Over the past few years we have witnessed a trend of an increasing number of individuals gravitating towards software or web development, whether as a career transition or a fresh start in college. I believe this is due to two factors: the prospect of higher-paying job opportunities and the possibility to self-learn. It is undoubtedly clear that the combination of the above reasons is what fuels the motivation of self-taught programmers, including myself.

In this article I'll share top online resources that helped me in my journey as a self-taught developer, which I believe will be of an immense help to you as well. Let's jump right in.

Web development

1. Freecodecamp

   • This is an organisation that provides free online coding curriculum where you can learn through interactive lessons and exercises. It covers a variety of topics including HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, and more.

   • They regularly post hands-on tutorials on their youtube channel as well as X, with the primary focus on building projects.

   • If you are into front-end development, you can start from their youtube front-end developer roadmap where you get a complete curriculum from basic languages to Javascript libraries like react.

2. Traversy Media

   • Another notable Youtube channel that offers online tutorials on both front-end and back-end technologies (NodeJs, Python, etc.).

3. Academind

   • An online web development platform founded by Maximilian Schwarzmüller, who is known for his hands-on practical teaching style.

   • Academind is available on Youtube, udemy as well as their own website. The tutorials and courses focus on programming languages and other technologies.

4. Programming with Mosh

   • Mosh Hamedani is recognized for his fun and simple approach to teaching as well as focusing on practical applications. His lessons are available on Youtube for free and on his own website (which are paid).

5. Codeacademy

   A platform that offers free coding classes in different programming languages including Python, Java, Javascript, C and Swift.

Backend Development

1. Java Programming by the University of Helsinki

   • The university of Helsinki offers a free online course to learn Java basics, algorithms and Object-Oriented Programming. No prior experience is needed

   • The course is divided into two part. Each part with seven sections and their exercises.

2. JavaBrains

   • Koushik Kothagal is the founder of JavaBrains and he's one of the most renown Java instructors. He's known for his ability to break down complex topics into simple and enjoyable lessons.

   • JavaBrains is an online platform (offering subscription-based courses) as well as a youtube channel.

3. Baeldung

   • This platform provides a ton of tutorials, articles and guides on Java ecosystem.

   • If you want to start with Java, check out their collection of tutorials on how to Get Started with Java.

Tip

There are two points that you need to keep in mind:

1. Over-abundance of choices:

   While you'll likely find so many of the above resources very valuable, it does not mean it's a good idea to go through all of them. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. You don't want to be stuck in tutorials forever. You need to pick a handful of resources and focus on them until you feel comfortable with the language that you are learning.

2. Practice, practice and practice:

   Effective learning in the field of web and software development requires practice. I can not emphasize enough the importance of this point for your career. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. In fact, that is an essential part of making progress. If you feel stuck, reach out to any online community such as StackOverFlow and make use of Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT.

In brief, my advice is to focus and practice constantly.

For more websites, articles, tools and much more, checkout my repository here.

That's it for this article. If you know of any useful website or course that I overlooked, please leave a comment so I can add it to the list.

Thanks for reading.