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Whether you’re a total beginner or switching careers to web development, welcome to the club!

Learning to code is one of the best decisions I ever made, but it wasn’t easy.

When I first started (way before bootcamps and interactive tutorials), resources were scarce. These days, the challenge isn’t finding resources, it’s deciding which ones to use.

Should you go the free self-taught route? Enroll in a coding bootcamp? Watch hours of YouTube? Take a deep breath. I’m here to share some of the paths I’ve explored.

Not everyone has the time or money for a formal program right off the bat.

Thankfully, the internet is full of free resources that can turn you into a web developer.

Here are a few free resources I either wish I had back in the day or have happily used myself.

MDN Web Docs

This is Mozilla’s official documentation for all things web (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.). Think of it as the encyclopedia of web development.

  • Pros: It’s comprehensive, up-to-date, and trusted by developers worldwide.

  • Cons: MDN is more of a reference library than a step-by-step guide, so diving in can feel like reading a dictionary when you only know five words. It’s incredibly useful, but you might not want to start here unless you enjoy googling terms every other sentence (which, to be fair, is a lot of what coding is).

freeCodeCamp

An awesome free platform that offers interactive coding lessons and projects right in your browser. It basically walks you through learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even libraries/frameworks step by step.

  • Pros: It’s project-based, so you build actual things (like a portfolio site, a JavaScript calculator, etc.) as you go. The community is huge and super supportive. There’s a forum and chat where you can ask questions at 2 AM when you’re stuck, and you even earn certifications for completing sections.

  • Cons: It’s self-paced, meaning nobody’s going to yell at you if you slack off, so you have to be disciplined to make progress (Streaming services will tempt you, stay strong!). Also, the lessons are mostly text and code. If you’re someone who needs a live instructor or video, you might find it a bit dry at times. On the upside, it’s free and you can always supplement with YouTube on the side.

The Odin Project

This is like an open-source coding bootcamp that doesn’t charge a dime. The Odin Project provides a full-stack web development curriculum that starts from the basics and goes all the way to building your own applications.

  • Pros: It’s very comprehensive and project-heavy (think building things like an online chess game), and it encourages you to read documentation and solve problems like a real developer (excellent prep for the job world). Plus, there’s an active community on Discord, so you won’t be questing alone in Valhalla.

  • Cons: It can be challenging for absolute beginners because it doesn’t hold your hand. The Odin Project will often tell you to “go read this” rather than spoon-feeding you, so if you’re not used to that style of self-directed learning, you might feel a bit lost at first. But stick with it (and remember, Google is your friend) and you’ll come out much stronger.

Bootcamps and Paid Options for Structure

Maybe you’ve dipped your toes into self-learning, or maybe you just know you learn better with a teacher and a set schedule. That’s where coding bootcamps and other paid programs come into play.

These are more structured, often with instructors or mentors, and designed to get you job-ready in a short time. I’ve been down this road, so let me fill you in on a few well-known options:

Thinkful

Full disclosure: I’m a Thinkful graduate. I enrolled in Thinkful’s Engineering Immersion bootcamp when I realized I needed more to level up my skills. It’s an online program that runs about 5-6 months full-time (they have part-time options too), focusing on full-stack JavaScript (Node, React, etc.) and computer science (Comp-Sci) fundamentals. The Comp-Sci fundamentals (Data Structrues and Algorithms aka DSA) were what I believe helped me land my dream job. Lots of interviews involve some form of code test and you may hear that you should do “LeetCode” to prepare, but if have no exposure to DSA you may struggle.

  • Pros: The mentorship model is fantastic! I had an experienced developer guiding me through projects and keeping me accountable. We had live sessions every day, did tons of pair programming, and really drilled those practical skills and algorithm fundamentals (yes, I finally tackled Big O notation and all that jazz). I personally had multiple job offers even before I graduated, thanks to the portfolio projects I built and the interview prep support… but also maybe to 16 years experience on my resume prior to joining the bootcamp. YMMV. On the plus side, they also used to offer a job guarantee (refund if you didn’t get a job in 12 months).

  • Cons: It’s expensive and a serious time commitment. Think several thousands of dollars (the price of a decent used car) and 50-60 hours a week of work. Not everyone can drop everything to code all day, and even the part-time track will demand many hours spread over more months. Also, bootcamps aren’t magic bullets so your success still depends on your effort. In my cohort, a few people struggled or dropped out because the intense pace and style just weren’t the right fit for them.

Bloc

Bloc was another online coding bootcamp I considered during my research phase. (Fun fact: Bloc was acquired by Thinkful in 2018, so they’re part of the same family now.) Bloc’s programs were mentor-led and somewhat self-paced, which appealed to folks who needed more flexibility.

  • Pros: One-on-one mentorship was a big selling point. You’d have weekly check-ins with an industry mentor. They also offered tracks in web development and UX/UI design, which was great if you were leaning toward the design side of tech. The curriculum was project-heavy, so you’d finish with some portfolio pieces to show off.

  • Cons: Like any bootcamp, it wasn’t cheap (mentorship and flexible scheduling come at a price). And that flexibility can be a double-edged sword, without fixed class times every day, you needed to be really good at managing your own schedule to keep from falling behind. Since the Thinkful merger, the original Bloc courses might have been folded into Thinkful’s offerings, so be sure to check the latest if you go this route.

Nucamp

Full disclosure: I was a bootcamp instructor at Nucamp. It’s affordable. Very affordable (compared to the other paid bootcamps). If the prices of those big bootcamps made you nervous, Nucamp might be a relief. Nucamp is known for being affordable and beginner-friendly. It’s a part-time bootcamp (nights and weekends) that stretches over a few months, designed for people who are working or have other commitments.

  • Pros: The cost is a fraction of most bootcamps (about $3000 as of December 2024). You get a structured curriculum covering web fundamentals, front-end, and back-end (usually with JavaScript and popular frameworks). You still have an instructor and a small cohort, but you mainly learn through online content during the week and then join instructor-led workshops on the weekends. It’s great if you need a schedule and some accountability, but can’t quit your day job.

  • Cons: Because it’s part-time, the program takes longer and might not dive as deep as an immersive full-time bootcamp. Balancing it with a full-time job or family can be tough. After a long day of work, not everyone wants to debug JavaScript late into the night. Also, the networking and career support might not be as extensive as higher-priced bootcamps that have dedicated career coaches. Some people use Nucamp to get the basics down and then continue learning on their own or move on to a more advanced program afterward.

Flatiron School

Flatiron is one of the more established bootcamps, with roots in New York City and now offering online programs as well.

  • Pros: They have a proven curriculum and experienced instructors. Flatiron’s software engineering course (their flagship web dev program) covers a broad range of skills and has been refined over years. They put a big emphasis on teaching you how to learn, not just cranking out code. There’s strong career services support, think resume help, mock interviews, and a large alumni network since they’ve been around for a while. They also offer different pacing options (full-time immersive, part-time, even self-paced), so you can choose what fits your life.

  • Cons: It doesn’t come cheap (tuition can be in the ~$15K range for the full program). The full-time course is very intensive (around 15 weeks of basically eating, sleeping, and breathing code). If you go this route, it becomes your life for a few months, which can be exhilarating or exhausting, or both. Also, Flatiron can be selective; you might have to do some prep work or an entrance interview. That hurdle can be a pro or con: it helps ensure you’re serious and ready, but it also means not everyone gets in on the first try.

Tips on Choosing Your Path

By now you might be thinking, “Okay, so… which route do I take?” The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. You’ll have to do your own research and read reviews since things are always evolving in this space… But here are a few tips to help you figure out what might work best for you.

Gauge your learning style

Be honest with yourself. Do you thrive with structure, deadlines, and someone guiding you? If yes, a bootcamp or a more formal course might be your jam. If you’re more of a go-with-the-flow learner who likes to tinker at your own pace, you might do great with self-study through free resources. (For what it’s worth, I did a mix: I self-taught the basics, then later did a bootcamp to fill in gaps and get that extra push.)

Consider your budget

This one’s huge. Free resources are, well, free… your main investment is time and patience. Bootcamps, on the other hand, are a financial investment. There are mid-range options like Nucamp that won’t break the bank, and pricier ones like Flatiron that might have financing or income share agreements. Weigh the cost against how quickly you want to make a career move. An expensive bootcamp is not a guaranteed golden ticket; plenty of people land developer jobs via self-learning (and a killer portfolio) too.

Time commitment

If you want to switch careers ASAP and can dedicate full-time hours to learning, an immersive bootcamp could get you job-ready in a matter of months. If you need to keep your day job, you might lean toward a part-time program or a self-paced study schedule. It’ll take longer, but it’s absolutely doable. I’ve seen folks study a couple hours each night and land a junior dev role after a year or two of consistent effort without any formal program.

Community and support

Learning to code can be frustrating at times (okay, a lot of the time). Having a support system helps. Free routes like freeCodeCamp and Odin have communities, but you might need to be proactive in reaching out and asking for help. Bootcamps give you a built-in network of instructors and fellow students, which can be motivating (misery loves company when you’re all debugging at 1 AM). Think about how much guidance or camaraderie you want.

Start with free

If you’re on the fence, dip your toes in first. Start with a free resource to see if you even enjoy this stuff. Build a simple project or two. If you catch the coding bug and feel you need more guidance or a fast-track, you can then consider investing in a bootcamp. Many bootcamps have free intro lessons or workshops, take advantage of those to get a feel for their teaching style before you commit your hard-earned cash.

Lastly, remember that your journey into coding is unique.

There’s no “right” path, just the path that works for you.

I know people who learned purely from YouTube and got developer jobs, and others who absolutely needed a classroom environment to stay motivated. In my case, I dabbled with self-teaching for years, then eventually joined a bootcamp because you don’t know what you don’t know and a structured course will help cover the necessary fundamentals.

Whatever path you choose, the keys are consistency, curiosity, and a good dash of patience. You’ll hit roadblocks, you’ll fix bugs that make you want to happy-dance, and you’ll constantly discover new things you have yet to learn. So pick a resource, take that first step, and keep at it.

You got this!