Being able to code is an essential skill for many IT, cybersecurity or web development roles. So, in order to get into one of these roles, you need to learn how to code. A good way to learn how to code as a beginner? Take an online course! We have included both free and paid courses, that are all suitable for beginners, to ensure that you can find a course best suited to you!
But first, let’s answer a very important question – what is coding?
Coding, or sometimes called computer programming, is how we communicate with computers. It is a set of instructions that tells a computer what actions to take. By learning code, you will have the ability to to make websites and apps, process data and do lots of other cool things. Whether you’re doing it for a job or for a hobby, everyone could do with learning how to code!
If you are hoping to start working in an IT, programming or cybersecurity role, you can learn how to code through online learning. Suitable for all levels, I have spent the time researching the best online coding tutorials for beginners that out there. So, if you’re looking to progress your IT or cybersecurity skills, there will be an online course out there for you!
1. C# Basics for Beginners: Learn C# Fundamentals by Coding (Udemy)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 5h 24m
- Cost: $79.99
- Certification: No
- Number of people who have completed the course: 161,992
- Course rating: 4.6/5 (out of 49,692 ratings)
Focusing on C# coding, you will learn the fundamental of using C# and .NET frameworks. With over 100,000 happy students, this course is Udemy’s most popular course for programming.
C# is a beautiful cross-platform language that can be used to build a variety of applications, such as mobile apps, games, websites and desktop applications. You will take a look at how to control the flow of programs, how to work with files and directories, working with texts, and so much more.
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of C#, you will have lots of options in front of you. As long as you’ve gripped these fundamentals, you can switch to different technology stacks with ease.
2. Programming for Kids and Beginners: Learn to Code in Scratch (Udemy)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 7h 32m
- Cost: $69.99
- Certification: No
- Number of people who have completed the course: 25,229
- Course rating: 4.7/5 (out of 7,557 ratings)
In this course is designed for absolutely everyone, whether you’re 10 or 100. Everyone can learn how to create smart and fun games. You’ll also be able to create animations and cool visual effects and you’ll learn to understand complex computer science concepts.
In this course, you’ll learn by doing. The course is designed to encourage you to create the games and applications with your own two hands, so that you can really solidify your knowledge and understanding. The games you will create include: flappy bird, duck hunt and Pac-man.
3. Coding for Beginners 1: You Can Code (Skillshare)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 11h 16m
- Cost: 14 day free trial
- Certification: No
- Number of people who have completed the course: 14,696
- Course rating: N/A
This course is the first part of the Skillshare series ‘Coding for Beginners’. In this course, you’ll answer questions such as: what code is and why you need it, why are there so many coding languages, what the difference between coding and programming is, the difference between front end and back and coding, and is coding a science or an art?
You’ll then be introduced to how code runs, bugs, pseudo code, decomposing, commenting, common data types, arithmetic & operators, loops, control flow, storing data, lists and functions. Once you’ve completed this course, you’ll be able to plan an app, code a product in Python and code a proof of concepts in Scratch!
4. Coding For Beginners 2: Get Started With Web Development (Skillshare)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 15h 52m
- Cost: 14 day free trial
- Certification: No
- Number of people who have completed the course: 456
- Course rating: N/A
This course is the second one in the ‘Coding for Beginners’ series offered on Skillshare. In this course you will learn, in a beginner friendly way, how to code in all 3 language of the web: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Get ready to learn about what the world wide web actually is, the history of the web, the webs core technologies, how NS works and how various types of code work. On top of this, you’ll take a look at commenting in code, object methods, what Bootstrapping is, publishing websites and much more. Essentially, once you’ve completed this course you will have mastered HTML, CSS and JavaScript and will be able to get started creating highly interactive web applications.
5. Introduction to Computer Programming (Coursera)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 21h
- Cost: Enroll for free
- Certification: Yes
- Number of people who have completed the course: 50,540
- Course rating: 4.2/5 (out of 619 ratings)
Offered by the University of London, this course provides you with the foundational skill set required to write exciting and efficient computer programs. If you’re someone who is interested in learning how to write interactive, graphical programs in a real programming language, then this course is the course for you.
In this course, you will begin by learning the basics of editing and running programs. Then you will learn how to create 2D graphics using shapes and coordinates, as well as this you will learn how to create interactive graphics that can be controlled with the mouse. To really ensure you get to grips with coding, you will even solve a set of interactive puzzles using your coding skills.
6. Coding for Everyone: C and C++ Specialization (Coursera)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: Approx 6months at 2h per week
- Cost: Enroll for Free
- Certification: Yes
- Number of people who have completed the course: 53,665
- Course rating: 4.4/5 (out of 1,397 ratings)
So that you can go from beginner to programmer, this course will help you to gain a deep understanding of computer programming by learning to code, debug and solve complex problems with C and C++.
This course is deigned for complete beginners, as well as computer scientists, artificial intelligence enthusiasts and other scientist! You will begin by covering the basics of programming in C, and then move onto more advanced C++ semantics and syntax.
You will be prepared to apply your skills, as you will need to complete a number of higher-level problems using algorithms in complex games. Learners in the course will begin coding right from the start, meaning they will have ample opportunities to practice and get their coding skills right.
7. Web Development Fundamentals: A beginners guide to coding (Skillshare)
- Level: Beginner
- Completion time: 29m
- Cost: 14 day free trial
- Certification: No
- Number of people who have completed the course: 307
- Course rating: N/A
In this class, you will learn all about what web development is and how exactly you can get into web development, whether that is for a hobby or a career. This course will begin by explaining to you why you’re not too old to get into web development, why you don’t need a degree and why it is neither expensive or hard to get into web development!
You will go over 13 different lessons, that cover topics in web development, fullstack development, working with teams and much more. Along the way, all terminology and common words used in the industry will be explained so that complete beginners can understand Once you’ve completed this course, you should have what it takes to break into the industry and become a web developer!
Conclusion
So, there you have it: the 7 best coding for beginners courses that are available online. These classes are suited to anyone who is wanting to develop their skills and land a role in the tech, IT and computing industry.
Learning beginners coding is the gateway to many careers exciting careers, such as:
- Computer Network Architect
- Computer Programmer
- Cybersecurity Professional
- Cryptographer
- Game Developer
- Security Analyst
- Security Architect
- Web Developer
To gather all the beginners coding skills that you need, there are lots of online courses available for you. There are free courses that take only a few hours to complete. And, there are more expensive courses that take over 24hours to complete! All courses are suitable for beginners, those with no previous experience with coding.
The online classes in this list are the best of the best. Each is taught by an experienced and dedicated teacher, and they all have lots of satisfied and happy customers. So, which course you decide take depends on your experience, funds and spare time. Do you have a huge amount of money to spend on your skill development? Do you have a lot of spare time, or are you just looking for a quick, but effective, way to learn the basics of coding?
