Learning. It’s just for kids, right? Us, responsible and mature adults, just don’t care about it any more.
Well, no. At least not anymore. 2020 brought us quite a lot of free time to spare and as far as we can see, 2021 is going to be just the same. And with so much time on our hands, more and more people have been focusing on developing their tech skills.
(Yours truly included. You can never say you know enough.)
Don’t know where to start? Take a look at this handy dandy list of free website/resources to learn anything and everything about coding.
1. freeCodeCamp
One of the best of the best. freeCodeCamp is, well, free in its entirety and fully nonprofit. You can get certifications by completing courses in various categories. These certifications can actually be added on LinkedIn; it could even help you land a job!
freeCodeCamp offers educational content on Web Design (from HTML all the way to Vue.js and other frontend libraries), Quality Assurance, Data Visualization, Machine Learning, each with about 300 hours of curriculum time; they even have a section for interview prep with over a thousand hours of challenges. If you’re more of a visual learner, they also have a YouTube channel with a lot more projects. This platform is a top on free coding resources, making it an invaluable tool for enhancing your tech skills.
2. Microsoft Learn
Microsoft learn is another great platform to build your skill and then be able to leverage/show them off on LinkedIn. Having your skill be certified by Microsoft is quite the feat. Microsoft Learn focuses on technical skills that are needed when working with Microsoft products and services like Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics and many more.
Like the previous platform, it’s designed to accommodate both beginners and advanced developers; Regardless of their level, learners can decide between studying and coding solo at their own pace or they can join instructor led lessons.
Hackr.io
Hackr.io is one of the platforms that have flown under the radar for quite some time, but it’s time to shine now. Definitely a one-of-a-kind platform because of its function, application, and curriculum. Hackr.io works like a community, where everybody can upload courses on topics they are passionate about. All courses get rated by the community and the best ones get to the top. Multiple sources, the crème de la crème, all in one place; just like a big library. This platform is a fantastic addition to the list of free coding resources, providing a wide array of high-quality courses.
4. Codecademy
Codecademy is again one of my favourite ones and one of the platforms I originally studied on. It’s dedicated, well, to coding and since its beginnings only 7 years ago, over 45 million students have passed through the “walls” of this academy.
One of the perks of codecademy is that you can assess your skills when you start using the platform; this will put you to the appropriate level of knowledge. Everything is hands on, being that they put an emphasis on learning by doing; this way you can be assured that you are correctly applying what you are learning. And the feedback is real. Things get more complicated as you progress through the learning modules.
Speaking of modules, you have quite a plethora to choose from: Web development, Data Science, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Web Development, Web Design, Game & Mobile Development.
5. edX
This is, again, one of the platforms that have flown under the radar for me. I can’t even explain why this time. edX offers free online courses by reputable universities in the US, like MIT, Berkeley, Harvard, Boston and many more. You have a lot of courses to choose from, not only coding, so the only thing that’s left to do is choosing one and putting in the work!
Do not get discouraged if you see a price next to your course. Most of them ask for that price if you want to get certified. Joining in and learning is free.
6. Work for an independent company
Like us! On the job training is one of the best ways to learn about the industry. Of course, it does require a bit of prior knowledge to actually get the job. Nothing to be afraid of though 🙂
Now, with the risk of sounding just like my mom, what are you waiting for? Start studying!
