You are a beginner and don't know how to start?

Are you interested in self-learning but are unsure what to do?

You are struggling and cannot get help from others?

If yes, then this article is here to help!

As a person who is also learning how to code through self-learning, I understand that finding resources can be challenging. Fortunately, I was able to find some valuable things along the way. So, as a guide, I will share some of the resources to aid you in your journey!

1. FreeCodeCamp

Price: Free

Pros: FreeCodeCamp is a wonderful website that helps you take off your coding journey. They offer many courses from different categories, including front-end development, back-end development, data analysis and many more. The best thing about this website is that it is completely free! So if you are not sure about pursuing coding and just trying out, your money will not go to waste. Also, if you have a hard time processing long confusing lessons, there are videos as well as articles and forums for you to learn and discuss with others.

Cons: Apart from its numerous lessons and platforms, the courses can get overwhelming and theoretical, which can bore beginners easily. Some lessons on the website are quite abstract and have little explanations or examples, so you are left with confusion and have to figure things out yourself.

2. Udemy

Price: Paid & Free

Pros: Another useful learning platform is Udemy. Not only restricted to Computer Science, Udemy caters for all learners. It is basically an online school where you can learn everything from academic subjects to basic soft skills. You will be learning through videos, and there might be challenges or quizzes handed out by the instructor for practice purposes. Another great feature of Udemy is the Q&A section, where you can get in touch with the instructor and other students to fill you in on something you haven't understood clearly in the lesson. Furthermore, Udemy also provides learning tools such as a reminder or a note-taking feature on the website, which reduces your dependence on other apps.

Cons: However, there are some disadvantages to this. Udemy is not a free website, and you will have to pay for each course, which can be costly. Another drawback you might encounter is choosing which course to learn. You can get lost in the sea of content out there, and choosing one that doesn’t suit or is outdated would hurt your wallet as well as your time. So in order to make the best experience out of using Udemy, make sure to read the description as well as the reviews of past learners thoroughly before enrolling.

3. Youtube

Price: Free

Pros: This might seem confusing, but Youtube is more than an entertainment platform! It can serve educational purposes as well. Sometimes, lessons from the courses you are currently taking might not always be the best at explaining and demonstrating concepts, and you need further explanations to understand. Then Youtube is the perfect thing for this! Much like Udemy, it provides a variety of content including various topics. One major difference is that the videos are not always packed into a playlist of full course content but rather small and short lessons. This way, it is easier to search and learn a single concept independently.

Cons: Same with Udemy, as it provides a variety of content, finding the most suitable one for you can be challenging. This might be even harder than Udemy, since its platform is much bigger and more diverse than other learning websites; therefore, looking for videos that actually matches what you are looking for can take quite a long time.

4. Codecademy

Price: Paid & Free

Pros: Codecademy has a lot in common with FreeCodeCamp, as it provides users with both text and video lessons with interactive areas for learners to practice. It comprises many free lessons, ranging from learning coding languages to building different projects. Similarly, Codecademy dedicates a section to articles and blogs as well as forums for users to connect and exchange information. In addition, its user-friendly platform makes the learning experience easier and more comfortable!

Cons: While being offered with great, free resources, Codecademy’s users would have to pay for paid courses as well as memberships in order to access certain classes and projects. The free resources often focus on basic, beginner knowledge, which can be better explained in the official documents and other resources. As a beginner, it can be an advantage. But if you plan on expanding your knowledge, you will have to either settle for a different resource or pay for their services.

Above are the four most popular coding resources that most self-learn programmers use. While this can get overwhelming, I suggest taking up a course from Udemy or FreeCodeCamp/ Codecademy based on your learning preferences before moving on to learning videos from Youtube. This way, you will know exactly what to learn and how to search for it. After reviewing these resources, hopefully, you will have a better idea of where to start your coding journey!