These cool sites let you learn and practice Coding Free

Introduction

Be it that you are a beginner or an experienced professional, if you are into software engineering, it is very likely that you will need to keep updating yourself with new technologies. Coding and Scripting languages are the bread and butter of most IT engineers. Newer and better languages come up every now and then and it is imperative that you also need to update yourself with some of them based on your job requirements, aspirations and interests. Coding is fun and learning coding in a new language is even more fun. It gives us the kick of creation every time we solve a coding problem. You can even register in Corporate Bootcamp programmes to upskill and reskill yourself in coding.

Being a Talent Solutions company, we are also often asked for great coders by our clients. Thought I would post a review of some of the popular platforms to learn and practice coding.

Codeademy ( https://www.codecademy.com/ )

Offers free learning in 12 different languages Python, Javascript, HTML & CSS, SQL, Java,C++, C#, Bash, C, PHP, R, Swift.

• Self-driven or guided/recommendation-based learning.
• Coding platform built in. No need to set up on your own.
• Online help as you learn.
• Plenty of Practice assignments, projects, quizzes.
• Free to start with a lot of content and practice to learn from. Pro version comes with a small monthly price.

freeCodeCamp ( https://www.freecodecamp.org/ )

Another great platform with loads of material. freeCodeCamp has content over a number of role areas such as responsive Web Design, Data Analysis, Quality Assurance, Machine Learning, Information Security, etc. You can take up a certification in freeCodeCamp.

Key Features

• Extensive curriculum of Certifications.
• Integrated Coding Platform.
• Online help integrated within the Coding platform.
• Project and hands-on-based Learning.
• Courses are designed in a more concept and role-based way.
• What's more, they even have a freeCodeCamp Radio channel playing music for programmers all the time.

CodeChef ( https://www.codechef.com/ )

CodeChef is a platform targeted towards beginners to learn by solving challenges and develop a portfolio with ratings and leaderboards that can be used to showcase to potential employers.

Key Features

• Learn by solving Challenges - you can set difficulty levels.
• You may practice with Challenges or you may compete on Contests.
• Hints for solving problems.
• Chat-based doubt-clearing support.
• Gamification on Challenges - Long Challenges (for beginners to learn), Cook-offs and Lunchtimes (for interview focused practising).
• Developer Star Ratings, Leaderboards.

LeetCode ( https://leetcode.com/ )

Let's you practice on C++, Java, Python, SQL-based problems. LeetCode is intended to provide a platform for coding aspirants an intense platform to learn, practice, compete and get extensive guidance and idea on interview and coding test patterns of numerous top companies.

Key Features

• Difficulty Levels of problems can be set.
• Weekly Contests and Leaderboards.
• Top Interview Questions database.
• Discussion Forums, solutions posted by contributors, solution votes.
• Shows your code performance percentile in comparison with others.
• Contests in Live like environments.

GeeksforGeeks

It's a good platform for students to learn and practice coding on numerous concepts. Excellent for interview preparation.

Key Features

• Large database of coding practices.
• Contests and Leaderboards.
• Focused Interview Preparation frameworks with video sessions by mentors followed by challenges.
• Company-specific problems database.
• Algorithm specific large databases of problems.
• You can select problems of specific difficulty level.

There are many more including HackerRank, HackerEarth, TopCoder, CodePen, Odin Project and so on. I'll publish another post with a few more shortly.

You need to decide which platform is good for you based on what stage of your career you are in, and what is it you are looking for. The above gives a summary of platforms and features that may come in handy in doing that.

Happy Coding!