Web Developer Courses: How to Get Started

Web development courses are in high demand these days, especially as homebound folks look to expand their marketable skills. 

A web developer course teaches students programming languages, web design, computer science basics, and other skills to make them job-ready. Online courses provide a lot of flexibility for people who want to learn web development and/or earn a professional certificate so they can get started in the field. 

Read on to learn more about what you can expect in a web development course and discover some of the best courses out there. 

What Can You Learn in a Web Development Course?

Learning how to code a website is still a rare and highly-marketable ability. Depending on who your friends are, it may feel like everyone is starting to learn to code. But, in the grand scheme of things, coding is still a relatively rare and profitable skill that will make you extremely employable. 

You can expect to learn a lot in a web development course. You will learn programming languages like Python, C, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, just to name a few. You will learn to build a responsive website with web applications. 

You can also take specialized courses that will prepare you for specific kinds of web development. For example, you can take a full stack developer course if you want to learn both backend and front end web development, meaning you develop web apps for both client and server software. Understanding the server-side of web development will make you a more well-rounded programmer overall. 

Types of Web Development and Programming Courses 

Schools and companies within and outside of the United States offer courses in a variety of different formats. The vast majority of courses are online and some are even free online classes. That said, some are only accessible after paying a hefty price. You might even find a course including career development and job placement services. Below is our list of the most widely-available web developer courses out there.

Codeacademy

Codeacademy is all about experiential learning. With a “learn by doing” model, the website gives you access to different online platforms, videos, and web tutorials so you can learn on your own and at your own pace. 

At Codeacademy, you can choose from an array of different topics and lessons to choose what you want to learn. If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do or where to start, they will point you in the right direction based on your indicated interests. 

Web development is one of Codeacademy’s three major topic offerings, which also include programming and computer science, and data science. Their web development course focuses on HTML/CSS and JavaScript, teaching students to build basic websites and interactive web apps. 

Codeacademy’s team of instructors and graders are also available to answer questions and give you feedback with a quick turnaround time. When you submit coding tests and assignments, you will get expert feedback returned to you right away.

Coursera

Coursera is one of the leading providers in online education and continuing professional education. It often partners with major universities to offer programs run by university professors and experts. 

Coursera has significant offerings in web development and programming. In addition to offering individual classes, it even offers some certificates and specializations with partner universities. For example, with the University of Michigan, it offers Web Design for Everybody: the Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialization. The specialization includes five courses: Introduction to HTML5, Introduction to CSS3, Interactivity with JavaScript, Advanced Styling with Responsive Design, and the Web Design for Everybody Capstone course. A specialization like this aims to teach some essential programming languages, design, and then give students the opportunity to put their learning to the test by creating a capstone web development project. 

Again, you can still take individual courses through the Coursera platform, including:

• HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for Web Developers
• Full-Stack Web Development with React
• Introduction to Web Development
• Introduction to HTML5
• Introduction to CSS3
• Responsive Website Basics: Code with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Interactivity with JavaScript

Udemy

According to its website, Udemy is the “leading global marketplace for teaching and learning, connecting millions of students to the skills they need to succeed.” Its goal is to make sure the workforce can keep up with in-demand tech skills for the twenty-first century. Its offerings include development, web development, data science, mobile apps, programming languages, game development, databases, and software testing. 

The web development thread offers many different courses. What’s great about Udemy is that you can purchase video tutorials and course series a la carte. This means that you don’t necessarily have to commit to a very long-term and expensive course right away. 

For example, the web developer bootcamp course is available for purchase with over 40 hours of video tutorial content and 82-related articles for your own self-guided and self-paced learning. 

Udemy’s website is also particularly helpful to find what you’re looking for. You can search for courses and course packages by topic, subcategory, level, language, price, and features. This way, you can target your learning goals while prioritizing your time commitments and budget at the same time. 

Here is a quick sample of some of the courses on Udemy’s platform:

• The Complete Ruby on Rails Developer Course
• The Complete JavaScript Course 2020: Build Real Projects!
• Build Responsive Real World Websites with HTML5 and CSS3
• Python and Django Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp
• Modern JavaScript from the Beginning
• Progressive Web Apps: The Complete Guide

Udacity

Udacity is similar to Udemy in its mission to train the professionals of the future. With the future increasingly pulling to tech, it makes sense that Udacity is also focused on offering professional development in tech under several different schools, including programming and development, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data science, business, autonomous systems, and career. 

The programming and development school offers courses in web development which, according to Udacity, will prepare you for a career as a programmer after only 10 hours of work per week. You can choose different programs to start training. Udacity lists recommended courses and shows them in order of progression so you can identify where you land. 

If you already have some programming experience, you may not have to start at fundamentals. However, if you’re just getting started, it might be a good idea to start with their in-depth fundamentals course unit which includes C++, Data Structures and Algorithms, Introduction to Programming, and Android Basics. 

Udacity’s other programming and development units include:

• Front-End Web Developer
• Back-End Web Developer
• iOS Developer
• Android Developer
• Advanced Specializations

EdX

EdX is Harvard and MIT’s online collaboration for MOOCs (massive open online courses). Unlike some of the other online providers on this list, EdX also offers real-world university courses for college students in addition to its MOOCs. Some of these offerings are completely free of charge, making lifelong learning more accessible to all.

EdX’s web development courses are from Harvard and MIT and for some industry leaders like Microsoft. In addition to individual courses like HTML5 and CSS Fundamentals and Programming for the Web with JavaScript, EdX offers fully online professional certificates. These certificates include: 

• Computer Science for Web Programming
• Front-End Web Developer
• HTML5 from W3C
• Computer Science Essentials for Software Development
• Computer Science and Mobile Apps
• Building Prototypes for JavaScript and Node.js

Mozilla Developer Network

Yes, that’s Mozilla as in Mozilla Firefox, the popular web browser and tech company. The Mozilla Developer Network is a vast online resource for web developers of any level. 

This is a great resource for visual learners who can learn new skills by reading articles and watching video tutorials. It might not work as well for students who learn best through hands-on experiential learning.

Topics include front end languages, basic introductions to web development topics, and interactivity. Its resource guide for developers and aspiring developers is structured from fundamentals to advanced programming. Learning categories include:

• Beginners
• HTML: Structuring the Web
• CSS: Styling the Web
• JavaScript: Dynamic Client-led Scripting
• Webforms: Working with User Data
• Accessibility: Make the Web Useable by Everyone
• Tools and Testing
• Server-side Website Programming

Should You Take a Web Developer Course?

As you have seen, there is no shortage of web developer courses for you to choose from. Instead of getting overwhelmed by choice, ask yourself some basic questions about what you’re looking for to help you make a decision:

• What do I want to learn?
• What am I interested in?
• How much time do I have?
• What’s my budget? 

Answer these questions and you’ll have a better idea of where to get started. If you want to continue to learn and grow after your web developer course, you might even consider enrolling in a coding bootcamp program.