Here are the 5 sources you need to start your coding journey right now.
So, most of you by now already know that I don’t have a background in Computer Science nor did I ever have a mentor to guide me through my coding journey. Once you decide to learn to code, you start alone, and towards the end, you manage to gain a network. During my coding journey, I saved some sources which I thought were the most useful and helpful for my learning. In this article, I will share some of the best sources I have found while learning to code.
1. Open Source Society University
“Path to a free self-taught education in Computer Science!”
Now, this website is great for those who don’t have any CS background and just want to learn more about general concepts fundamental to all computer disciplines. The OSSU offers a complete education in Computer Science.
Link: https://github.com/ossu/computer-science
2. freeCodeCamp
“freeCodeCamp is a proven path to your first software developer job.”
I have to say, this one was my favorite source! You do not have to have any background knowledge in programming. The course covers a variety of topics and all for FREE. You can choose to study from any of the following topics and gain a certificate at the end of the hundreds and thousands of practice hours:
- Responsive Web Design Certification
- JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures Certification
- Front End Development Libraries Certification
- Back End Development and APIs Certification
- Quality Assurance Certification
- Scientific Computing with Python Certification
- Data Analysis with Python Certification
- Information Security Certification
- Machine Learning with Python Certification
- Coding Interview Prep
- Responsive Web Design Certification
- Relationational Database Certification
Don’t forget, practice makes it perfect. So don’t give up, just continue learning and practicing your coding skills. It is will take you closer to your goal.
Link:https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/
3. Modern HTML & CSS From The Beginning
“ Build modern responsive websites & UIs with HTML5, CSS3 & Sass! Learn Flex & CSS Grid”
Brad Traversy is probably one of the best teachers I have come across. His course was so easy to understand and follow up with. It is no surprise that more than 60K students have purchased his course! In this course, you will be introduced to HTML & CSS with mini-projects to complete. Don’t miss the projects. Work on the project after watching the video. If something didn’t go right, then do your research or ask other people for help.
Link: https://www.udemy.com/course/modern-html-css-from-the-beginning/
4. The Odin Project
“The Odin Project is one of those “What I wish I had when I was learning” resources.”
I used this website as a page to come back to. It was easy to understand and fast to move with. The Odin Project teaches you the essential tools you’ll need to build real, working websites. The topics included are:
- HTML Foundations
- CSS Foundations
- Flexbox
- JavaScript Basics
- The Back End
Once you complete the foundations of these topics, you get an idea of which path you want to choose. Having the basic knowledge really helps you to choose a path forward.
Link: https://www.theodinproject.com/
5. w3schools.com
“Learn to Code with the World’s Largest web developer site”.
I honestly love this website. Everything is so detailed and well organized. Even if you are in the middle of a different course and cannot understand a topic, don’t forget to visit this website. You will get the answers to the details which most courses miss. Definitely a top course to get your hands on Computer Science fundamentals.
Link: https://www.w3schools.com/
These are the 5 sources I started with and they are more than enough for beginners. I know there are many more cool sources, feel free to drop them down in the comments sections.
For those who are starting, I want to say that at times you can get demotivated by not being able to complete the projects. However, you should know that there are many people on the same journey. You can join slack and discord channels, or even become a member of a developer community to get more inspiration. There are always great people out there ready to answer your questions. You just need to know how to ask the right question.
Let me know what else you would like to know as a beginner developer.
