Coding stuff… Not for me! I’m no techie’
If you have ever said that or heard from many others, it is just because- coding does appear for many, a task next to impossible. Although the lengthy pieces of code might appear daunting and cryptic to a beginner, a little exertion of your mind will let you know the beauty of the simple logic behind those lines.
But coding isn’t an easy task either- logical skills are must. Once you grasp the basic principles of programming and are able to write code on your own, sky is the limit of your growth. The toughest part is overcoming initial doubts about your abilities to learn coding.
Luckily, there are plenty of sites out on web that help you learn coding with their free tools. For those who are not sure where to begin, I have put together a list of free online resources to learn new code or hone up your skills. This also a great way to get young people started on an important skill.
1. W3Schools
W3schools is a web development portal with plenty of tutorials related to web design and development. W3schools is the best for absolute beginners to learn the basics and essentials of web development.
The site covers most of the web technologies like HTML, CSS, XHTML, PHP, JavaScript, ASP, AJAX etc.
The online ‘Try It’ editor feature of the site and thousands of useful examples make it simple for beginners to grasp the fundamentals of the web programming. ‘Try It’ interface will let you see the results of your coding instantly and also play around with lines of code to get more insight into the logic of programming.
2. Learn Code the Hard Way
Don’t let the title discourage you. It is one of the most informative platforms for beginners to learn languages like Python, C, Regex, SQL and Ruby. The ‘hard way’ indicates that it helps you master every concept and ensures that you don’t set off to next without understanding your current exercise.
The website provides free books that cover in detail the essentials of these languages. It has helped thousands of individuals worldwide learn Python and Ruby.
3. Programmr
Programmr lets you begin with coding right in your browser window. It is a great resource whether you are learning something new or refreshing your skills.
It offers plenty of courses on web development, Python, C++, Java, C#, Flash, J2EE, android and iOS programming etc.
This interactive site lets you hone up your skills with its tricky challenges and exercises. Users can showcase their project and interact with other users to learn and develop their skills.
4. Mozilla Developer Network
Mozilla Developer Network (affiliated with the Mozilla Foundation) presents many useful documents about web design and development. It is fun to learn with thousands of users, the basic web technologies such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
The website is suited for everybody from novices to pros to look for any information on web development. MDN also provides various tools that help programmers while they are learning.
In part 2 of this tip, I’ll look at even more great free sources to learn about coding.
~ Aditya Patil
This is a good refresher for me. I have learnt to use html and css to do a basic website. When I want to do a more advanced website I’ll know where to look.
Aditya, But coding isn’t an easy task either- logical skills are must.
This is so true. I used to teach at our local community college and taught programming courses among others. Some people really struggle with learning how to break a problem down logically so they can write a program to perform that task, while for others is just comes naturally. I don’t know what it is but I have it many times. In fact way back when I was taking my first programming classes it was the same way. For some it came easy others really struggled.
That is right. I have a feeling that it is a matter of self-confidence. Some view programming as something beyond their reach and surely it will be!
I gave this a thumbs down, not because it is a great article, I have been using W3Schools for a while, but because there are no links to the suggested tools.
You failed the first test ‘noaquie’. Copy and paste “W3Schools” into your favorite browser and see what comes up. Its Magic.