Tag Archive for: Code Academy
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10 Places to Learn CSS for Free ( 2021)
Welcome to 2021! If this is the year that you have chosen to learn to code, then you are not alone. HTML and CSS are the best places to start. If you have completed a good HTML program, then CSS is the next logical stop. Some of the best advice that I have received is to start with the basics and learn the fundamentals. The more of the fundamentals that you have under your belt, the better you will be at programming and developing the newer skills and languages that are sure to come afterward.
Each of these ten places have a unique style of teaching. And if you have the time, going through more than one course could be a good idea. It will strengthen your skills and deepen your knowledge.
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The List of Ten
CSSTutorial.net: This website announces on the home page that they have been teaching CSS for over ten years and they seem to have the content to back it up. There are six instructive tabs on the site. Each has several examples on the page.
Codeacademy: This channel on YT adds a touch a charm by getting people nationwide to talk about their coding experience in a short 5- or 6-minute clip to lure you in on the home page. My first time on the channel gave me the story of a young women from Georgia that had been coding for ten years. After making you feel at home, they help you to begin your path to learn the skill of CSS or any other skill you choose.
FreeCodeCamp: Though most of their programming tutorials are cookie cutter, short and straight to the point, they provide an excellent overview. I have found that when you go through their course, it’s best to go through it a second time and don’t be afraid to hit the pause button.
General Assembly Dash: Unlike some of the other resources, you will have to sign in to gain access to their program. However, when you get inside, you will be able to learn CSS with projects. You will build projects real time and get feedback in the duration.
W3schools: W3schools started it all. They are the foundation of programming. In these tutorials you will receive examples, exercises, quizzes or tests, references and at the end, a certification. This site has “world’s largest web developer site” as the subheading and it is true. The site has covered every question that you may have or will have on CSS. They also update it often, so the information is always accurate and up to date.
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LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com: LinkedIn Learning has become an absolute behemoth when it comes to learning about programming and giving insight into different programming careers. LinkedIn Learning can still be accessed by your public library card. This is how I learned about the resource and I used it extensively. When you finish a course, you will get a notification on the screen asking if you want to publish the certification to LinkedIn.
Team Treehouse: There is a free seven-day trial. Afterward, there are tiers of membership from “Basic” to “Techdegree” ranging from twenty-five dollars to one hundred ninety-nine dollars.
Udemy: Udemy gives a few free courses but are certainly known for their paid courses. You can choose a popular instructor in CSS, sign up for their class and get going. I actually took a couple of the classes by Udemy instructors on YouTube and found that they were on Udemy teaching a more in-depth version of that course.
Your Library (books on CSS): There are so many books at the library on CSS that it could be hard to decide which one to pick when standing in front of them all. What I usually do in this situation is take out my phone and check Google for the ratings on each. I check out the one with the highest rating, take it home and get started.
Stephan Mischook on YT has an excellent free series on CSS. His channel is filled with technology and business advice. He backs everything that he says up with decades of experience. Also, using his degree in psychology, he is educated to teach in the way that people learn best. This works. Most of all, he gives the kind of wisdom in the programming and small business world that some professors can’t or don’t share when you’re paying thousands of dollars per year in tuition. He’s rare.
A Final Note
Keep in mind that the best place to learn, in my opinion, is college. The college classroom gives you the instructor and the “certification” (a grade at the end) whereas, when you finish an online course or YT video, you may or may not test and may or may not have to seek out your own certification. I also found value in college by collaborating with other students. As an introvert, I do not mind working alone. I usually prefer it. However, when it comes to learning to code, having a computer science major, who is a senior, in the CS lab across from you to ask a question is invaluable. Or there may be someone sitting right next to you that may not be a senior and may be majoring in another computer field, yet had to take a couple of programming courses, that you can talk to takes some of the anxiety away. I also cannot stress enough how valuable the ability to email your instructor or TA a specific question and get help with it will be. That may not be the case online, depending on which route you choose.
In conclusion, this is a great way to learn or get started. Generally, most of these ten courses will offer a deeper dive into CSS for a fee. They will then teach you more advanced skills, and they will offer testing and/or offer a certification at the conclusion.
So, in summary, the 10 best places to learn CSS are:
CSSTutorial.net
Codeacademy
FreeCodeCamp
General assembly dash
W3schools
LinkedIn Learning
Team Treehouse
Udemy
The Library (books on HTML)
Stephan Mischook
If you are just getting started and are wondering what the best hardware is to use when coding, please see my advice here.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Always use a good, solid computer for your programming journey!
