Best free online coding bootcamps

Codecademy

Website link: Codecademy

Kicking off our list best free online coding bootcamps is Codecademy - a US-based website that is probably the most well-known online coding platform, following the ‘teach yourself to code' format. Its current catalog of courses include introductions to generative AI and ChatGPT, as well as lessons on how to use ChatGPT to solve Python code issues.

For those unsure where to begin, there’s a short personality quiz to determine which course might be best based on the respondent’s strengths.

Once the basics have been mastered, those that want to advance their knowledge and skills further can pay £13.99 or £24.99 per month.

Codecademy's mission is to make learning code easy and digestible, and more than 50 million people have taken one of the platform’s courses to date.

Languages: C++, CCS, HTML, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, Swift and many others

App Academy Open

Website link: App Academy Open

App Academy Open is the free version of App Academy’s 24-week-long online software engineering programme, which costs $20,000 upfront.

Open allows those enrolled to study remotely and learn at their own pace. The curriculum offered is the same as the paid tier, and so you will have access to over 500 hours of lessons, with the same learning outcomes.

However, the biggest difference is that the free tier isn't structured in the same way, and doesn’t offer assessments, job search support and access to App Academy’s alumni network.

Former App Academy graduates have gone on to be hired by the likes of Google, Meta and Slack.

Languages: CSS, Git, HTML, JavaScript and many others

Coursera

Website link: Coursera

Billed as a virtual university, Coursera has a range of free learning opportunities with lessons delivered by actual lecturers. Current courses include using CSS, HTML and JavaScript to build AI-powered apps and building a chatbot using the ChatGPT API.

There are also professional IT certificates to boost future career prospects to be gained, delivered by professionals from the likes of Google, IBM and Meta. These certificates cost between $39 and $99 per month for the duration of study – online certificate programmes typically take 12 months to complete.

Certified as a B-Corp since 2021 with the aim “to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant learning to individuals worldwide”, Coursera has become one of most comprehensive learning platforms available today.

Languages: C#, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python, JavaScript, SQL and many others

EdX

A screenshot of the edx website showing a free coding bootcamp

Website link: edX

Like Coursera, edX is an open online course provider, set up by a couple of the major US universities: Harvard and MIT. It has since become regarded as one of the most innovative companies in 2023 for innovation in career learning.

“We're relentlessly pursuing our vision of a world where every learner can access education to unlock their potential, without the barriers of cost or location,” edX states on its homepage.

For beginners, courses offered include introductions to the basics of coding and data science. For those with at least a comprehensive understanding of programming languages, courses include learning how to use machine learning in Python. All courses are self-paced.

Languages: C#, C++, CSS, HTML5, Java, Python

MIT OpenCourseWare

Website link: MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT also offers access to a digital collection of learning materials through MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW).

The introduction to computer science and programming in Python, for example, includes 10 lectures recorded back in 2016 as well as lecture slides and suggested readings.

There’s also an opportunity to test what you’ve learned with questions that the students were asked at the time.

The only downside is that taking an OCW course doesn’t offer the chance to gain an IT certification or credit towards a university degree. That said, it does provide access to materials from over 2,500 MIT courses, so there’s plenty of opportunity to broaden your knowledge base.

Languages: Almost every one

Udemy

Website link: Udemy

Udemy is a huge edtech platform that boasts over 210,000 online video courses.

While the majority of courses on the platform are paid ones, it has curated a collection of free tutorials described as “bite-sized learning in minutes”. Each course offers reviews that can give you an insight into whether it’s worth your time signing up.

The caveat is that the free courses don’t offer a certificate of completion, nor do they provide access to support from course instructors, so they are generally only useful to those looking to dip their toes into coding.

Udemy's learning tools have been used by the likes of Cisco, HPE, and Samsung.

Languages: C#, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, SQL

freeCodeCamp

Website link: freeCodeCamp

Unlike others, the non-profit freeCodeCamp gives students the opportunity to gain certifications for free.

One course that launched in August 2023 is an introduction to C# programming, at the end of which you can pass an exam to receive the Foundational C# Certification from Microsoft. All courses are self-paced and each certificate typically requires around 300 hours of learning.

Since 2014, freeCodeCamp has managed to help more than 40,000 alumni get jobs at some of the biggest tech firms, including Apple and Spotify. It's also captured the attention of big tech firms, having secured sponsors such as Google and MongoDB.

Languages: CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python, Git and SQL

GA Dash

Website link: GA Dash

GA Dash is a free resource created by the bootcamp provider General Assembly. Essentially, it teaches the basics of CSS, HTML and JavaScript.

Though not as intense as a full-fat General Assembly course, GA Dash is ideal for those with limited budgets who are interested in playing with code and learning how to build websites.

Reviews for the course are “generally positive”, according to Career Karma, where General Assembly has an average rating of 4.5/5.

Languages: CSS, HTML, and JavaScript

Khan Academy

Website link: Khan Academy

The US non-profit Khan Academy, which started out as a YouTube channel, offers a plethora of educational videos, including on how to use CSS, HTML and JavaScript to make webpages interactive.

There are also plenty of resources for school-age students. One Hour of Code is an initiative to encourage children to spend time learning how to programme.

Khan Academy has had a ton of celebrity exposure – The company's founding partner is LinkedIn founder Reed Hastings, while Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey have also pledged donations.

Languages: CSS, HTML and JavaScript

The Odin Project

Website link: Odin Project

Set up by App Academy graduate Erik Trautman, the Odin Project is an open source online curriculum for web development. Don’t expect lessons to be as tough as the name sounds, though.

To start with, there’s a foundation course that covers the basics of CSS, HTML, Git and JavaScript. Once completed, there are two pathways to choose from: full stack Ruby on Rails, or full stack JavaScript.

“This is the website we wish we had when we were learning on our own. We scour the internet looking for only the best resources to supplement your learning and present them in a logical order,” the Odin Project website declares.

More than 1.1 million people have studied through this bootcamp, with more than 5,000 people having contributed to its online curriculum.

Languages: CSS, HTML, Git, JavaScript and Ruby on Rails

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Rich is a freelance journalist writing about business and technology for national, B2B and trade publications. While his specialist areas are digital transformation and leadership and workplace issues, he’s also covered everything from how AI can be used to manage inventory levels during stock shortages to how digital twins can transform healthcare. You can follow Rich on LinkedIn.

With contributions from

Mike Brassfield