Top 10 Best Free Online Learning Sites for Design and Web Development
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| 10 Best Free Online Learning Sites for Design, Web Design/ Development |
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Web development has become one of the most crucial skills in the modern economy. This is so because every mouse click conceals a computer program that sets things in motion. However, learning to code is not an easy or simple task.
Even more astounding is the fact that all of them offer free courses, no matter how advanced. You can access all the content for free, though some do ask you to register for a free account before you begin in order to track your progress and buy more advanced courses later.
You can become a web designer at your own pace and convenience with free online courses. You can further your career with these eleven free online web design courses.
What Qualifications Are Needed to Be a Web Designer?
In the field of web design, formal qualifications such as university degrees and other credentials are less significant than in other domains.
The web design industry is changing quickly, so having a degree from ten years ago doesn't guarantee you'll be a great web designer today.
Rather, the portfolio website of a web designer is often used to evaluate them based on the body of current work that they have displayed.
Furthermore, your portfolio contains more than just past projects that showcase your abilities.
You could convince potential clients that you possess the necessary design and development skills just by looking at the website itself.
You can get inspired by real portfolio sites using state-of-the-art front-end design and development components by looking through previous award-winning projects on Awards.
Which free web resources are available for design and web development in 2024 and 2025?
1. Udacity
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| Udacity - Photo: oto |
Udacity offers great free online courses in partnership with such leading IT companies as Google, AT&T, Github, Amazon, etc. The course levels vary from beginner to intermediate to advanced as Udacity offers a variety of courses, from simple HTML5/CSS courses to compact web development courses with Javascript, Backbone.js, etc.
Anybody who has ever studied computer science or web development knows how important it is to emphasize practice, which Udacity does. All of the lessons are interactive, and there are videos and quizzes to test your knowledge and comprehension sometimes. The majority of the courses are also backed by a sizable, supportive student body. For an even more hands-on learning experience, several courses also include mid-course projects that must be built.
Since Udacity offers non-degree courses only, it doesn’t provide certifications.
2. Codeacademy
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| Photo: codecademy |
Codecademy is web development beginners' Bible. Free courses based on the 15 most popular development languages in the world provide the basics. Most courses start with variables and basic coding. The best free web development course is this one.
After HMTL/CSS, JS, and more advanced Node JS courses follow. This site also offers Ruby and Ruby on Rails back-end courses.
Courses at Codecademy are divided into sections. Each section has manageable units with knowledge-testing tasks. Most courses have a final exam to assess proficiency.
Codecademy only certifies Pro Intensive students, not free course students.
However, education and experience are now so valuable that certification is irrelevant. I recommend taking Codeacademy courses and then freelancing to improve. Start with low prices. Since you learned web development for free, your initial time investment will be low.
Read More: How to Create A Website: Step by Step for Beginners
3. MDN Web Docs
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| Photo: twitter |
An open community of developers created MDN Web Docs, an invaluable resource updated frequently by staff members from Mozilla, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
You can easily locate what you're searching for and discover sensible explanations from trustworthy professionals. Included are entire courses for learning web programming.
Any functionality can be used by web developers to create websites and applications both now and in the future. Yes, provided it is supported by multiple browsers and either in the process of becoming standardized or has already received approval as such. Although it is still appropriate for inclusion, if it is still considered relatively experimental, not integrated across multiple browsers, and/or subject to change, it may not be considered a top priority for the writer's team to work on.
For web developers, their Hacks Blog is an excellent resource as well.
4. WebFlow University
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| Photo: university.webflow |
Ultimate Web Design Course is a free course offered by WebFlow university, an online learning platform hosted and developed by the CMS and design tool WebFlow.
It includes over 5 hours of video lessons and is a great introduction to all things web design.
Topics:
- HTML & CSS basics
- Web structure
- Buttons
- Typography
- Media elements
- Components
- Styling basics
- Layout basics
- Advanced layouts
- Responsive design
- CMS & dynamic content
- SEO
Pros:
- An up-to-date cutting-edge introduction to web design.
- Easy to follow instructions.
- Over 5 hours of video content (much longer actual learning if you go along).
Read More: 10 Best Free Online Learning Sites for Math, Data Science and Engineering
5. freeCodeCamp
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| Photo: topdev |
In 2019, freeCodeCamp released a 4-hour introductory course to responsive design on their YouTube channel.
The course will teach you how to create a single, 3-page responsive website, as well as the basics of responsive design, CSS, and HTML5.
Topics:
- Responsive design basics
- Mobile-first design
- CSS units
- Em vs px vs rems
- Flexbox
- CSS styles
- Responsive containers
- Media queries
- Responsive navigation
- Page structure
- Widgets
Pros:
- Get a deeper understanding of how to create a proper responsive design with HTML and CSS in 2022.
- Get to know important CSS units and advanced HTML tags.
- Over 4-hours of neatly-divided video available for free (no signup) on YouTube.
6. Alison Online
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| Photo: hsewatch |
A "new universe of free certified learning," says Alison. It claims to enable free, anywhere, topic-level study of anything. As a for-profit organization, the website offers premium subscriptions for additional features.
Courses with test-based certificates are abundant on the website. Give your CV a new qualification. A specialty certificate can help you get a job or freelance gig. Alison courses are free, but certificates cost money. Digital certificates cost around $20 and framed diplomas over $100.
Alison offers several free graphic design classes. That means designers of any skill level have options. Some graphic design courses, like this Visual and Graphic Abilities degree, define all the fundamental concepts and terms. Some courses, like this one on design principles, use case studies and practice problems to demonstrate application.
This Photoshop Essential Tools class is one of many specialized classes that teach graphic design equipment and programs.
Alison's courses are mostly slideshows. Everything is broken down so you don't have to scroll through a long page. If you don't pay $9 per month for a premium membership, the page reloads and plays an 8-second ad every time you switch topics in a lesson.
While it’s not perfect, Alison does offer a great free resource for those seeking to learn graphic design.
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7. W3Schools
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| Photo: hocspringmvc |
At W3Schools, you can actually learn web development and further your professional development. W3Schools offers only online courses. The three most well-reviewed of the 18 certifications this school teaches are HTML5, HTML Developer Certification, and Frontend (HTML). This training program can take one hour to one month to finish, depending on the qualifications; the average time is one week.
However, if you're a total beginner still trying to understand the very basics, W3Schools might be very helpful. XML, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and BootStrap tutorials are available.
Every tutorial is written in an easy-to-understand, non-technical style so even people with no prior coding experience can follow it. The themes are supplemented with a set of simple tasks that encourage the user to apply what they have learned.
8. TheNewBoston
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| Photo: medium |
TheNewBoston is for all those who prefer video classes. It’s a Youtube channel containing endless video courses of HTML, CSS, PHP, Node JS, Python, and other popular languages and frameworks.
However, it should be noted, that the videos of the channel are for beginners and mainly bear introductory nature.
Each video is a short, 3-10 minute on average, answer to a very specific question/topic, such as the installation processes, setting up code blocks, running the code, etc.
9. Coursera
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| Photo: cellphones |
With a vast online course library, Coursera makes it easy to find the web development course you're looking for. The courses are designed in accordance with industry best practices and the standards of the greatest instructors in partnership with esteemed universities and educational establishments.
The student can choose the language, duration, degree and level of the course, the online school that offers it, the industry and subject matter, etc. thanks to the sophisticated filtering mechanism.
The topics and levels vary greatly, from Johns Hopkins University's basic HTML/CSS/JS instruction for beginners to more advanced Ruby on Rails and Angular JS courses for intermediates.
The last fantastic thing about Coursera is that you can use your online certificate of completion to validate your completion and add it to your resume.
10. Udemy
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| Udemy - Photo: linkedin |
On Udemy, you can find videos from independent educators. The cost of the videos varies based on the instructor, length, and subject matter. In essence, Udemy is a marketplace for online courses that are competitive. This suggests that classes are rated, and ratings reveal something about the caliber of the class, much like those on Yelp. Look for deals on the lessons you select on the website, as there are frequently promotions going on. In addition, a large number of Udemy courses are free.
It is highly recommended to begin with the Introduction to Graphic Design. This online graphic design course covers the design process, basic elements, the five main design principles, and how to view the design from a different perspective. It aims to teach participants about the work of actual designers and assist them in understanding the characteristics of excellent design. The course description states that no specific software or prior design experience is required of the students.
Once the introduction is over, you can select from a wide variety of other free online graphic design courses available on Udemy. It's easy to browse through the free courses on the website by configuring the search criteria to only show them. Among the topics they cover are software recommendations, guidance for common projects, and comprehensive tutorials.
Why Learn Web Development OnlineThe caliber of your portfolio has a greater bearing on your credibility as a web developer than does your educational background. Your career opportunities will often stem from your demonstrated work experience and practical skills rather than a degree. It's not that web developers don't value or value a good college education. Rather, it's meant to highlight that if going to college isn't an option, you can learn everything there is to know about web development online. Due to the rapid expansion of the web development market, you won't run out of resources. Starting is the most important thing to do. |
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