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Posted on Mar 6, 2023 • Updated on Jan 6

Top 20 Free Interactive Online Courses to Learn Programming in 2024

#python #javascript #programming #coding

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Hello folks, if you want to learn programming, coding, and software development with Java, Python, or JavaScript and looking for free programming resources to learn useful skills like Python, Java, C, JavaScript, Ruby, Rust, Dart, Scala, R, Perl, Algorithms and even resources to prepare for programming job interviews then you have come to the right place.

In the past, I have shared the best free courses from Udemy, Coursera, and Pluralsight and in this article, I am going to share the best free courses from Educative.io.

If you don't know, Educative is a new learning platform that focuses on text-based interactive learning. Unlike Udemy and Pluralsight, their courses are text-based and interactive which means faster and more active learning.

The most important benefit of Educative is that they take away the pain of setting your development environment which is often the most difficult task for beginners.

Many people get frustrated and distracted with the errors they get while setting up their development environment but you don't need to suffer anymore, You can run your code right on your browser using Exudative's cutting-edge technology.

Educative also has some of the best courses for coding interviews like Grokking the System Design Interview and Grokking the Coding interview Patterns to learn two essential skills for coding interviews system design and the ability to crack coding questions.

They also have affordable pricing and allow access to all of their 150+ courses and future courses for just $14.9 per month (20% discount). I highly recommend this to programmers and developers who believe in active learning or preparing for coding interviews.

20 Free-based, Interactive Programming and Software Development Courses to Learn Coding in 2024

Without wasting any more of your time, here is a list of the best free programming and development courses from Educative. The list includes free, text-based interactive courses to learn in-demand skills like Python, Java, C, JavaScript, Ruby, Rust, Dart, Scala, R, Perl, and Algorithms.

If you like active learning then you will enjoy these courses and if you do, don't forget to share the article with your friends and colleagues who are also in need of top-quality free programming and software development resources.

1. Learn Python 3 from Scratch [FREE]

Python is the world's most popular programming language at the moment and is widely used for web development, Data Science, Machine Learning, Web Scraping, and automation.

If you want to learn Python in 2024 and looking for a free interactive online course then this Educative course is a great one to start with.

The course will first teach you the basic building blocks before moving on to higher-level concepts such as functions and loops. Fun quizzes and coding challenges will accompany you along the way to help enforce all the concepts covered in the course.

By the time you complete this free Python 3 course, you'll have the skills you need to create your own basic applications in Python 3

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn Python 3 from Scratch

2. Learn Java from Scratch [FREE]

This is one of the best free, text-based interactive courses to learn the Java programming language in 2024.

In this course, you'll start with a simple hello world program and proceed to cover common concepts such as Conditional Statements, Loop Statements, Math, and Logic in Java, before moving on to more advanced concepts like Inheritance, Generics, and ArrayLists, along with much more.

By the time you finish this course, you'll be an intermediate-level Java developer, ready to take on your own projects.

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn Java from Scratch

3. Introduction to JavaScript: First Steps [FREE Interactive Course]

If you want to learn JavaScript in 2024 and looking for a free online course then this text-based interactive JavaScript course from Educative is a nice place to start with.

This is an introduction to JavaScript for the complete beginner. It'll provide the fundamentals of the language. Topics include variables, operators, functions, arrays, objects, and loops.

After going through this free JavaScript course, you should be ready to further your learning through advanced courses or other resources.

The best thing about this course is that there is NO installation required for this course. Code can be viewed and run directly from the lessons.

Here is the link to join this free course --- Introduction to JavaScript: First Steps

4. Learn Dart: First Step to Flutter [FREE Course]

If you want to learn Dart Programming language to start using Flutter for app development and looking for a free, interactive course then you will love this course.

Dart is a clean, simple, class-based object-oriented language that has more structure than JavaScript and has Google's backing. It's similar to JavaScript which means if you know JavaScript then you can easily pick the Dart Programming language.

However, you can't have a conversation about Dart without mentioning Flutter. Flutter is Google's mobile UI framework used for crafting high-quality native interfaces on iOS and Android.

Flutter applications are written using the Dart programming language, which has helped make Dart a beloved language by the developer community. Before you can start fluttering out applications using Flutter, you need to learn Dart.

This course will help you learn the fundamentals of Dart, and get you started on your journey to learning Flutter.

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn Dart: First Step to Flutter

5. Learn Scala from Scratch [FREE Course]

If you want to learn Scala in 2024 and looking for a free online course then you will love this interactive, text-based Scala course from Educative.

Scala is one of the most popular programming languages in the world right now --- not just amongst developers, but also on popular tech companies like Twitter and LinkedIn.

Scala stands for Scalable language and provides you with the tools to build scalable programs easily and effectively. It's a statically typed, high-level language that combines functional programming and object-oriented programming into one flexible package.

This course will help you stay ahead of the curve, make awesome, scalable apps, and learn a highly coveted new programming language. The best thing about this course is that you can practice Scala coding right in your browser without downloading or installing the Scala compiler.

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn Scala from Scratch

6. Learn Perl from Scratch [FREE Course]

If you want to learn Perl in 2024 for scripting this Educative free course is great to start with. You can write Perl scripts right in your browser and execute them immediately without downloading or installing Perl.

Perl is one of the most popular text-processing languages in the world. It allows you to create extremely efficient text parsers for all sorts of applications.

This free Perl course will help you get up to speed on Perl, starting with basic concepts like loops, strings, and arrays.

You'll build your way up to more complex topics like data structures and packages. No background knowledge is needed. Anyone willing to understand the principles and syntax of Perl to use it in the future will find this course useful

Here is the link to join this free course ---Learn Perl from Scratch

7. Learn R from Scratch [FREE Course]

If you want to learn R for Data Science of statistics and looking for a genuinely free online course then you will love this free R programming course from Educative. It's interactive, text-based, and more importantly absolutely free.

R is probably the most well-known language for data analysis. It's been used for years due to its robust statistical functionality, outstanding graphing ability, and extensibility through packages.

This free interactive course will get you up to speed and assumes no prior knowledge of R. You'll start with the very basics and work your way up to advanced concepts like exception handling.

After completing this free R programming course, you'll be able to write detailed, useful code in R yourself.

Here is the link to join this free course ---Learn R from Scratch

8. Learn PHP from Scratch [FREE Interactive Course]

If you want to learn PHP in 2024 and looking for a free online course then this is the perfect course for you.

This highly interactive and free online course introduces you to fundamental programming concepts in PHP, one of the most popular languages in the world.

This free PHP course begins with a simple Hello World program and proceeds on to cover common concepts such as Conditional Statements, Loop Statements, and Logic in PHP.

It then reflects upon the idea of Functions and Arrays, as well as the power they give to the programmer to write better code. Finally, it dives deeper in order to teach advanced concepts such as Classes, Inheritance, and Exception Handling in PHP.

After finishing this free PHP course, you'll have a good grip on the basics of PHP, and will be ready to study advanced concepts

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn PHP from Scratch

9. A Visual Introduction to Algorithms [FREE Interactive Course]

If you have trouble understand essential computer science algorithms and you are looking for the best free resources to learn Algorithms then this free Educative course is perfect for you.

In this interactive course, you will learn introductory computer science algorithms, including searching, sorting, recursion, and graph theory through a combination of articles, visualizations, quizzes, and coding challenges. Implement Challenges in Java, Python, C++, or Javascript.

10. Learn C from Scratch By Fahim ul Haq [FREE Interactive Course]

C is one of the oldest and most popular programming languages in the history of computer science. It's where all the major programming languages like C++ and Java have been born.

It allows you to interact directly with memory and low-level computer operations, thereby enhancing your programming skills and deepening your understanding

If you want to learn C programming in 2024 and looking for a free online course then this free interactive course is great for you. This free C course outlines data types, control flow, functions, input/output, memory, compilation, debugging, and other advanced topics in a comprehensive, yet concise manner.

This comprehensive and detailed course will introduce you to all the basic and advanced programming concepts of the C language. In addition, it also addresses memory, debugging, and parallel programming in C.

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn C from Scratch By Fahim ul Haq

11. Learn Rust from Scratch [FREE Text-based Course]

Rust is one of the most loved programming languages all around and it showed on StackOverFlow's annual survey where it ranked most loved programming language a couple of times.

It's quickly becoming one of the most popular languages among systems and embedded programmers, and the demand for Rust developers is growing considerably.

Rust is also a very powerful language in terms of performance, reliability, and productivity, especially when compared to C++.

If you want to learn Rust in 2024 and looking for a free interactive course then Learn Rust from Scratch on Educative is the best resource to start with.

In this free Rust programming course, you will start learning Rust with a simple "Hello world" program and proceed to cover common concepts such as Arrays, Strings, Vectors, Enums, Structures, Traits, Generic, Functions, and Logic.

Finally, it dives deeper into more advanced concepts like Lifetime and memory management. After completing this course you will have a good handle on the basics of Rust and will be ready to move on to more advanced concepts

Here is the link to join this free course --- Learn Rust from Scratch

12. Learn Ruby from Scratch [FREE Text-based Course]

Ruby is one of the most popular, yet easy programming languages to learn for beginners.

Ruby is a smart, easy-to-use, functional, Object-Oriented programming language, which comes as a wondrous mix of Perl's scripting power, Pythonic capabilities, and much more!

As Matsumoto, creator of Ruby, implies: "I hope to see Ruby help every programmer in the world to be productive, and to enjoy programming, and to be happy. That is the primary purpose of Ruby language."

If you want to learn the Ruby programming language in 2024 and looking for a free online resource then this "Learn Ruby from Scratch" course from Educative is a great resource to start with.

This free Ruby course will provide you with hands-on practice with the support of a bunch of interactive illustrations, exercises, and the integral topics of variables, built-in classes, objects, conditionals, blocks, and much more!

Here is the link to join this free course ---Learn Ruby from Scratch

13. Understanding Flexbox: Everything you need to know [FREE]

If you are looking for free online courses to learn Flexbox, one of the important tools for web designers and web developers then this free, interactive Flexbox course from Educative is great to join.

This free Flexbox course covers all the fundamental and advanced concepts you need to get good with the CSS Flexbox model. You will learn to layout a Responsive Music App in the process.

14. Learn web development from scratch: Go Beyond the syntax

If you are looking to start with web development in 2024 and looking for a free online course then this free Educative course is a great resource to start with.

In this free interactive web development course, you will learn to code and create your web pages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Instead of watching tedious videos and wondering how to translate those videos into real code, you'll be practicing what you learn through interactive, test-based exercises within minutes.

Along the way, you'll have the chance to produce functional modules including an image carousel and a to-do list application. No prior knowledge is needed.

15. Functional Programming Patterns With RamdaJS! [FREE]

If you want to learn Functional programming and looking for a free online course then this text-based interactive course from Educative is a great one to start with.

In this free functional programming course, you will learn popular patterns using Ramda, a Functional programming library in Javascript.

Before using them you will also learn basic functional programming concepts like pure functions, currying, and point-free style.

16. A Quick Primer on Garbage Collection Algorithms [Free]

If you are looking for a free resource to better understand Garbage Collection Algorithms in Java then this free Educative course is one of the best resources to start with.

This series offers a brief overview of different garbage collection techniques and the tradeoffs involved like Referenced Counting and Mark-Sweep etc.

18. Building Tesla's Battery Range Calculator with React & Redux

This is another awesome free React course from Educative. This FREE interactive course is designed to teach how to create complete applications using React and Redux by building Tesla's Battery Range Calculator.

Basic knowledge of React.js is required but other than that, this free course takes you through the steps required to build each component, how to handle user interaction and how to create cool animations.

19. Hour of Code: Build Your Robot World in Java [FREE]

In this free educative course, you will learn the basics of coding while driving a simulated robot through a maze.

By the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to use variables, use Java commands called methods, generate random numbers, and use coding constructs, loops, to instruct the computer to solve repetitive tasks.

20. Grokking the Behavioral Interview [FREE]

This is one of the best free courses from Educative which will teach you how to do well on Behavioral Interview. You may be thinking something along the lines of, "is it even possible to prepare for a Behavioral interview?" The short answer is: yes. Yes, it is.

Even if you're already pretty confident in your ability to talk about yourself and your accomplishments, you have a lot to gain from practicing and reminding yourself of some of the more common pitfalls.

In this free Educative course, you'll learn how to effectively prepare and respond to behavioral interview questions.

Here are things you will learn in this course:

How to frame your answers using the famous STAR technique
Common patterns, myths, and truths around behavioral interview questions
Best practices for etiquette, whether in-person or over the phone

By the time you've completed this course, you will know how to prepare and answer any behavioral question that comes your way. Just don't forget to practice. :)

Here is the link to join this free course --- Grokking the Behavioral Interview

That's all about the best free interactive, text-based courses from Educative.io to learn essential programming, software development, and coding in 2024. You can join to try out this new online learning platform.

It's great because it's text-based which is faster than videos and it allows you to run code right from your browser, which means you can start coding without installing any software and setting up your environment, which is often the most difficult task for beginners.

And, if you like the Educative platform and their Grokking courses like Grokking the System Design Interview, Grokking the Object-Oriented Programming interview then consider getting Educative Subscription which provides access to their 100+ courses in just $14.9 per month. It's very cost-effective and great for preparing for coding interviews.

This platform takes that pain away and makes learning more enjoyable.

Other Useful Free Programming Resources for Developers

Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these best free Interactive, text based Programming courses from Educative, then please share them with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

P. S. --- If you are looking for a list of best Educative courses then you can also check out my post about 10 Best Educative Courses for Programmers which has a lot more resources to find out quality free programming resources like books and courses.

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