So you want to be a coder! These tools can get you there

December 05, 2013

Coding is powerful magic, and learning to code is like reading a pile of moldy spellbooks while grinding alchemical ingredients into fine powders—at least, it used to be. But new, interactive learning tools put the exercises front and center, promoting you from apprentice to sorcerer at your own pace. Some make you prove that you understand a lesson before letting you move forward, resulting in a more engaging learning experience—and ideally, greater understanding. Not all are for beginners: Experienced coders sometimes need to pick up a new language, too. But they’re all available on the Web, and most are free. Codecademy: Beginner-friendly learning for free Codecademy offers a range of browser-based interactive tutorials about CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and more. All of its courses are free. If you want more than just a quick course, you can opt for one of four “tracks” (structured learning pathways spanning several courses). An elegant code editor--with syntax highlighting and real-time error checking--occupies most of Codeacademy's interface. I tested Codecademy with an accessible, sensibly structured beginner-level course called Getting Started With Programming that let me skip ahead when I already knew the material being covered. The site also lets expert programmers create their own courses for teaching aspects of JavaScript, Python, and Ruby, all for free. Code School: Where video meets code Unlike Codecademy, Code School charges users a fee of $25 per month—though the site does offer a few free courses, too, including a Git tutorial and a Ruby on Rails programming course called Rails for Zombies (zombies included). To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2067993/so-you-want-to-be-a-coder-these-tools-can-get-you-there.html#tk.rss_reviews