Students will be able to work to master their current coding language of choice, or may choose to expand their understanding of one that they are not too familiar with. Students will use their own browser and will use test cases that will check their progress. CodeWars approaches the coding education with creative, new, and optimized approaches that will surely help students to retain the information that they are learning.

7. FreeCodeCamp

The main purpose of Free Code Camp is to teach code to those who will learn it so that they will help nonprofits. The organization has solved over 30 million coding challenges, and has donated over $1.4 million in development work. In addition to all of that, over 4,000 individuals have landed developer jobs thanks to the courses offered by Free coding Camp. There are courses in HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and more. Students will receive real time help from the community chat rooms, while being able to meet up with other coders in their city. Students will be able to work at their own pace, not just on their computer but on their phone as well if needed. While learning, individuals will assemble and build their portfolios of real apps that will be used by real people. The courses are delivered through interactive and focused assignments and tutorials. It is free to get started.

8. GitHub

Use GitHub sort of as a reference point. There are over 500 free books on programming that will cover over 80 different programming languages on the Git repository hosting service. Collaborators work quite hard to make sure that these resources are updated frequently and accurately.

9. The Odin Project

This is the free version of the Viking Code School—a well-known online coding bootcamp. With The Odin Project, there is an established path that students will follow in order to successfully learn web development and coding so that they will not be left wondering if they are doing it right or learning it in the best way. While working through the path, students will be working to build their portfolio, which will help them to learn and subsequently get hired. The Odin Project has already laid out the ideal projects to help students along the way. They also make it easy to find and work alongside other learners so that students will not be alone in their endeavor. Students will learn: Introduction to Web Development, Web Development 101, Ruby Programming, HTML5, Ruby on Rails, and CSS3, jQuery and JavaScript, and finally Getting Hired as a Web Developer. The Odin Project provides videos, tutorials, blog posts, and courses for each subject. They help students to build projects as they navigate the courses. 

10. MIT OpenCourseware

Actually getting admitted into MIT is tough competition, but anyone with a computer can access their course material with no application. They keep an online library of every subject that is taught at the institution, available to anyone with no account log in required. There is a dedicated website for all materials and courses, so individuals do not have to worry about navigating the actual MIT website, and potentially getting lost. Users can browse the courses that are available, and can even filter the results by the feature of the course, like assessments, lecture notes, videos and audio, and having an online textbook. The purpose of MIT's OCW is for instructors to actually improve their courses and curricula while students find additional resources to help them succeed. Students learning coding through the OCW will be able to choose their own courses, totally free, and will be able to complete the course totally at their own pace.

11. UdaCity

The mission of UdaCity is to provide affordable, accessible, highly effective, and engaging higher education to the entire world. They believe that education is a necessity for all humans, and seeks to motivate their students to excel in their education and careers. Education is a lifelong experience, and has transformed from passive listening into active doing. It empowers students to succeed while in school, but also in their daily life after school is completed. It aims to teach the skills that are needed by industry leaders today, delivers the credentials that are endorsed by employers, and give valuable education at just a fraction of the cost that is asked at traditional schools. The nanodegree programs are put together with today's leading companies like Facebook, Google, IBM, and AT&T. The mentors, reviewers, and coaches ensure that those who are in the program will complete it and be ready for the job that they want. Students can learn the basis of Javascript for free, while the more intense courses and nanodegree programs do come at a price.

12. Code Avengers

Here, students will learn their education by doing what professionals do. They will be provided step-by-step instructions, 1000s of coding challenges, quizzes, and videos and will be supported by an enthusiastic community of learners and expert educators. Students will begin by learning how to build simple websites and applications, but will quickly progress into building real applications that can be shown to family, friends, and even potential employers. Students will get closer to achieving their goals, whether they want to land their dream job, build technology that will change the world, or start their own tech company, Code Avengers are dedicated to helping. There are over 1 million satisfied learners that are in 190 countries across the globe. Students can try a 7 day trial for free with limited access, to try 5 lessons in each course. Unlimited access comes with a price tag, but gives access to all lessons, quizzes, projects, and channels.

13. David Walsh Blog

David Walsh is a 33 year old web developer and software engineer that works as: senior software engineer for Mozilla, technical author for his own blog and as a guest poster for others, meetup and conference speaker around the world, core developer for MooTools JavaScript Framework and creator of MooTools plugins, founder of Script & Style, and founder of Wynq Web Labs. Previously, he has been a software engineer at SitePen, a consultant for BestBuy, a documentation contributor for the Dojo Toolkit, and zone moderator at Dzone. He writes his blog to provide information on JavaScript, AJAX, PHP, WordPress, CSS, HTML5, and more. Individuals are able to search through his blog using the tags associated with the posts, so that they can read only the articles that are most relevant to their learning journey.

14. Tuts+

This is a great resource to find not only tons of free tutorials, but also paid options for tutorials and real courses. There are over 570 video courses that are instructed by professionals, and include all topics, not just those related to computers. Tuts+ also publishes eBooks. The thousands of free tutorials will teach students how to develop software from web applications to mobile devices and everything imaginable in between. Users can search through these free tutorials to find what they are looking for, including entire courses and eBooks. Tuts+ suggests 3 distinct tutorials for those who are brand new to code—Web Development will teach them everything that they need to know about development language, framework, and tools, WordPress will offer materials for individuals to become experts in the WordPress plugin and theme development, and Mobile Development will teach individuals how to develop amazing applications for all platforms, including Android and iOS.

15. SitePoint

SitePoint is a center for web developers to share their passion for making incredible things on the internet. It was made for web professionals by web professionals and helps designers, developers, entrepreneurs, product creators, and programmers. Those who are looking for information can simply type in their keywords into the search box, and browse the articles available. The articles can then be sorted by category, and then by author. Additionally, users can search for their desired coding language simply by using the menu bar and it is all sorted neatly. This will include HTML and CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, Mobile, Design & UK, WordPress, Java, and more.

16. HTML5 Rocks

This site launched in 2010 and is made up of resources, tutorials, and all of the latest HTML5 updates. It is open source, so developers are able to play around with some of the available HTML5 code. It is a bit more advanced than many of the introductory courses, it is not a great place for newbies to start. Users can search through the site to seek out exactly what they are looking for, or they can browse through all tutorials. The tutorials are authored by a variety of individuals that specialize in different areas of web development and code language.

17. Hack.pledge()

This site is made up of a community of developers that help each other to master their own software craftsmanship. Those who use the site are either teaching or mentoring the future generations of developers, or they are the future and are learning from the best. Hack.pledge() is designed so that teachers and learners are constantly exchanging information, and are spending less time being stuck and spending more time writing better code and programming faster. Mentors and mentees are automatically connected through the website, facilitated by Pluralsight, which is subsidizing the cost for infrastructure in order to connect these mentors and mentees simply by contributing its technology. Mentees will get their free mentoring as soon as they need it, based on the availability of mentors. Because the whole organization is based on the honor system, individuals can receive as much free mentoring as they want or need at any time that is convenient for them.

18. aGupieWare

This is an independent app developer that actually surveyed some of the top institutions within the United States. Then, it put together curriculums that are similar to those of the free courses offered by MIT, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia. Then, the programs were broken down into 15 courses: 3 intro classes, 7 core classes, and 5 electives. While this website and program does not give credit, it is a great place to start for those who are looking at getting into computer programming and coding. The online learning courses are broken up into groups based on the learning track that the student wants to take, like Python, Computer Science, Swift, Hacking and Security Testing, and Linux. In addition to the courses, the blog is filled with articles about all of the latest happenings regarding computers and how technology is affecting our lives.

19. Crunchzilla

Made up of Data Maven, Code Maven, Code Monster, and Game Maven, this is a site with interactive tutorials for individuals of all ages can play with code to experiment, build, and learn at their own pave. Code Monster is for younger learners aged 9 to 14. It is the easiest tutorial but it can also help curious adults that are not sure where to start. Code Maven is harder than Code Monster, and is intended for ages 13 and up. It has problems that are more difficult, and goes in to more depth and more explanation about the problems. Game Maven is designed for older teens and adults that already have some experience in programming. It is a step by step tutorial for writing 3 different video games. Code Maven, Code Monster, and game Maven are interactive tutorials that use live code. These immersive tutorials focus on action rather explanation. Data Maven is an introduction to statistics tutorial that is designed to spark the curiosity for statistics and data. It is a tutorial that gives questions about statistics and data to those who are new to the subject.

20. Dash General Assembly

This is a free and fun online course that will teach the basics of web development through projects that can be done simply in the user's browser. Users will learn HTML5, and the right way to code it. Learn how to build beautiful and modern websites and learn how to balance a layout for navigation and content. CSS3 will help users to create their own fully functional landing pages, inclusive of modern navigation, multi-column layouts, and a design that is mobile responsive. Learn JavaScript in order to create a dynamic interface that manage user events, and add user interface effects like animations or effects that will make your website's visitors quite happy. Dash General Assembly is paving the way for transforming education and careers, by providing free training for skills that are in such high demand today and will be for the foreseeable future.

21. Codecademy

Codecademy is committed to giving the best learning experience through and through, making it one of the best places to learn how to code. Code Academy realizes that programming is not traditionally thought of when considering public school education, and this company has found a way to manipulate the way that education works, and brings the classroom online. Code Academy is constructing the education that the world needs for now and for the future by providing an engaging educational experience. Over 24 million individuals have used Code Academy to learn how to code on their own, as they provide courses on JavaScript, HTML and CSS, PHP, jQuery, Ruby, and Python. There are over 300 hours of online content available free to millions of individuals all over the globe. The courses that are available will be able to help any person, regardless of their skill level for coding, and their knowledge of computers.

22. Infinite Skills by Udemy

This Company offers a constantly growing range of eLearning solutions that teach through the use of very high quality narrated videos along with hands-on, practical experience and all-encompassing working files. Each course is created by trained instructors and experts that specialize in video based education. The emphasis is put on teaching real life skills that are vital for progressing in the commercial environment of today. As of now, there have been well over 689,000 students taking 331 courses, and have left 38,098 reviews. All of the courses are chosen a la carte, and range from free to hundreds of dollars. There are enough free courses available for any beginner to choose and figure out the path that will fit them best.

23. Lynda

A program from LinkedIn, there are 5,877 courses available in technology, business, and creative skills that are taught by leaders in the industry. In software development alone, there are over 600 courses available, and web development, over 700. Users can enjoy a free trial, with unlimited access to choose what they want to learn from the extensive subscription library, they will learn from leading industry experts that are passionate about teaching, and users will be able to learn anywhere, and can switch between their computer, mobile device, and tablet so that their education can follow them when the time is right. Lynda provides Learning Paths—premade course programs for individuals that have a specific career path in mind. After the free trial, users can choose a basic or premium plan, starting at just $29.99 per month and allow unlimited access to all courses, and so much more.

24. CodeHS

This program has everything that is needed to teach computer science, and is aimed more at a classroom setting than individuals. It has a web-based curriculum, administrator insights, teacher tools, and professional development. The curriculum is step by step to help students with their problem solving skills and logical thinking skills while learning best practices. Teachers will have access to everything that is needed to teach the class, including a syllabus, exercises, lesson plans, etc. Teachers can also customize their class to fit their own needs, and autograding cuts down significantly on grading times.

25. Udemy

This online learning platform was founded in 2010 and can be used as a way for individuals to learn or improve job skills. There is a small selection of free programming courses that are taught through video lessons, but there are also courses that are available for a set price. It is a global marketplace for teaching and learning online, where students will master new skills and achieve their goals through choosing from a library of more than 45,000 courses that are taught by instructors that are experts in their field. There is an abundance of courses available for coding that range from free to over $200, but there are enough free courses that someone who has no idea what they are doing can find the one that they like, and start from there. Students will be able to see what the courses are rated on a 5 star system, and they will be able to see what other students have to say about the course.

Author: Garenne BigbyWebsite: http://garennebigby.com

Founder of DYNO Mapper and Former Advisory Committee Representative at the W3C.