Coding is a hard skill to master. Plus, finding a reputable and reliable online learning platform can be just as challenging, too. As such, many people turn to reviews to find out whether a particular platform is right for them.
In this Codecademy review, we will be taking a closer look at Codecademy – a platform that is generally considered to be one of the best when it comes to learning to code.
Like many of our reviews, we will start by looking at the company itself – what it does, etc – and then we’ll take a deeper look into the features and pros and cons.
With this in mind, this guide will explore everything you need to know about Codecademy to help you make an informed decision.
Let’s get started.
Who Is Codecademy Made For?
Before you start looking into any plans, you may be wondering if Codecademy is the right platform for you.
At Codecademy, they offer users up to 14 different programming languages, some of which include Python, HTML & CSS, and JavaScript.
Besides programming languages, it also provides users with 10 subject areas, including Data Science, Web Development, Data Structures, Machine Learning, and Computer Science. (See also ‘How To Code Outside Of Codecademy‘)
However, at its core, Codecademy offers courses that are focused on learning code. These courses are suitable for a wide range of levels, including beginner and advanced, providing you with a self-paced and flexible platform where you can learn to code when it best suits you.
If you have never coded before and are a complete beginner, then determining the right course for you can seem somewhat overwhelming, however, with the help of the Sorting Quiz, this should be easy.
This quiz takes you through a range of different questions to help you determine the right language, career, and course for your strengths and personal interests.
Codecademy Plans
Basic And Pro Plans
At Codecademy, you can take advantage of their range of plans, ranging from Basic and Pro. Here, you’re offered daily practices and interactive lessons which are all self-paced.
The main difference between these two plans is that the Pro plan is a paid subscription.
As such, you’re provided a range of resources focused on building skills to help you get job-ready. At the completion of this course, you’ll receive a certificate, too.
Career Path And Skill Path
If you’re looking to take advantage of more than one course, then you should consider Career Paths and Skill Paths.
For instance, if you want to learn to build a website or become a Computer Scientist, then these courses will help you become job ready. (Check out ‘How Long Does It Take To Learn Code On Codecademy‘)
That said, you should keep in mind that these courses require a bigger commitment – with some Codecademy courses taking more than 30 weeks to complete. Don’t worry, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion, too!
Codecademy For Business
Like their individual courses and paths, CodeCademy provides a plan for businesses to help develop much more than skills.
Here, Codecademy offers Teams and Enterprise plans that feature individual guidance, interactive learning, and weekly reports on the resources your teams have been learning.
Plus, with every course you complete, you’ll be rewarded with a certificate.
- Teams – For 5 to 49 members.
- Enterprise – For over 50 members.
What We Liked About Codecademy
1. Coding Course Accessibility
Thanks to its free courses, CodeCademy provides you with teaching tools and programs starting from the ground up.
Then, you’ll progress into more advanced subjects with step-by-step guides.
This ensures that you won’t be overwhelmed by content as a beginner.
2. The Live Code Editor
Unlike some other coding learning platforms where you have to switch to a local environment to test your learning into actual code, you don’t have to worry about this with Codecademy.
At Codecademy, you’re spared this extra work. Here, an IDE is built into the platform, allowing you to build and run our code at the same time you’re studying.
Thanks to this feature, you’re saved from mental bandwidth, making the learning process much more efficient.
3. Skills Paths To Achieve Expert Level
Instead of simply learning a new programming language, with the help of Codecademy, you can master a whole field, for instance, Web Development.
Here, you can choose from a wide range of 12 career paths where you can pick anything from iOS Development and Data Analytics to Front-End Engineering.
Moreover, you can opt for one of their 45 skills paths, which range from Building Web Apps with Python or Pathing the Technical Interview using Java.
If you’re looking to level up your programming career, then these pathways provide you with a range of courses and lessons.
4. Community Forums
There are several reasons why Codecademy forums are a great feature, these include:
- You can post your personal real-world projects and receive feedback on them.
- If you’re unable to solve a problem, you can turn to your peers for some additional help.
- You can follow and learn about other people’s code-learning journeys.
Sometimes, learning code can be a lonely experience, therefore, having others you can connect with can be advantageous to lessening the learning curve.
5. Coding Projects
When you start solving real-world problems quicker, coding newbies won’t only learn faster but in depth.
This is something CodeCademy creators have taken into account, too. With each language you’re learning, you’re tasked with creating simple pieces of software to put your hard work into practice.
Thus, they are providing you with the ultimate hands-on experience.
What We Didn’t Like About The Platform
Like all the other coding platforms available, Codecademy has its disadvantages, too.
These include:
1. Limited Instruction On Debugging
There is no debugger in CodeCademy’s code editor.
Moreover, you can’t debug a big topic in a course, either.
When it comes to debugging Java on their platform, there is one lesson, one video, and a blog article.
Therefore, this information has to be sought out separately.
2. Few Videos – Text Reliant
Unlike types of instructor lectures with video formatting, Codecademy is heavily text reliant.
If you prefer this style of teaching, then you might want to consider looking at another coding learning platform.
Instead, you’re provided with code challengers that offer helpful hints and explanations, as well as community support and additional resources.
3. Not Great For Learning High-Level Concepts
The platform is designed to provide you with different coding challenges to help you quickly learn while working on code.
While it is great at providing you with a hands-on learning experience and teaching you the language syntax, it doesn’t offer many meta-concepts or theories.
Therefore, if you’re looking to learn software architecture or coding principles, then you’ll have to consult their other courses or handbooks.
That said, they do offer one course that only looks at software design principles.
Final Thoughts
Without the right resources, coding can be extremely challenging to learn. Not only do you have to learn a completely new language but put this into practice, too.
However, with the help of Codecademy, this should be a piece of cake.
Not only do they provide you with all the necessary resources but also projects to put your learning into practice.
