"How We Learn Coding Freely"

 

I Had No Money, Just Curiosity
Honestly, when I first heard the word “coding,” I thought it was only for geniuses or rich kids with fancy laptops. But I was wrong.

I had no money to join expensive classes. No mentor. No idea where to begin. But I had something important: curiosity and YouTube.

So I decided, “Let me just try this for fun.”

Step 1: I Googled “How to Learn Coding”
Sounds funny, right? But that’s how it started. I typed “how to learn coding for free” in Google. And guess what? A whole world of free learning popped up.

The first few days were confusing for me . So many websites. So many videos. I didn’t know which one was good or real.

But slowly, as i struggled out, I found the best free places to start.

Step 2: I Picked One Language — That’s It
I wanted to learn everything in one week. Don’t do that. I made that mistake.

Then I picked one simple language: HTML. It’s like the ABC of coding.

It’s fun. You can build your first webpage in one day. When I saw the page I made with my name on it, I felt like a hacker (even though it was just “Hello World”).

Then I learned CSS. Then JavaScript. Step by step. No rush.

Step 3: I Used These Free Websites
Here’s where I learned. Totally free:

YouTube — Free tutorials. Try “FreeCodeCamp” and “Programming with Mosh.” They are gold.

. W3Schools.com — Like a mini school for coding. Very easy.

. freeCodeCamp.org — Real projects, step-by-step lessons.

. Code.org — It feels like a game. But you learn a lot.

. Coursera & edX — Search for free beginner coding courses.

No sign-ups. No credit cards. No tricks. Just pure learning.

Step 4: I Practiced Every Day (Even 15 Minutes)
Now here’s the secret. You don’t have to study coding for 5 hours a day. I practiced for just 15 to 30 minutes daily. That’s it.

Like brushing your teeth — just make it a habit. Some days, I was lazy. Some days, I forgot. That’s okay. Just keep coming back.

Step 5: I Made Funny Projects
Learning becomes boring if you only watch. So I started making funny little projects.

. A website that shows funny jokes.

. A calculator that tells you if you’re “too lazy to code.”

. A button that changes the color of the page every time I click it.

These were silly. But I learned more by doing them than just watching videos.

Step 6: I Asked Google EVERYTHING
When I got stuck (and I did get stuck a lot), I didn’t panic.

. I simply typed my problem in Google. Example:

. “Why is my HTML image not showing?”

. Google answered like a friend.

I also checked StackOverflow. It’s like Facebook, but for people stuck with code.

Step 7: I Joined a Community
Learning alone can get boring. So I joined a few free groups on:

. Reddit (r/learnprogramming)

. Discord coding servers

. Facebook groups for beginners

I made online coding friends. We helped each other out. We shared our ideas and mini projects. It made learning fun, not lonely.

Final Thoughts (and a Secret)

I used to think coding was too hard. But now I can create websites, apps, and even small games. And I didn’t spend a single rupee.

If I can learn coding for free, so can you.

The secret? Just start. Don’t overthink. Pick one language, one website, and start clicking.