How To Learn to Code Without Spending Too Much

How To Learn to Code Without Spending Too Much

In today's economy, IT is one of the fields where you will constantly find jobs and, even better, most of the times they are also well-paid. Nowadays, you don't need to have a university degree to get a good job as a programmer; all that's actually required is to show that you know what you're doing. If you've wondered how it would be like to be a programmer, or how hard it is to learn to code, the answer is that it's not easy, but it's not impossible either. All it takes is commitment, willingness to learn and some of the services in the list bellow, and you could become a full-fledged developer in a relatively short time.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is probably the most popular learning resource on our list. This free service offers a wide array of courses covering hundreds of different subjects such as mathematics, economics, history, etc. and, of course, computer science. What's even better is that, with the help of their volunteers, this website has managed to translate its learning material into many languages, so chances are you will find the courses you're interested in translated to your native language. The service offers learning material for Java, CSS/SQL, HTML, etc. The courses come as short videos along with practice lessons and tools for teachers.

Code Academy

Another one of the top learning resources in the world, Code Academy provides its users with easy-to-get interactive tutorials which are great not only for beginners, but also people who already have some skill in programming. This tool can provide training in a wide variety of languages such as HTML, CSS, Ruby, jQuery, PHP, JavaScript or Python. What's really cool is that this service allows you to sign up along with your friends and take courses together so that you can stay motivated. Last time I checked, Code Academy had somewhere around 24 million registered users and the learning material didn't cost a thing.

ALISON

ALISON offers training in a huge array of subjects (I think that there are somewhere around 600 subjects on the website) to anyone who is interested in learning or improving their skills. The service also offers diplomas to those who successfully complete their courses, but since it's not an established learning institution, I don't how much that will matter in the eyes of an employer.  Nevertheless, the learning material is free, and you can find classes in C#. PHP, Python, MySQL, JavaScript, jQuery, etc. so it's definitely worth checking out.

Udacity

Udacity is a website that's a little bit more interesting, as it offers lots of free learning material as well as personalized services which cost between $40 and $200 per month. What's even better is that, after completing its courses, this learning service will offer a diploma (called "Nanodegree") which is recognized by some of the biggest names such as Google, Salesforce, AT&T or Cloudera. In case if you were wondering what qualifications they offer, the courses help you become a Full-Stack developer, a front-end web-developer or an app developer for both iOS and Android platforms.

OpenCourseWare Consortium

In case you didn't know, MIT was one of the first important institutions to offer an online learning service which provides you with some great study material along with a degree. Since then, a lot of other big names in the field have joined in, and OpenCoruseWare Consortium is a service which gives you access to hundreds of online courses from a wide range of schools. The service offers learning material for many subjects, so it's awesome not just for those who wish to become coders. The courses are not as interactive as the ones provided by other services, but having free access to a treasury of learning material is always important.

TreeHouse

TreeHouse is a premium service which will ask you to pay for its learning material, but it claims it can turn you into a full-fledged developer even if you're a complete beginner. The website provides training videos for web-design, web-development and more, a real-time "Code Challenge Engine" and a forum where you can discuss your issues with other members of the community. Additionally, there's also a helpful iPad app which aids you in your learning efforts. The silver membership costs $25 per month, while for the gold one you will have to pay $49 each month (but you will get additional features, such as workshops on the newest tech or feedback on your projects).

W3Schools

In case if you're interested in web design and web development, W3Schools is one of the best solutions that you can find. This awesome website provides you with lessons in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, XML, SQL, PHP, ASP, VBScript and several others. What's really cool about this service is that it also provides you with a code editor embedded in its interface where you can test out everything you learn in the course.

Conclusion

Just choose one (or more) of the services I provided, and if you're willing to dedicate time and effort, you will surely become a good programmer in less than a year. Just remember the famous quote which states that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. (I know that originally it was about genius, but it applies to success as well).