Over the years I have used different websites to start learning new programming languages and/or refresh my memory on stuff I learned a while ago.
Here is what I thought about a bunch of them.
The O’Reilly School of Technology
Around US$400 per course – JavaScript, HTML, CSS, PHP/MySQL, Unix, Java, Python, Perl, C#.NET, XML
I wrote a previous post about The O’Reilly School of Technology where I have finished two certificates.
I think their sandbox is really a great thing even though it can be frustratingly slow for some courses (especially when you have to SSH into your account, which I would recommend using Putty as an alternative).
One of the main reasons I chose them is the fact that O’Reilly are widely recognised as being a reference in programming and technology books, so I figured it would look good on a CV!
Feedback from the tutors is great, content is very interesting and you get to write a lot of code and projects.
Codecademy
Free – HTML5, PHP (new), jQuery, JavaScript, Ruby, Python
The best bit about Codecademy is that it’s free! They have incorporated gamification into the whole experience, which means you can earn badges, see your progress, etc…
They have different tracks whee you have to complete exercises in a console.
Now while it is a great website to learn on there still are a few bugs here and there, for example sometimes you can’t pass an exercise unless you add a capital somewhere or a space, and sometimes the directions are a bit confusing.
Overall it is a great idea and you get to do a lot of repetition through the courses, so despite the few bugs, I strongly recommend it!
Treehouse
Plans start @ US$25/month – Videos/challenges/projects – Website design, mobile app programming, Ruby on Rails, PHP/MySQL, business
I am lucky enough to have won a scholarship at Treehouse. I have to be honest, I haven’t used it so much as I was concentrating on other things.
It looks quite good though and I will start using it soon and write a proper post about it. I like the fact that there are business-oriented and design courses.
I will probably start with the Ruby on Rails project!
Lynda.com
Plans start @ US$25/month – ANYTHING Technology-related
Lynda.com is probably the most famous online learning library there is, and their subject cover anything from PhotoShop to Google Analytics, SEO, business, design as well as programming.
Their library is HUGE and I would definitely recommend it as their tutors are references in their fields and it’s something you can always go back to when you wonder how to use a certain program or how to use a certain technology.
