Don't Get Overwhelmed - How to Pick the Right Free Content for Learning to Code
Table of contents
No headings in the article.
When I first started learning how to code, I felt overwhelmed searching for tutorials, boot camps, and university degrees. Going on Youtube or Tiktok and typing in coding or software engineering would lead to many videos and advice. It took a lot of work to decipher what was a scam or legit information. When I first started learning how to code, I had degrees in unrelated fields and worked in agriculture. I knew going back for another four-year degree was just something I could not afford financially, and I could not find the time for it. This article is for people wanting to learn to code for free and go from 0 skills to hired software engineer. I did this in 4.5 months. If you want to learn more about my journey, here is the link: https://medium.com/@marciacripps/how-i-went-from-agronomist-farmer-to-software-engineer-in-less-than-6-months-756c7fe18e80
I hope sharing my resources with you will help your coding journey. It is essential to decipher good information from wrong information. I used Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit to help me determine whether what I saw was a fact throughout my academic and professional life. After a quick review of the Baloney Detection Kit, I started looking for what would work for me and my goals. I first started learning about software engineering as a career.
As I delved deeper into software engineering, I discovered many ways to learn and gain the necessary skills to land a job in the industry without breaking the bank. One of the best ways to start is through free online resources. Many reputable organizations such as Codecademy, freecodecamp, edX, and Coursera offer free courses and tutorials covering various programming languages and topics. I started with freecodecamp personally and enjoyed how interactive it was. This is an excellent first step to see if you enjoy coding. Once you decide to commit to becoming a software engineer, it is time to pick a learning path that will land you a job.
There are many free programs out there. If any program tries to convince you to buy anything after claiming it is free, that is a red flag. There is a difference between tutorials and learning programs. Tutorials are great for learning new concepts, but they do not teach you to be a software engineer. Here is a list of entirely free learning programs that will take you from 0 to software engineer:
- 100Devs: https://leonnoel.com/100devs/
- The Odin Project: https://www.theodinproject.com/
- FreeCodeCamp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/
- App Academy Open: https://www.appacademy.io/learn-to-code
- Fullstack Academy’s Bootcamp Prep: https://www.fullstackacademy.com/bootcamp-prep
- MIT OpenCourseWare: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/
- edX Computer Science Essentials: https://www.edx.org/course/computer-science-essentials-for-software-development
- GitHub Learning Lab: https://lab.github.com/
- Udacity’s Intro to Computer Science: https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-computer-science--cs101
- Coursera’s Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS: https://www.coursera.org/learn/duke-programming-web
- CS50’s Introduction to Game Development: https://www.edx.org/course/cs50s-introduction-to-game-development
There are 100s of others like this that I have left out. I want to clarify that I researched these programs in early 2022 and am not sure if they have changed their free education policies. If any of these programs put a paywall between you and learning, I would not go with them. I don’t believe in paying for software engineering education unless you have aspirations of a 4-year degree or a prestigious boot camp. In my opinion, I would only pay if you know you need strong structure and deadlines.
While you are researching and trying free resources, you should make sure this learning program covers the following:
Learning how to learn
How to code basics
How to problem solve
How to use an IDE such as VSCode
How to technical interview
How to behavioral interview
How to write a software engineer resume
How to practice for technical interviews
Gives you the tools to do an original coding project
How to use GitHub
How to use your terminal/command line
How to ask questions correctly
How to google correctly
How to network in tech
How to use Linkedin/Twitter
If one program covers only some of these topics, be sure to find resources to help supplement this list. As you can see, this list is about more than just learning to code. Everyone thinks learning to code is all you have to do to make this career switch. Getting the job is based on networking and just knowing how to interview.
After you have tried a couple (try to stay under 5) of different free resources, it is essential to pick one program and stick with it. When deciding how to learn to code for free, it’s essential to consider your learning style and what resources will work best for you. If you learn well by watching others or need visual aids, video tutorials might be the best option. If you thrive in a collaborative environment and benefit from feedback and support, joining a coding community could be the right choice. And if you prefer to learn at your own pace and in your own time, reading material and online documentation might be the most suitable option. The key is to experiment with different resources and find what works best for you.
I ended up doing a free boot camp called 100Devs. 100Devs is community taught, and you can go at your own pace if you follow along with the “catchup crew” through Youtube videos. I started with CS50, freecodecamp, and The Odin Project before sticking with 100Devs. All of these programs had great resources. The Odin Project has no videos, which was just not good for me to learn to code with 0 background. I now really like The Odin Project because I have a stronger foundation in software engineering. I enjoyed freecodecamp, but I felt like it almost held my hand a little too much, and when it came time to code in a text editor on my own, I felt lost. I just didn’t “click” with CS50. It is still a good program, but I couldn’t keep up.
Consistent practice and dedication are the keys to success in your software engineering goals. It’s essential to focus on one thing at a time and build upon your knowledge gradually. While there are many resources available, it is up to you to keep practicing. If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, follow my blog and social media for more tips and insights on learning to code. Together, we can demystify the world of software engineering and help others achieve their goals.