Take it from the data that speaks volumes! Approximately 76% of consumers evaluate the credibility of a company based on its website design, functionality, and user friendliness. This shows that web development is not just about technical skills; it is a career-defining skill that you must learn. Whether it’s writing HTML tags or a JavaScript framework, web development is a versatile field that merges with logic, creativity, and innovation.
Thankfully, you do not need a college degree or a big budget to become a skilled developer. You just need an internet connection and access to the right teaching platforms. With so many options, how do you choose the best ones that level up your skills?
According to a survey, more than 70% of the developers say that they are at least partially self-taught. Doesn’t matter if you have a degree or not; you must have a strong grip on the fundamentals, like improving the usability of your website.
In this article, we will break down 10 of the most trusted online resources to learn web development that even the top developers vouch for. Since a tool set is not complete without reference libraries, code challenges, or design inspiration, we have also included features that make each platform stand out from the others on our list.
So, you can bookmark the sites you find useful and keep visiting them for daily practice!
1. Codecademy
Image Source: Codecademy.com
A well-designed website is an essential part of a digital marketing strategy. It also creates brand recognition with a logo design, typography, and visuals. With Codecademy, you can become an expert at website design and create a platform that provides a good user experience to visitors.
This is a great website for gaining knowledge on web design and advanced development as well. You can find various courses and resources for beginners or professionals on HTML, CSS, and UI/UX. Signing up for Codecademy could make it a lot easier for you to design a responsive and easy-to-navigate website. Browse through the various materials and start your learning process from the beginning.
Important features:
Guided learning path, such as “Front-end Engineer,” “Back-end Engineer,” or “Full-Stack Developer”.
Easy to learn, short and interactive lessons that focus on problem solving and applications in the real world.
Codecademy also offers a “Pro Plan with projects and quizzes that help developers build their portfolio as they go through each lesson.
Example of Use Case:
Imagine you want to create a portfolio website. Codecademy moves you throughout the process, from the creation of a responsive landing page to adding interactions with JavaScript. The platform also explains why some coding practices are more effective than others, which can help you speed up the learning process.
2. WebFlow University
Image Source: university.webflow.com
The web design course offered on this platform is ideal for people looking to start with the basics. It has been introduced by WebFlow University and can help you learn about design factors such as web structure, typography, and advanced layouts as well. As a web developer, it also helps to know about search engine optimization along with CSS and HTML that are used to optimize website’s functionality.
You can easily follow all the instructions and improve your skills in a short time.
Important features:
Free training on Webflow CMS, e-commerce platform and responsive design, animation, SEO and content strategy.
It comes with hours of video tutorials that simplify the web design process and make it easier for developers to incorporate different features in landing pages.
Emphasis on no-code and low-code development, which is perfect for designers focused on web development.
Example of Use Case:
Freelancers often use Webflow online tools to create an interactive website for clients, without writing CSS animations or media queries manually. For example, a freelance designer can build a web store page with Webflow, combine interactive elements such as sliders to showcase catalogs and create the design without heavy coding.
3. FreeCodeCamp
Image Source: FreeCodeCamp.org
It is one of the most popular sites for becoming an expert in web development and design. There is a range of free resources on various tools and languages available as well. FreeCodeCamp has thousands of free courses and different certifications for professionals, too.
You can learn the basics and gain advanced knowledge about web design by signing up for the course. From visual design to accessibility, people can gain technical expertise on creating portfolio websites, surveys or forms and product listings.
Important features:
More than 6,000 training programs that cover everything from basic web design to back-end API.
Free Code Camp gives Certifications in Responsive Web Design, Front-End Libraries, Full-Stack Development and Data Visualization.
Great opportunity for networking as it has a large global community of coders that share their experiences and projects.
Example of Use Case:
You can complete certification projects like Responsive Web Design, which will help you create a personal portfolio or a tribute page. These projects can be published directly on GitHub, which acts as a strong portfolio for job applications, especially for developers.
4. Udemy
Image Source: Udemy.com
You might already be familiar with this online learning platform. Udemy has thousands of courses on digital marketing, social media, graphic and web design and more topics added that can help people with the learning process. It is a good idea to do extensive research and pick the right option.
If you look for web design courses, you will find many options that teach users about WordPress, Photoshop and HTML or CSS. To narrow down the search, you can filter them by popularity, rating, or price.
Important features:
Lifetime access to purchased courses, which means you can learn at your own pace.
Ongoing sales offers allow you to buy top-rated courses for a fraction of the price. During the seasonal sales, you can get courses for as low as $15.
Courses are taught by experienced developers and industry leaders. While most courses are paid, the platform also has a free resource center where you can find free certifications as well.
Example of Use Case:
Developers can sign up for “Web Developer Bootcamp” by Colt Steele at Udemy, which is one of the most popular courses on the platform. It covers front-end and back-end development, which teaches developers how to create a fully functional web application from scratch.
5. Coursera
Image Source: Coursera.org
This platform is great for learning different subjects and improving technical skills. You can find many web design courses that have been created in collaboration with top universities and companies like Google. Coursera also provides certifications to people who complete all the tasks and meet the requirements of the course.
Important features:
Globally recognized certificates and courses, and specialization in web development, UX design, and full-stack development.
Coursera has an option where you can audit courses for free and get a certification.
You can easily choose a web design guide on UI/UX, full-stack development or Wix to create a platform for your business or startup.
Example of Use Case:
If you are a passionate developer who wants to make a career in web development, then Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate by Coursera can be a useful course for you. It covers all the basics and necessary topics for front-end development roles, with modules on React, CSS grid, and Git.
6. Flux Academy
Image Source: Flux Academy.com
The website has courses that can help both beginners and professionals looking to gain more expertise in the field. You can sign up for their professional web design course and become an expert within a month. Flux Academy also provides a certification that can add to your credibility. With detailed instructions and engaging videos, you can quickly learn how to design a user-friendly and professional website.
Important Features:
Flux Academy has design courses that mainly focus on user experience (UX) and conversion optimization.
Gives you real-world projects and problems to solve along with each course.
Access to a community of designers and developers that helps people share ideas and collaborate on projects.
Example of Use Case:
A freelance developer can use courses from Flux Academy to master Webflow e-commerce sites for small businesses. The developers learn how to build a website and how to adapt it for high conversions.
7. Treehouse
Image Source: Treehouse.com
It is an online learning platform that has a range of material on development and design tools. The courses or tracks offered by Treehouse are created specifically for people looking to gain basic skills or learn advanced languages. You can learn about CSS, HTML, and creating responsive websites that engage the audience effectively.
Important features:
Treehouse has a “Techdegree” program designed for job-seeking developers.
Other courses include front-end, back-end and full-stack development.
Treehouse hosts interactive coding challenges where enrolled developers can participate. It also offers an open discussion platform where people can share their coding journeys and just make friends.
Example of Use Case:
A student who wants to pursue a career as a junior front-end developer can complete the Front-End Web Development Techdegree. This course comes with lots of portfolio-building projects, such as interactive photo galleries and a responsive landing page.
8. OpenClassrooms
Image Source: OpenClassrooms.com
This is a good option for getting an introduction to website design. If you have little knowledge of the subject and are looking to start from the beginning, the course offered by OpenClassrooms can certainly help you become familiar with CSS elements and frameworks. The platform has simple video guides that are easy to understand and can teach people about image optimization and font styles as well.
Important features:
Open Classrooms has one-to-one mentor sessions for developers.
The platform offers career coaching and portfolio reviews to developers who are ready to step into the job market.
Project-based courses that follow the real development scenarios and problem solving quizzes.
Example of Use Case:
Developers can complete the Full-Stack program in OpenClassrooms. By the end of the course, they can create real iOS apps or Android apps with built-in checklist panels and data dashboards. They can also get feedback from experienced developers who are enrolled on the platform.
9. Frontend Masters
Image Source: Frontend Masters.com
When it comes to launching a mobile-friendly website, Frontend Masters has just the right solution for beginners and professional designers. You can learn about CSS Grid and float, and include optimized images within the website that maintain their quality across various screen sizes or resolutions.
Important features:
Courses are taught by open source contributors, which means people with the right skills and expertise will be offering real-world insights.
Frontend Masters has more in-depth lessons than other platforms on our list. Mostly focusing on advanced frameworks and modern JavaScript features.
The platform also has downloadable resources and code challenges for more engaged learning.
Example of Use Case:
A front-end developer can use Frontend Masters to learn React, about state management units and JS libraries like Redux and performance optimization used in large-scale projects.
10. Envato Tuts+
Image Source: Envato Tuts+
The short courses offered by Envato Tuts+ can help you get started with HTML and CSS. If you are looking for an extensive guide, you can sign up for the premium option and learn about tools such as Adobe XD as well.
This tool is useful for web designers, and offers modern web development courses like creating a website using AI, WordPress optimization and developing a Shopify store for your small business.
Important features:
Thoroughly explained video tutorials on WordPress, interactive UX/UI techniques, CSS animation and responsive web design.
Developers can also get full access to Envato Elements, which has all the themes and code snippets available.
This platform is perfect for beginners and pros who want to learn design and development together, for both beginners and professionals.
Example of Use Case:
Freelancers can learn how to create a JavaScript AJAX Post Request, which helps them update content on a website in real time as the user interacts with your site.
Bonus Mentions:
11. MDN Web Docs
Image Source: MDN Web Docs
MDN Web Docs is a trusted platform created by Mozilla. The platform has a ton of useful resources for developers around the world in terms of web standards, browser compatibility, and modern coding practices.
Important features:
The platform provides comprehensive documentation for HTML, CSS and JavaScript API for both learning and creating real code.
Also gives you detailed browser compatibility tables along with example scenarios for better understanding.
MDN has resources like a curriculum that covers all the essential skills for front-end developers, like Semantic HTML, CSS Styling, and JavaScript.
Example of Use Case:
A developer working on a new project can use the JavaScript API documentation of MDN to ensure that their codes work in different browsers. They can run their code in the “Playground” tool, where they can write and run code in real time.
12. Pluralsight
Image Source: Pluralsight.com
Pluralsight is a great platform for learning technical skills. Other than web development, the platform also offers certifications in big data, machine learning, AI, and cloud infrastructures. All the courses are designed for developers who want to take their skills to the next level with high-level technical courses and assessments.
Important features:
It offers video series on different topics from beginner to advanced levels that cover Azure, Python, frameworks, safety and cloud integration.
It also offers charts for skill evaluation so you can measure growth and progress.
Pluralsight has the Technically Possible Podcast that covers advanced topics in a detailed conversational style format.
Example of Use Case:
A senior developer can use Pluralsight to learn server-side rendering in React for large projects or learn about cloud computing, which will help them create frameworks for modern apps.
13. GeeksforGeeks
Image Source: Geeksforgeeks.org
Geeksforgeeks is a useful learning website for developers as well as for people who want to get their basics right through some computer science courses. It provides video tutorials, challenges, and real-life coding problems. All these exercises are part of the training program, which helps both beginners and experienced developers to practice their coding skills.
Important features:
They offer live classes on full-stack development covering both Node.js and React.
They also have practice DSA exercises, including popular coding problems. The problems range from three levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard, so that newbies and advanced developers can practice based on their skills.
Developers can also learn about operating systems like Linux. This is especially useful for individuals who want to pursue a career as system administrators and DevOps professionals.
Example of Use Case:
A student who is preparing for the front-end developer interview can use GeeksforGeeks to strengthen their skills to solve problems. They can also practice by participating in challenges like the Indexes of Subarray Sum or the Perfect Sum Problem.
To Wrap Up
By choosing the right learning platform, you can save yourself from watching endless training courses and actually create your dream web or app project. These 10 online learning platforms, plus our bonus mentions, cover the whole gist of web development, from building a strong foundation with coding to advanced frameworks, design principles and more.
Each site provides a unique purpose; some offer structured courses, others give you hands-on coding challenges and expert insights. Together, they cover all the angles of website development, so you can learn at your own pace, anywhere in the world.
If you are thinking about designing a modern business website or creating an ecommerce store for your small business, just search for the right course and choose a suitable option.
Remember, learning code is not enough to stand out in the competitive industry like this; so keep implementing new skills and tools and adapt as you hone your skill set and explore new technologies.
The post 10 Sites to Help You Become an Expert in Website Development appeared first on ZD Blog.