It does not matter whether you are young, old, geek, jock, familiar or not familiar with coding, there have never been so many ways to learn how to code! While I am no expert by ANY means, I have taught myself a ton already. And I am really proud of the progress I have made. If someone asked me TODAY (this will probably change as I get older and more experienced, and I am planning to revisit this list from time to time) I would recommend the following resources:
Code Academy – This is an awesome website for those just starting out. The exercises are very easy to follow along with, and great feedback is given in case of mistakes. There is also a hint available if you are completely stuck. They have plenty of languages to learn and great ways to get there. There are also available projects for you to combine your skills in different languages to create one thing. This is definitely the first starting resource I would go with.
HTML and CSS: design and build websites – This is a great book to read for experienced coders and beginners together. The way Jon Duckett presents the information in the book is stylish and a pleasure to read. HTML and CSS is also my go to book for references. I cannot recommend this book enough.
W3Schools – I used this website more as a reference tool and a playground to check out different scenarios of coding. This is an easy way to alter parts of code to see the full effect.
Team Treehouse – What a great website this is! First, this is not a free website. There are free trials, but a maximum of 30 days for a free trial is the greatest period of time I have found. The silver package is $25 a month, which may seem steep, but if you are serious about learning to code, this is a great value. There are so many tracks and courses to take on Team Treehouse. I would consider going here after you have started on Code Academy and think you would like to continue your education in this field. Team Treehouse gives so many options on what to learn and where to go, as well as resources for you to use in finding a career in this field.
These are the ones I have used and would recommend. I am really interested in Code School, but I am using Team Treehouse right now, and I do not want to spread myself too thin. I have heard awesome things about Code School, and that it is a great progression from Team Treehouse.
What websites, books, or resources would you recommend? Either send an email and let me know, or leave a comment. I hope this helps anyone interested in learning to code. Thanks guys.
Michael Sherman Tucker 