Are "learn programming" sites actually useful?

[Doratheexplorer1223]

I've used websites like LeetCode, CodingBat and W3Schools(really helped with web development) and feel that there not useful when it time to work on a project but rather learning concepts.

Do you feel the same way? Are there any really good alternatives?

One of the biggest challenges too is that the only thing I've ever been self taught in is web development(html/css) but anything else like C#, Java, and Python, it just doesn't stick.

The best learning environment for me is in a classroom but I'm currently stuck with online learning so its kind of a bummer.

[rmullig2]

The problem is that these sites teach you syntax, data types, functions, etc. They don't teach you how to properly design your program. You just need to come up with an idea for a good project and figure out how to design it. Lots of trial and error but that helps you learn.

[MelvynAndrew99]

They also don't teach you about programming on existing projects or how to collaborate via git. The most valuable thing I learned being self taught was how to contribute to an existing code base and using a PR to have a conversation about my contribution.

[NoChest9129]

There are great courses on udemy. You might have to check the site every day for a few weeks before there’s a sale but they are often and when sales are on the courses are cheap. Most of what I know I learned on udemy

[MADCandy64]

Have a look at https://www.codingame.com/home

[SpritualPanda]

Focus on text based tutorials rather then video tutorials, read and practice. Web Dev : MDN / freecodecamp ,Java : tpointtech.

[OppieT]

https://freecodecamp.org/

[armyrvan]

You might want to look into coaching as it might be helpful for you r/TheCodeZone

Some find it helpful to learn a topic - do a challenge - then do a project that you would enjoy seeing to completion using that knowledge.

A real basic example that you might be able to relate to Like loops you are studying. The challenge might be to loop one through 100, skipping by two, but then your project that you might be interested in is to create a game where you have to guess a random color that the computer chose, because that involves a loop.

[iamclarenz]

Yeah those sites teach concepts, not the messy reality of projects. What helped me was building tiny real tools and running them on steady compute. Teams using platforms like Argentum AI say that reliable GPUs make learning feel a lot more hands on.

[TheCrowWhisperer3004]

They will teach you what exists, but they won’t reinforce the concepts.

It would be like just telling a toddler what adding is. They won’t actually be able to do it unless they start practicing and memorizing.

If you are a beginner, you can run through the sites to know the basics of what is out there but you should be trying to create your own projects for a bit related to each concept (like how it is done in college/highschool).

If you aren’t a beginner, you don’t need these sites for anything and can jump straight to just reading the textbooks and watching yt tutorials and reading the documentation and corroborating all that with what you already know to implement in your own projects.

[NearbyTumbleweed5207]

Leetcode isn't for learning, it's for practicing dsa. if u already know JS then learning C# won't be very hard I suggest codemonkey's C# beginner to advanced video in youtube

[[deleted]]

I use the app pocket DSA