If you’re not ready to dive right into a computer science degree but you want to learn how to code, there are zillions of websites and online tutorials you can choose from. Here I’ve compiled a short list of my favorites!
1. Code Academy
Code Academy has live training modules where you can learn HTML & CSS, Python, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, and APIs. The modules are fun and give you a basic understanding of how each language works.
I don’t think the tutorials are necessarily comprehensive enough that you’ll be ready to trek out on your own knowing everything you need to know, but it is a fantastic place to start.
2. Bento
Bento is another free service that teaches you about programming fundamentals, front-end development, back-end development, and database programming. The tutorials are well structured and comprehensive.
3. JavaScript is Sexy
This is a guided online JavaScript lesson that uses a textbook to take you through several weeks of material, structured much like a regular online course. There are two versions: one for beginners, and one for those with some programming background already.
Note: I realize that W3Schools is also a popular online resource, but I did not include them in this short list due to some level of controversy surrounding their information. I don’t necessarily think they are the worst, but I trust their website in the same way that I trust wikipedia. I use it sometimes as a quick reference, but I would never cite them in a paper.
Liz Thompson 