How to learn programming for beginners

I’m going to show you how to learn programming for free.

Before we begin, there are a few things you should know. First, you don’t need any prior experience or knowledge to start learning programming. You can be a complete beginner with no understanding of code or computers—it doesn’t matter. You can learn easily and for free.

Second, you won’t have to pay anything. Unlike other services that offer free trials and then require payment, this resource is completely free, and it will always stay that way.

So, why should you learn to code? It’s simple. Learning programming can lead to becoming a web developer and, eventually, a full-stack developer.

Imagine sitting at home, sipping your coffee, learning to code, and then, a few months later, signing up on freelancing websites like Upwork to earn money by helping others. I know many people, including those my age (I’m 16), who are making hundreds or even thousands of dollars each month doing exactly this. It’s definitely worth it!

How do you get started? I’ll show you right now. There’s a free website called FreeCodeCamp.org, and you can find the link in the description below.

Just to clarify, I don’t own the site and am not affiliated with it in any way. I use it personally to learn programming, and that’s why I’m recommending it to you.

Let’s dive in!

Here we are at FreeCodeCamp.org. To get started, simply click the orange “Start Coding” button. Then, you can sign up with Google, Facebook, or email—whatever you prefer. For this demonstration, I’ll use a temporary email address. You can do the same: enter your email, verify the code you receive, and click “Submit Code” to continue to FreeCodeCamp.

Once you’re in, click on the “Coding Curriculum” tab. You’ll see three sections: the guide on the left, the editor in the center, and the live production area on the right.

On the left, you’ll find the tutorial, followed by a challenge you need to complete. For example, in this challenge, I need to create an H1 element with the text “Hello World.” After running the test, I’ve completed it! The next challenge asks for an H2 element with the text “Cat Photo App”—again, just follow the instructions.

The key here is to follow the directions carefully. I highly recommend taking notes along the way. The lessons start out easy but will gradually become more challenging.

If you ever get stuck, don’t worry. You can click “Get a Hint” for a tip on how to proceed, or watch a video explanation to see what you might have done wrong and how to fix it.

And that’s it!

In conclusion, we’ve learned about a great program that starts simple but becomes more complex as you progress. You’ll be responsible for completing the lessons, starting with HTML, then moving on to CSS, and eventually JavaScript.

There are hundreds of hours of free content available to you. It might seem tough at times, and you may find yourself thinking, “This is difficult—how do I move on?” But if you keep testing yourself and taking notes, it will help you push through.

At the end of the day, all your hard work will pay off.