Technologies

Learn to Code With These 5 Online Coding Courses for Beginners

Coding skills can unlock new job offers and let you be more creative with projects.

Knowing how to code is a valuable skill, and it can be an easily obtainable one. While I’m not into programming, tinkering with code to build simple websites and apps is an amazing skill. Picking up some coding skills through an online coding course could help you, even if you never considered yourself a web programmer.Plus, demand for software developers remains high across the US.

Before you get started with a online coding class, it’s important to know which language you’ll want to learn — Python, Javascript, C# or one of hundreds of others — hinges on what sort of computer science or data science you want to do with it, like build a website, an app or a game. For example, if you’re interested in learning coding so you can work in a professional setting, you might want to find a coding program that teaches Python, Java or C#, which are all in demand at many companies.

There are a ton of coding classes and beginner courses available on the web, which can help you learn coding skills for whatever piques your interest. We’ve pulled together five beginner-friendly online classes that teach you coding basics and explore the foundational programming concepts and computer programming fundamentals — online coding bootcamp, so to speak. Some touch on specific languages while others stay more general. But no matter which course provider you choose, all of these picks are the best online coding courses to help you get your start learning a programming language. Welcome to coding school, my friends. And I’ll update this list periodically as new coding tutorials become available to help you on your coding journey.

Skillshare/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Coding for Beginners with Applause Interactive

Skillshare

The Coding for Beginners course describes itself as a foundational level course for complete beginners that introduces students to common coding concepts like bugs, pseudo code and how code runs. The concepts can then be applied to whichever programming language you go on to learn. Over 30 lectures and coding lessons will help you build the skillset to build a simple app in both coding languages Scratch and Python, the final project of the course.

What it costs: Some online classes on Skillshare are free when you create an account, but most require a premium membership, which costs $168 annually or $14 a month. You can sign up for seven free days of unlimited classes. The premium membership is also ad-free and lets you download classes to your mobile device and watch offline.

See at Skillshare

Udemy/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Pre-programming: Everything to Know Before You Code with Evan Kimbrell

Udemy

Digital agency founder Evan Kimbrell’s preprogramming course also starts with foundational concepts, like how the computer itself, the internet and operating systems fit into programming. This might sound too basic, but if you’re just starting on your learning journey, it’s helpful context.

Eventually, the lesson focus is on the core concepts of coding, different programming languages, front-end and back-end frameworks, application programming interfaces, content management systems and other more advanced concepts.

What it costs: Udemy’s course prices are set by the individual instructors from a price tier, unless they choose to offer them for free. The course is currently on sale for $12.

See at Udemy

Skillshare/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Programming for Beginners with Cas Van Gool

Skillshare

Software engineer Cas Van Gool’s programming course focuses on the basics of programming found in any software language. The coding tutorials tackle topics like variables, strings, integers, if-statements, while-statements, for-statements and for each-statements. Van Gool provides step-by-step exercises and build projects with C#, from shopping lists to minigames. You’ll also need to download the free Visual Studio Code source code editor program from Microsoft for this course.

This coding class would be useful if you’re interested in coding for games or getting started on a professional level.

See at Skillshare

Coursera/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Programming Foundations with Javascript, HTML and CSS with Susan Rodger

Coursera

The Programming Foundations with Javascript, HTML and CSS course, offered through Duke University, explores skills like HTML, JavaScript, Java programming and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). You’ll learn how to write programs, solve complex problems, design algorithms, and test and debug your programs.

The programming foundations course is part of the five-course Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization. You can enroll in a single course to get started and earn a certificate, or audit the online coding class and review the materials for free. The Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization is considered a beginner specialization, and if you subscribe to one course, you’ll be included in the whole specialization.

The course requires a laptop or desktop computer for Java programming and that you make a free account on CodePen.io. If you choose to continue with the other courses, you’ll need to install Bluej, free software for Java development.

This course would be most useful if you’re interested in coding for websites.

What it costs: Coursera operates more like a traditional online college course with enrollment windows. Sometimes the certificates you earn can apply as a credit at an institution, but it has to be stated. When you sign up for Coursera, you get a seven-day free trial, and then it starts at $49 a month. You can also choose to audit the class for free, which lets you read and view the course content only.

See at Coursera

Udemy/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Coding for Beginners with Bluelime Learning Solutions

Udemy

Again, what you ultimately want to do with your programming skills will determine what coding language you’ll want to learn. What I liked about the Coding for Beginners course on Udemy is that it touches on the basics of five different programming languages — Javascript, Python, Ruby, HTML and CSS. You’ll get to dabble in each language and build applications like calculators, digital clocks, music players and blog pages. This helps give you a taste of how each operates while also giving you some hands-on experience and projects.

What it costs: Udemy’s course prices are set by the individual instructors from a price tier, unless they choose to offer them for free. This course costs $10 during a special sale.

See at Udemy

For more, check out five Masterclass classes to become a filmmaker and other online classes to help you learn to play guitar or learn to draw.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Smokes, informally
Answer: CIGS

5A clue: «Don’t have ___, man!» (Bart Simpson catchphrase)
Answer: ACOW

6A clue: What the vehicle in «lane one» of this crossword is winning?
Answer: RACE

7A clue: Pitt of Hollywood
Answer: BRAD

8A clue: «Yeah, whatever»
Answer: SURE

9A clue: Rd. crossers
Answer: STS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Things to «load» before a marathon
Answer: CARBS

2D clue: Mythical figure who inspired the idiom «fly too close to the sun»
Answer: ICARUS

3D clue: Zoomer around a small track
Answer: GOCART

4D clue: Neighbors of Norwegians
Answer: SWEDES

Technologies

Watch SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 11

Technologies

New California Law Wants Companion Chatbots to Tell Kids to Take Breaks

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the new requirements on AI companions into law on Monday.

AI companion chatbots will have to remind users in California that they’re not human under a new law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The law, SB 243, also requires companion chatbot companies to maintain protocols for identifying and addressing cases in which users express suicidal ideation or self-harm. For users under 18, chatbots will have to provide a notification at least every three hours that reminds users to take a break and that the bot is not human.

It’s one of several bills Newsom has signed in recent weeks dealing with social media, artificial intelligence and other consumer technology issues. Another bill signed Monday, AB 56, requires warning labels on social media platforms, similar to those required for tobacco products. Last week, Newsom signed measures requiring internet browsers to make it easy for people to tell websites they don’t want them to sell their data and banning loud advertisements on streaming platforms.

AI companion chatbots have drawn particular scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in recent months. The Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several companies in response to complaints by consumer groups and parents that the bots were harming children’s mental health. OpenAI introduced new parental controls and other guardrails in its popular ChatGPT platform after the company was sued by parents who allege ChatGPT contributed to their teen son’s suicide.

«We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability,» Newsom said in a statement.

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One AI companion developer, Replika, told CNET that it already has protocols to detect self-harm as required by the new law, and that it is working with regulators and others to comply with requirements and protect consumers.

«As one of the pioneers in AI companionship, we recognize our profound responsibility to lead on safety,» Replika’s Minju Song said in an emailed statement. Song said Replika uses content-filtering systems, community guidelines and safety systems that refer users to crisis resources when needed.

A Character.ai spokesperson said the company «welcomes working with regulators and lawmakers as they develop regulations and legislation for this emerging space, and will comply with laws, including SB 243.» OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice called the bill a «meaningful move forward» for AI safety. «By setting clear guardrails, California is helping shape a more responsible approach to AI development and deployment across the country,» Radice said in an email.

One bill Newsom has yet to sign, AB 1064, would go further by prohibiting developers from making companion chatbots available to children unless the AI companion is «not foreseeably capable of» encouraging harmful activities or engaging in sexually explicit interactions, among other things.