Right now, there’s an abundant number of in-demand computer programming jobs, and an abundant number of free online programming courses to help you land one of those jobs—even without a traditional computer science degree.
We’ll show you where to find these excellent online programming classes. If you don’t know the first thing about programming, check out our introduction to what coding is.
1. MIT OpenCourseWare
With ed2go’s flexible computer science classes, you can start right away. If you have the drive and ideas, but you’re still asking questions like, “What is coding used for?” you’re in the right place. Browse our list of computer courses, like CTFL Certification Training and Java. 10 Sources for Free Computer Programming Courses Online. See our list of the top free online computer programming courses. Learn about what courses are available and what topics they cover to find.
MIT OpenCourseWare is incredible. Many years ago, when I was struggling through a Linear Algebra course in college, MIT OCW came to my rescue. Complete courses are available online for free, and you can go through them at your own pace.
That Linear Algebra course (no longer available, sadly) is a strong contender for The Best College Course I’ve Ever Taken. It was all video lectures, but the professor knew his stuff and he presented the material in an easy-to-digest manner. It truly validated MIT’s reputation as an educational institute.
So I’m confident that you’ll love MIT OCW’s Programming courses. The introductory ones are split into General Introductions, Language-Specific Courses, and Follow-Up Courses. For a full listing, browse the Computer Science section.
2. edX
edX is a provider of free college-level online courses, jointly spearheaded by MIT and Harvard University. Not only are the courses available without charge, the organization itself is non-profit, so you can rest easy knowing that you won’t be exploited by ulterior motives.
Courses on edX can be Weekly or Self-Paced. Subjects span the entire range of topics you might find at any accredited university, but there’s a heavy skew towards Computer Science, Engineering, and Business & Management. They’re also divided into Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced levels for your convenience.
edX also offers Certificate Programs, which are course curriculum that build toward mastery in a specific area, like Front-End Web Development or Data Science. These are handy for deeper learning.
3. Coursera
Coursera is a free online course platform that’s backed by Stanford University and venture capitalists. Coursera collaborates with various universities and organizations to provide their courses, and earns revenue through its Certificate programs.
What’s nice is that Coursera focuses on Specializations: sets of courses designed to build your skills in a particular topic, but not so comprehensively as a full program. For example, the “Data Structures and Algorithms” six-course specialization covers Basic Data Structures, Basic Algorithms, Graph Algorithms, String Algorithms, Advanced Algorithms, and Genome Assembly.
Note that not all courses are free, but many are. Courses are self-paced but have definite start and end dates, meaning you’ll have to go through them as they’re available. Today’s courses may not be there tomorrow, but new ones may show up in their place. Check out the best Coursera courses worth paying forThe 10 Best Free Coursera Courses You'll Want to Pay ForThe 10 Best Free Coursera Courses You'll Want to Pay ForYou can learn anything online with Coursera. These 10 free courses are so good that you'll want to pay to earn a certificate, too.Read More if you need some ideas.
4. PVTuts
PVTuts is a free online repository of video courses for learning programming languages. It hasn’t been updated since 2013, but the video library is still a great resource for newbies. Just know that these courses are strictly about language syntax and nothing else.
Available topics include four general programming languages (C++, C#, Java, and SQL) and six web programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, ASP.NET, and XML).
5. Udacity
Udacity is yet another online course platform, but unlike MIT OCW, edX, and Coursera, Udacity strictly focuses on topics related to programming, data science, and engineering. No math, no social sciences, no humanities. It’s all about technology, and arguably better for it.
The goal of Udacity is to prepare you for occupational success in one of its tech-related fields. The platform places a lot of attention on its Nanodegree Programs, which are compact curriculums (usually completed in under a year) designed to get you job-ready as quickly as possible. But Nanodegrees cost anywhere from $100 to $500 each.
Don’t want to pay anything? That’s fine. You can eschew the whole curriculum-based approach and stick to individual free courses.
6. Udemy
Udemy is an online education marketplace where anyone can create (and even sell) their own courses for others to consume. This is quite the double-edged sword: it allows skilled folks to share their knowledge without an education degree, but you have to wade through a lot of crap to find it.
The programming courses on Udemy range across all kinds of topics. You’ll find everything from Python-based data crunching to the basics of ethical hacking, from Java fundamentals to master-level web development. You’ll also find a lot of courses related to game development5 Free Game Development Software Tools to Make Your Own Games5 Free Game Development Software Tools to Make Your Own GamesFree game development software is a great way to start video game making. We've compiled the best game software on the market.Read More.
Note: Never pay full price for a Udemy course! The Udemy marketplace frequently holds massive sales, slashing prices anywhere from 50 to 90 percent off. While you wait, check out the best free Udemy courses.
7. Free Code Camp or The Odin Project
If your goal is to become a proficient web developer, whether front-end or back-end, then I highly recommend either Free Code Camp (which teaches HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React) or The Odin Project (which teaches HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails).
These two are comprehensive courses, both 100 percent free, that will take you from zero to hero at your own pace. Even if you have no coding experience at all, you’ll be fine. Expect to invest several months from start to finish so you can really understand the concepts taught. Don’t rush it.
8. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the internet’s greatest treasures. This non-profit education platform has been a wonderful source of free education for the past decade, and it’s only getting better. Want to learn Calculus? Biology? World History? How to do your taxes or invest your money? It’s all here.
To be fair, the Computer Science and Computer Programming sections are playing catch-up, which is why it’s so low on this list. You can only learn JavaScript at the moment, plus the basics of algorithms and cryptography, but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.
9. YouTube
YouTube is very hit or miss. Thousands of tutorial playlists exist, but too many of them are superficial or downright wrong. Of the ones that seem promising, a good chunk of them are incomplete. And of the ones that are complete, a significant portion are outdated.
That being said, if you have a discerning eye, YouTube can be a great resource for learning how to program. Start with our roundup of the best YouTube programming tutorialsThe 17 Best YouTube Programming TutorialsThe 17 Best YouTube Programming TutorialsIn this post, we'd like to point you to some of the best YouTube programming series we've found. All of these are sufficient for getting your feet wet as a newbie programmer.Read More.
10. OpenCourser
![Online Online](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125694806/136234517.png)
OpenCourser isn’t an education platform like the other sites listed here. Rather, it’s a search engine that aggregates thousands of free online courses from around the web and brings them to your fingertips.
As of this writing, over 900 free online programming courses are cataloged by OpenCourser, with many more added every day. Yes, you’ll find a bunch of courses from edX, Coursera, Udacity, etc. but you’ll also find some from elsewhere, like Saylor Academy. At the very least, it’s a convenient way to search many of the above platforms at once.
11. Codecademy
Codecademy is a series of interactive online courses that aim to teach you the basics of a handful of programming languages and frameworks. Each course is a gamified, step-by-step process that holds your hand all the way from beginning to end.
But a word of warning before you dive into Codecademy: the things you’ll learn here are extremely basic and superficial. Codecademy teaches you how to write code, but it doesn’t teach you how to think like a programmer. Many first-time newbies end up frustrated because they don’t know what to do with the knowledge they’ve picked up.
If you have prior coding experience and simply want to learn the syntax of a new language, then Codecademy is actually pretty useful. If you consider yourself a beginner, then you should avoid Codecademy for nowWhy You Shouldn't Learn to Code With CodeacademyWhy You Shouldn't Learn to Code With CodeacademyWhat's wrong with Codecademy? For those who want to learn coding, the instructional site is one of the best to begin with. But does Codecademy teach you to think like a coder?Read More.
Notable Mention: Lynda
Lynda is home to over 6,000 different online courses spread across 12 tech-related fields (e.g. Animation, CAD, IT, Marketing, Photography) and hundreds of more specific topics of interest. With over 670 courses, the Programming category makes up a huge chunk of Lynda’s content.
Topics covered include Foundational Programming Concepts, Database Management, Game Development, Mobile Development, Web Development, and, of course, courses for individual programming languages. What’s nice is that courses are divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, so you can always find the ones most relevant to you.
Lynda is a paid platform that costs $20/mo, but there’s a trick you can use to access Lynda courses for freeHow to Use Lynda.com for Free From Your Local LibraryHow to Use Lynda.com for Free From Your Local LibraryIf you live in the US or Canada, chances are you have completely free and unrestricted access to Lynda through your library. Here's the easy process to enroll on Lynda.com through your library.Read More.
More Tips for Computer Programming Newbies
If you stick with it and decide to pursue programming as a career, check out our tips for programming interview preparation. On the other hand, you may find that programming is too difficult: signs that programming isn’t for you6 Signs That You Are Not Meant to Be a Programmer6 Signs That You Are Not Meant to Be a ProgrammerNot everyone is cut out to be a programmer. If you aren't completely sure that you're meant to be a programmer, here are some signs that may point you in the right direction.Read More.
Explore more about: Online Courses, Programming.
- Interesting Content. Keep writing. I would like to keep myself updated with education related information.
- This is a great list to start with programming
- hey you can visit letsfindcourse.com where you can get links to the best programming courses so you need not to search a lot all good programming courses links are provided there .
- here is link http://letsfindcourse.com/
- Adding to Dale's comment, I would also say that Bitdegree.org is also a potential site to learn programming. They offer courses on various different programming languages and also on some trending topics like solidity or contract building. I don't know how advanced their courses are, but I tried some beginners' topics so it was a good start. Oh, and courses are free as well.
- I heard about Bitdegree from several sources already so decided to check it out. After browsing through their site and trying some of the courses I could agree that this site could hit the list one day in the future. For now, their site is only in a beta version and it is visible compared to other sites by content amount. However, the courses that are already listed on Bitdegee (the ones I tried) seemed very professional.
- cppinstitute.org has a course in C and C++ basic and advanced. The course is free and you can take an exam for a fee for certification with a discount if you complete their course first.
alison.com is free, has courses in C, C++, Python, Java and more. They have an online test that is far to easy so may not be well respected. You can get a 'diploma' or a 'certificate' for a fee after completing the course. They have many, many more courses in a variety of other subjects as well. - How can i join to start the free course. What should i do.
- Good day I'm Sello so certificate after finishing course are they accredited
Anthropologists reckon that humans around the globe speak somewhere between 6,000 and 7,000 distinct languages, with a number around 6,700 appearing most frequently in online sources. Nobody has conducted an exhaustive survey for all computer programming languages in use around the world, but there are focused studies available.
These studies include the U.S. Department of Defense Survey of Computing Languages (also known as the DoD Language Survey) conducted in 1995, which identified no fewer than 450 programming languages in use in various weapons and automated information systems in the 1970s, with 37 total languages recounted as part of the 1995 survey of languages in use for weapons systems.
CodeLani estimates that there are somewhere between 500 and 2,000 active general-purpose programming languages out there. The number of all active computer programming languages is estimated to be between 5,000 and 25,000. A number from hundreds to thousands of such languages appears both reasonable and defensible, depending on what types of systems and applications might be under consideration.
In this certification guide, we provide you with our top five programming certifications for IT professionals. These days, computer programming certifications are as much about development platforms and environments as they are about specific programming languages. You'll find an interesting mix of language-focused or language-specific credentials available, such as C/C++ certifications as well as various platform-oriented credentials like Microsoft's MCSD certification.
Because many desktop programs are now either universal or web-related apps, programming professionals may want to consider adding web and mobile application development credentials to their portfolios. Numerous excellent certifications and related training materials for web and mobile app developers are available. Some of the certifications discussed here, such as the MCSD, also transfer into certification programs for web or mobile apps.
We performed an informal job search that gives you an idea of the relative frequency with which our top five certifications appear in actual job postings.
Job board search results (in alphabetical order, by certification)
Certification | Total | ||||
C Language Certified Associate | 591 | 707 | 214 | 1,660 | 3,172 |
Chef Badges (Chef Software)* | 1,757 | 2,530 | 785 | 439 | 5,511 |
CSSLP [(ISC)2] | 284 | 358 | 746 | 219 | 1,607 |
MCSD (Microsoft) | 445 | 579 | 886 | 237 | 2,147 |
PCP (Puppet) | 5,906 | 7,873 | 12,200 | 3,317 | 29,296 |
*Chef uses a badge certification format, and our search parameter focused on 'Chef certified.'
Salaries vary depending on the job role, but, on average, software and application developers can expect to earn something over $85,000. Simply Hired reported average earnings for application developers at almost $85,000 and more than $91,000 for software developers. Earnings on the high side were reported at slightly less than $134,000 ($126,775 for application developers and $139,692 for software developers), with low earnings in the upper-$50,000s. Computer programmers earn slightly less, with average earnings reported at $70,400. Salaries ranged from lows in the mid-$50,000s to $92,077 for top earners.
C and C++ certifications
The programming languages C and C++ have been around for years, making their debut in the 1960s to 1970s (C) and the 1980s to 1990s (C++). Although nearly every college and university in the U.S. offers a C/C++ programming course, the C++ Institute and Pearson VUE decided to carve a niche in this part of the certification landscape by offering the world's first international C/C++ certifications.
Candidates can choose the C or the C++ path and move up the certification ladder from associate to professional to senior. Of the six potential certifications, four certifications are currently available:
- CLA: C Programming Language Certified Associate
- CLP: C Certified Professional Programmer
- CPA: C++ Certified Associate Programmer
- CPP: C++ Certified Professional Programmer
C++ Institute certifications are good for life, because these languages haven't changed much over the years. But that doesn't mean there isn't high demand for such skills. And a C/C++ certification is a perfect steppingstone to many platform- and vendor-specific certs, such as the MCSD.
C/C++ facts and figures
Certification Name | C or C++ Associate and Professional C Programming Language Certified Associate (CLA) C Certified Professional Programmer (CLP) C++ Certified Associate Programmer (CPA) C++ Certified Professional Programmer (CPP) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses | Professional- and senior-level credentials require certification in the lower credential Recommended: Online courses are free and offer a 50 percent discount on the cost of the exam if you score at least 70 percent on the course exam |
Number of Exams | One exam per credential (up to 75 minutes, 55 to 65 questions, 80 percent required to pass) Exams are administered by Pearson VUE |
Cost Per Exam | $295 for nonstudents (includes one free retake) $147.50 if taken in conjunction with the course (which is free) Retakes are free for candidates who paid full exam price or who completed the CPP course in self-study mode. Retake vouchers must be requested within 30 days after exam fail. Retake vouchers are valid for 45 days |
URL | |
Self-Study Materials | C++ Institute maintains links on the respective exam webpage to the exam syllabus, exam objectives, study resources and more. Free online courses are available at the C++ Institute. |
Chef-certified badges
As job board numbers demonstrate, there's strong demand for Chef certified professionals. This earns Chef certifications a well-deserved place on this year's top five list. All Chef Software certifications are offered in the form of badges, providing professionals flexibility to match skills to emerging technologies and problems. At present, there are five badges:
- Basic Chef Fluency: An entry-level badge that includes basic chef terminology, describing Chef concepts and features, design philosophy, workflow basics and basic Chef code.
- Local Cookbook Deployment: The exam is available in Windows or Linux environments, and covers search and data bags, troubleshooting, testing frameworks, Cookbook components, test kitchens, Chef DK tools, and authoring and setup theory for Cookbooks. Candidates should be able to develop a basic Chef Cookbook and automate existing processes with Chef recipes.
- Extending Chef: Extending Chef badge holders can add extended features and functionality, customize Chef, use Ohai and write custom Ruby classes. Exam topics include extending Ohai, custom resources, Chef handlers, definitions and handlers, Knife plugins, CHEP API, and basic Ruby.
- Deploying Cookbooks: This badge targets professionals who are proficient managing nodes and deploying Chef recipes. Exam topics include Chef Run anatomy, uploading Cookbooks to Chef Server, using Knife, bootstrapping, Chef Solo, Policy Files, search, Data Bags, roles and environments.
- Auditing with InSpec: A successful candidate will possess in-depth knowledge of InSpec core principles and is able to execute InSpec in remote and local environments. The exam covers installing and running InSpec, InSpec profiles, troubleshooting, and InSpec controls and metadata.
All badges are good for three years.
Chef facts and figures
Certification Name | Basic Chef Fluency Local Cookbook Development Extending Chef Deploying Cookbooks Auditing with InSpec |
Prerequisites & Required Courses | None, but training is highly recommended |
Number of Exams | One exam per badge Basic Chef Fluency exam is 60 minutes; all other exams are 90 minutes. All exams consist of a combination of performance challenges and multiple-choice questions |
Cost Per Exam | Basic Chef Fluency exam: $75 All other exams: $99 |
URL | |
Self-Study Materials | The Learn Chef Rally offers free learning opportunities, including learning tracks, modules and demos. Online instructor-led training is available. Candidates can expect to pay between $495 and $995 depending on the course. In-person training is also available. Community forums, a skills library and other training resources are also available from Chef. |
CSSLP: Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional
Like other (ISC)2 certifications, the CSSLP is a vendor-neutral credential relevant to many kinds of programming and development projects. Aimed at software developers, engineers, architects, QA and penetration testers, security specialists and the like, the CSSLP recognizes competency in securing applications throughout the software development lifecycle.
The exam covers all phases of this lifecycle, including secure software concepts, requirements, design, implementation and coding, and testing. Candidates should also be up to speed on the eight CSSLP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) domains which include software concepts, requirements, design, implementation/programming, testing, lifecycle management, deployment, operations and maintenance, along with supply chain and software acquisition.
Interestingly, the CSSLP was the first (ISC)2 exam to be offered through Pearson VUE testing centers, instead of occasional pencil-and-paper testing at various scheduled and proctored testing sites globally. As such, this certification has done a lot to bring (ISC)2 into the 21st century, cert-wise. According to (ISC)2, the CSSLP is the only credential that currently emphasizes building security into the software development lifecycle phases and inclusion of best practices.
CSSLP facts and figures
Certification Name | Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses | At least four years' full-time work-related experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) in at least one of the eight CSSLP domains, or three years' experience plus a bachelor's degree or equivalent in an IT-related field such as computer science or information technology Passing score on the CSSLP exam Endorsement from (ISC)2 active member within nine months of exam completion Recertification is required every three years via 90 credits of continuing professional education (CPE); must earn 30 CPE credits each year; annual maintenance fee is $100 |
Number of Exams | One (four hours, 175 questions, 700 out of 1,000 points required to pass) Exam administered by Pearson VUE |
Cost Per Exam | $599 |
URL | |
Self-Study Materials | The certification webpage maintains links to multiple study tools, including exam outlines, textbooks, glossaries, study guides, interactive flashcards and training seminars. Third-party certification prep materials are available at Amazon and other retailers. |
MCSD App Builder: Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer App Builder
The Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer is Microsoft's prevailing certification for programmers and application developers. Microsoft professionals are probably most familiar with its five former MCSD credentials: Web Applications, SharePoint Applications, Azure Solutions Architect, Application Lifecycle Management and Universal Windows Platform.
Microsoft revamped its MCSD certification program in September 2016 to more closely align with technical requirements commonly used by the Microsoft Partner Network. Most MCSD credentials are now retired. The MCSD: Azure Solutions Architect was replaced by the MCSE: Cloud and Platform Infrastructure credential. All other MCSD credentials (Web Applications, SharePoint Applications, Application Lifecycle Management and Universal Windows Platform) have been replaced by the MCSD: App Builder credential discussed here.
MCSD: App Builder focuses on application developers and validates a candidate's knowledge and the technical skills necessary to build web services, web applications and mobile apps. To earn this credential, candidates must first obtain either the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Web Applications or MCSA: Universal Windows Platform certification. Then candidates must pass one MCSD elective exam. Currently, elective exams include concentrations in the following areas:
- Microsoft Azure (developing solutions, architecting solutions, and developing Azure and web services)
- Microsoft Visual Studio (administering team foundation servers, software testing and application lifecycle management)
Recertification is not required for the MCSD: App Builder credential. However, candidates may re-earn the credential each year by passing a new elective exam that is added to their transcripts. Microsoft encourages this behavior as a form of constant education or ongoing certification, in fact.
MSCD facts and figures
Certification Name | Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD): App Builder |
Prerequisites & Required Courses | Required: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Web Applications or MCSA: Universal Windows Platform (two exams each) Recommended: Training recommended but not required Two to three years' experience developing solutions using Microsoft development technologies for mobile or web |
Number of Exams | One MCSD elective exam (choose from the following): 70-357: Developing Mobile Apps 70-480: Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 70-487: Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services 70-483: Programming in C# 70-486: Developing ASP.NET MVC Web Applications 70-487: Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services |
Cost Per Exam | $165 per exam; prices vary by location outside the U.S. |
URL | |
Self-Study Materials | Exam reference materials, including practice tests, instructor-led training, self-paced training kits, Microsoft Press books and Microsoft online resources, are available at Microsoft Learning. |
PCP: Puppet Professional 2019 Certification
The Puppet Certified Professional (PCP) first appeared in this roundup in 2017. Founded in 2005 by Luke Kanies, Puppet is best known for its configuration management tool (offered in both open source and commercial formats) and its automation software. Since its inception, Puppet has grown considerably. Its reach now extends to offices not only in the U.S. (Portland, Oregon) but in London, Ireland, Australia and the Czech Republic as well. According to Puppet, more than 35,000 companies use the Puppet tool and software.
The PCP validates a candidate's technical knowledge and expertise administering systems using Puppet. While there are no formal requirements to earn the PCP, successful candidates should possess an understanding of Puppet documentation and best practices, working with data (developing modules, external sources and data separation), and maintaining OS components.
Candidates should also have hands-on experience using Puppet, and the company highly recommends that candidates take both the Foundation and Practitioner training courses (or possess equivalent skills) before attempting the exam. The cert does not expire, but exams are updated to match the current version of Puppet software. Candidates should plan on recertifying about every 18 months on the newest version of Puppet.
Puppet Professional facts and figures
Certification Name | Puppet Professional Certification (PCP) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses | Familiarity with Puppet documentation, best practices and the Puppet Language Style Guide Experience working with Puppet automation software and administration of system infrastructure; ability to develop basic modules Recommended: Puppet Fundamentals and Practitioner training courses or equivalent skills |
Number of Exams | One: PPT 206 – System Administration Using Puppet (60 questions, 90 minutes) |
Cost Per Exam | $200 Exam administered by QuestionMark |
URL | |
Self-Study Materials | The certification and exam webpages maintain links to various Puppet docs, the Puppet Language Style Guide, practice exams, the Puppet Enterprise Users Guide, training opportunities (Fundamentals and Practitioner skill level) and more. |
Beyond the top 5: More programming certifications
There are lots of other certification programs that can help further the careers and professional development of IT professionals who work as programmers. While the Adobe Certified Expert didn't make the leader board this year, it is still a credential worth pursuing. The SaltStack Certified Engineer is another powerful automation framework for data center infrastructures and application environments used worldwide.
On the one hand, it makes sense to investigate the plethora of vendor-neutral certification programs available for those who work with specific programming languages or development platforms, particularly those that are open source, like the Zend Framework and Zend PHP, or Ruby on Rails and the Ruby Association's Certified Ruby Programmer credential. You can also find offerings from providers such as Brainbench and ExpertRating. These and similar organizations offer programmer training and testing on dozens to hundreds of topics, including such white-hot areas as mobile applications development, Android and iOS, and web programming.
In addition, a careful examination of vendor-specific certification programs with broad developer footprints – such as BMC, IBM, SAS, Oracle (Java programming, OCA, OCP, OCM, OCE and more) and Teradata – can also open doors for developers and provide ongoing job or contract opportunities. Those interested in programming certifications have no shortage of choices to make. That's why we urge candidates to choose carefully and wisely, especially if venturing outside items covered in this article.