Learning Resources
Learning to code can be difficult when you first start out. Specially trying to find the right resources. I should say, these are my own personal options, I do not work for or related to anyone who does work for these companies. I also have a learning disorder, so I have very specific options on the learning process. I am a visual learn and auditory learner. I also use a screen reading sometimes when my brain is not being cooperative. Here are of the resources I found very helpful.
For starters, there are some great apps out there.
Mimo
This is a great app! The practice tag on it feels a little steep, but they do a fantastic job of breaking down the problems and really helping you retain the concepts. It is great for beginners since they slowly introduce coding language which allows you to really comprehend what it is they are talking about. It starts with CSS, HTML, Javascript. There are a lot of languages they go through and they have their own set of challenge to make sure you understand everything.
Available on Apple Store or GooglePlay
Grasshopper
This app is brought to you by Google, it is 100% free. They start out slow, but escalates quickly. They discuss coding fundamentals with some very detailed examples. There are great resources within the app, which help you walk you through when you get stuck. You can use the app online as well, which is pretty nice later. This app does get much more detailed and use some heavy coding language. It can feel intimating at times, but stick with it and you feel great coming out of it. They go through using mostly CSS and Javascript.
Available on Apple Store or GooglePlay
Solo
This app feels very heavy. I would not recommend it for beginners, but it is still a great resource. They break down each concept into smaller sections for you to review. It does feel like they go through it very quickly and doesn’t like some of the same reinforcements that Grasshopper and Mimo offer. There are a lot of different languages available through this app. The app is free, but there is an option to upgrade and get more excises. I personally didn’t feel like I got a great value out of this, but it might be good for others. There is a community that posts threads relating to the contents and it can be great to see other’s input. Especially when you are dealing with new concepts you find challenging.
Available on Apple Store or GooglePlay
There are some great sites to try out if you don’t find the app route all that appealing or want some variation.
From someone who has never coded a day in their life, I would highly recommend you start with Skill Crush. They have an intro course which is phenomenal! They walk you though and help you learn HTML, CSS and a little bit of Javascript. It may have changed since the last time I took this, but they really make it feel like you can become a programmer. The culture they have created it wonderful at Skill Crush. After the intro class, they do push their own material, which can feel very expensive, but if you are considering really becoming a programmer, it is still cheaper than a lot of boot camps.
This was actually my first intro to coding online. They have created some great content for beginners. There is a free option, but you can also pay for get more detailed experience. I have not tried it, but it seems like there is good value out of it for others. They offer great resources through online threads and have a pretty active Discord and Facebook group. There are many languages you can choose from and provides great information to get started.
You have to look through their content to get started since they have many different options. The videos they provide along with the practices make it easy to cement the concepts. I do love the fact they have videos and break it up so you can feel like you are getting everything before moving on to the next section.
After you feel like you’re getting a handle on everything, there is some content for practicing.
This is mostly CSS, HTML and a little Javascript. Practice does make prefect and Codepip makes it really easy and fun to verify you own knowledge. The free track is great and a little bit more in the first tier of paid. It’s pretty cheap, but I really like Codepip.
Possibly one of the more popular coding exercise sites, I personally find the way the pose their questions, very dense. I do get good practice out of this site, but sometimes I feel like I spend more than trying to figure out what they are asking for than actually solving the problems. There are a number of language you can work on with this site and they do offer some degree of certification.
I really like CodeWars. I like the questions seem practical and for the most part well formed. I love that you get to see other people’s solutions after you have solved the problem. It helps me become a better coder seeing other people’s solutions. It’s a great community and very active. There are a lot of languages you can practice on this site and they make it really easy to find something in the language you want to work with and the level you want to as well.
Fun and frustrating sometimes. It is easy to spend hours on CSS battles. As you might tell from the name, this is CSS focused sight. If you are interested in staying with front end work, CSS Battles it where it is at.
Looking for a place to really flex you muscles? Mint Bean it a great community to test your skills and find collaborators. This a broad focus, but really want to build you community and feel what it like to work on a group project.
It should be said with all the resources require your own commitment to them. It’s easy to get discouraged when you get started, DON’T! You can do this!
Happy coding.
