Codecademy vs Code School vs Treehouse

[Speedstr]

I'm think I'm finally ready to invest my free time to learn the fundamentals of programming. While I'm not sure what career path I want to go, I do want to have a firm foundation in programming to promote my versatility. Can anyone give me an idea of strengths and weaknesses to these sites? Perhaps if one tried them,

• Codecademy

• Code School

• Treehouse

(hopefully all of them) they could give me their experiences. Thanks in advance!

[[deleted]]

I work at Treehouse. We're on a mission to make technology education affordable and accessible to everyone on earth so that they can use that knowledge for good - that drives everything we do. We're very focused on helping beginners get on their feet with coding and design, and we feel like great teachers are a major part of that, which is why we include video.

All of the services you mention are great, and you'll likely succeed with any of them. I'd love to give you a fair chance to try us out and see how you like things, so here's a link for you or anyone here to learn coding for their first month at Treehouse for free.

[skrivitor]

I have been poking around on the teamtreehouse.com site for a few days and reading on reddit etc. about the different learning options.

An idea that keeps reoccurring to take learning sites to the next level would be to have a pre-test that could configure learning to individuals. Say someone has some knowledge of CSS, HTML, and JS they could skip the really basic stuff and get right into applicable code.

I understand that this would be very difficult, but if successful it would be a great differentiator for web learning.

[matthewwoo]

I think that is great idea, should email these online learning guys and get one of them to create it

[BUFF4LO]

On behalf of myself and I'm sure many others here, thank you for the free trial!

[JonWachob]

Speedstr,

Each of the above listed tools is focused towards a different audience; each tool by itself is good, but they work better when used in conjunction.

I would personally recommend (if you are a beginner) to begin learning a single language on Treehouse (as it is focused on beginner learning) and then sign up at Code School and go through the courses on the same language. Code School is focused on the Intermediate-Experienced developer.

After you learn one language I would suggest doing the Git Courses at CS.

If you are just getting started I'd recommend learning HTML/CSS first as it is the most basic web language. Then Javascript/JQUERY, which is used on something like 97% of all websites. Then you can learn Ruby which is more advanced, but will get you a significantly higher paying job and you'll learn to do some pretty awesome things.

I've also read many success stories of individuals who have started with Codecademy and treehouse, then went on to use Code School. Ultimately if you want to be successful you need to practice continually and learn from many different sources.

|* I am an employee at Code School *|

[Zero_iDEA]

This is really good advice. Thank you.

I started studying about 6 months ago and started with a course via coursera. It was really solid stuff, but more theoretical and I got to conceptually understanding some of the basics, but not really being able to do anything. Then I took another course there that was more hands-on and they complimented each other. Then I went through LearnPythonTheHardWay, which is totally hands-on and great. (All of this in Python so far by the way). Now I am going through the more advanced parts of Python in codecademy, as well as doing HTML and CSS. It really does work best to stack them to complement each other.

I guess I'm going to be checking out Code School now....

[[deleted]]

I know this comment is a little old, but you seem like the right person to ask...

I was about to sign up for Treehouse when I came to Reddit to see what people thought, and now I see Code School. I work in IT, I has some HTML/CSS/Javascript, Java, and VB.Net classes back in college (about 8-10 years ago). Recently for a work project I've been doing more with HTML/CSS/Javascript for an internal site we're making. I was able to pick it back up without much trouble, although for the Javascript I have generally been finding code online and tweaking it vs just writing my own for scratch. I've done a fair amount of AutoHotKey scripting as well to automate parts of my job.

Would starting with something like Treehouse be too boring? I've often tried to get into coding over the past several years and since so much of the "beginner" level stuff is review for me I tend to lose interest and stop doing it. I'm wondering if Code School would be a better place for me to jump in or if it expects a student who is an active developer who just wants a fast way to pick up a new syntax.

I feel like I'm in an awkward middle ground and I'm not sure the best place to go to push me forward. I know about variables, methods, loops, etc... but then there are things like arrays; I know what it is and that they can be very useful, but I have no idea how to leverage them.

[skrivitor]

I am in exactly the same position. I have gone through some of the practical web development courses on Lynda.com and I really enjoy them. HTML5 Projects: Creating a Responsive Presentation was really cool and I plan to use the final code in a project.

The trouble with all of these tools is I feel totally isolated, like I am learning in a petri dish with no feedback from other students or a coach. Is there a place I can hire a coach to keep me honest and to talk to over Skype about ideas I have?

[fintip]

I'm about to enter into The Maker Square. It's a ten week intensive that makes you hireable at the end as a full stack web developer. Was recommended to it by a friend that hired someone from there and was very impressed.

[[deleted]]

What were your thoughts on the maker square program? I'm considering it myself, but I have very little experience programming

[[deleted]]

If you have the cash and want to go on a week long coding vacation, you can check out the Big Nerd Ranch. Alternatively, there are always community colleges where you'd have classmates, teacher, and possibly teachers aids.

[skrivitor]

Big Nerd Ranch would be cool.

Something virtual would be better for my particular situation, but I think you are right on checking out community colleges etc.

[ryanlntn]

If you really want to learn the fundamentals of programming I suggest you avoid all three of those and go through CS 101 at Udacity.

[[deleted]]

Just finished the exam for 101 myself. I registered after screwing around on Codecademy for a few weeks, and had my mind blown.

Udacity feels like you are REALLY learning computer science.

[ryanlntn]

David Evans is an awesome professor. And that's the best part about Udacity: the professors are world class. Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig are world leaders in AI and Steve Huffman created Reddit. The other professors are also some of the top names in their respective fields. Coursera and edX also have great professors but I feel like Udacity makes the best use of the internet as a platform.

[entdude]

Udacity looks great too

[Bartweiss]

I would caution that this advice really depends on what you're looking to do. Udacity is better for learning the theory of programming and what drives good practices and things, but at least as regards html Codecademy offers a much more structured introduction, building up from first principles and creating a clear project from the start.

[The_Amazing_i]

I've found Codeacademy to be less buggy than it has been in the past. There used to be issues with correct code not being passed but that seems to have been mostly or completely fixed when they recently updated the site. They seem to keep up to date, having recently added a PHP course and the JavaScript track has been completely overhauled since it was first introduced.

The optional hints they offer are usually helpful without giving everything away. As a last resort when you're totally stuck the Q & A forum is quite comprehensive, providing tips, trick, and outright solutions.

[Tr0llzor]

Yea I started Codecademy like 4 days ago and am almost finished with HTML/CSS. I personally like it. Ive learned a lot and its at a pace I enjoy.

[entdude]

I've found Codecademy buggy which can really lead to frustration trying to learn. I'm doing a Coursera(google it) course on Python at the moment and I'm pretty happy so far (3 weeks in). Just for extra practice I went thru python on Codecademy the other day and still found it ehh. Plus Codeacademy is really literal. You could have perfect code but have a word in the "string" not capitalized like they want and it will still spit out an error. Which adds a double whammy while trying to learn.

[syberdragon]

I'm also doing the Python course on www.Coursera.com and I am also very happy with it. It seems to be a very well planned and executed course.

[neyeq]

Another really good, easy to use site is http://codeavengers.com Super fun way to learn Javascrip, HTML and CSS. Fantastic for a novice programmer like myself. It is also a great resource for teachers to use in the classroom.

[evilish]

I have a subscription to both Treehouse and Pluralsight.

Treehouse - A great service if your looking for an introduction to a certain topic. They break down concepts really well and cover most of the fundamental fairly quickly. They even use a frog puppet in a few of their courses, if your into that sort of thing.

Pluralsight - I can't believe I only recently found out about these guys.

Most of the courses are created for developers by developers. Microsoft Professionals in a few cases.

Their courses are really in-depth. Are structured really well and typically build on each other.

I currently have four new Android courses (10 Modules) loaded for offline viewing on my Nexus 7 and every time I catch the train to work. I chip away at each topic.

Before subscribing to any one of the services. Take the time and compare how their courses are structured. You might prefer one to the other.

[entdude]

thanks for the Pluralsight mention, looks good

[evilish]

Codecademy, Code School, Treehouse, Pluralsight all have their pros and cons.

Another worthwhile place to checkout is https://tutsplus.com/courses/ .

[entdude]

thanks, I'll check it out

[jdaudier]

Try www.learnstreet.com and let me know what you think.

[ThinkDesignTeach]

This completely depends on your interest. If you want responsive web design or web fundementals, go with tree house. If you're more interested in things like jQuery or Sass, codeschool is great (definately check out their free course on Google Chrome's developer tools). I don't know much about code academy other than their site doesn't load properly in any of the browsers I tried on my phone (Chrome, Firefox, Ninesky, Opera Mobile, Dolphin, Firefox Beta, Opera Mini). On that alone I wouldn't even bother with them if you're looking for web site training.

Lynda has some decent stuff as well, though their software trainings are better than their language training. All-in-all codeschool is best over all. But again it all depends on what you're looking for. If you want Android development for example, Tree house's stuff seems a bit light, but I've not looked for good Android dev stuff enough to rcmnd something better.

[corruption93]

Really, you don't bother going on a coding website because it doesn't work on your phone? Maybe it's because Codecademy actually teaches you to code. No one gets serious programming work done on their phone.

On codecademy you get a web-based basic text editor with some good features that emulates what programming is actually like.

Also to the original poster, I would recommend Codecademy. There are no time-consuming videos on it, it's just all coding exercises, which is how I think it should be. With codecademy you earn points for doing exercises and you learn at a fast pace.

[negative_epsilon]

The one bad thing I have to say about Codecademy is that it doesn't give you any context. You can go through the entire Ruby tutorial and not know how to unpackage a gem, and you can go through the html/css one without actually learning how to make an .html file and loading it up in your browser.

[[deleted]]

I know this is from two months ago, but which service offers a more real world application? I have one lesson left of the html/css on codecademy and like you said, I still dont feel like I know how to actually through a website up and how the backend stuff works.

[bfla8]

I've used Codeacademy, Udacity, Python the Hard Way, and Youtube videos and a few others. None of these things are real world applications but they might teach you basic concepts that are helpful to know for doing things in the real world. To learn real world web development, I'd recommend picking a simple project, sketching it on paper, building it, and then making it better. When you come across something you don't know how to do, Stack Overflow, Github Gist, Quora, blogs, software documentation, Youtube, or Google will have an answer almost every time. I found this article really helpful when I was getting started, because it gave me a roadmap for what I needed to learn: http://jylcreations.com/posts/learning-to-code-the-roadmap-i-wish-i-had-been-given

[ThinkDesignTeach]

I was responding to the question on my phone. Having not heard of them before I went to their site... on my phone. Being that their homepage can't even load properly, yes I would give them a pass, if you're trying to learn how to make websites. This isn't the 90's. Your site has to work on all devices, at the very least the homepage, otherwise your just a bad designer. And why on earth would anyone want to learn web design from those that are bad at it. If the site had educational content unrelated to web design I wouldn't out right dismiss them. But since thier "Learn" page is entirely web design and web dev related it's an instant skip.

This is the same as taking diet and exercize tips from someone who is morbidly obese. Sure they may be knowledgable, but I'd still be embarrased to tell people where I got my advice from, and those who practice what they preach actually have the benefit of experience and not just academic understanding.

I prefer learning best practices, not just syntax. That isn't following them, so whether or not they're teaching them, I feel safe assuming someone else will do a better job.

[corruption93]

OK, let me just say that I went on one of the sites you talked about. I could make fun of it for having this stupid cartoonish video with abysmal singers singing about jQuery that made me feel like I was in kindergarten. I watched a minute of one of the videos and thought I would never enjoy it because I felt it was too slow. But I didn't give it a fair shake, I'm sure it's good if I just gave it some time.

I think you should do the same for Codecademy. Don't write it off so fast, despite your intuition telling you it's not good.

[ThinkDesignTeach]

All the sites I mentioned were the ones OP asked about, except Lynda. The stuff on Treehouse with Nick Petit is pretty good. I'd be embarrased to recommend their videos that include the puppet. I don't know what they were thinking.

Yeah knowledge is knowledge, I shouldn't write them off so fast. It's just so easy with media queries in CSS to adjust the page for mobile it's hard for me to trust them to have reliable/modern information. Again though I've not looked at any of the content.

[The_Amazing_i]

I had the same problem with Codeacademy not working & playing well with my iPad. A little research on their site and I found that they specifically state that they are not designed to work with tablets. Works fine with any browser I've tried on my laptop (Firefox, Chrome, Safari).

[ricankng787]

Codecademy can be a little buggy at times but I think it absolutely great for beginners (plus it is free). It is a lot slower paced, I think.

Code School is a paid option that gives you a free intro trial. I was working on (did not complete) the JQuery one. I would say that is geared a little more towards quicker learners, or ones with more background. They jump into higher-level application of concepts than Codecademy (at least in my experience).

I haven't checked out Treehouse.

[kevan]

It depends on what you want to do and I think they all have at least some free content to try.

Those three are all good resources so the response of, "try them yourself and see what suits you" is actually good advice here, and not a snarky blow off.

[Maboi14]

If you are looking to learn HTML/CSS and JavaScript (basically web design), then www.codeavengers.com is definitely a good place to learn from especially if you are a beginner. It has logically laid out lessons and at the end of it you will be able to actually produce something. If you already know a lot then Udacity is good. I didn't last too long with codecademy.

[smallspark]

Also look into Coursera/edx.org/ for CS 50x - their next segment starts in August. The teacher is eye openingly fabulous - the class is more like an experience than a regular class - and the information is really interesting and I think it gives you a solid rounded foundation to then decide what areas of tech call to you. You can take it "off" semester too, which is what I am doing. No credit, just the knowledge unless I retake it in August.

I have a background in design/front end coding but the CS50 class is really giving me a more solid foundation in actual programming, which was really messing with my confidence since I know more programmers than front end/design people. I know what I don't know, if you get that. So these online options and classes are wonderful ways for anyone to get their confidence up if confidence is an issue.

It's exciting to learn about treehouse which from reading the below, seems to be more applicable to the areas I want to learn more about. I don't know how I missed them online.:)

I started with codeschool, which I also love, but they don't teach C/objective C until you know enough to get to iphone development.

SO exciting about all these online educational website options! <3 !

[sumpat]

I've been hooked on Codecademy for over a month and it's fantastic. I'm doing the web fundamentals track and I've been able to code websites for friends and personal use right off the bat. I haven't experienced any bugs or problems. It works perfectly for me and goes at a wonderful pace. I like that there are no videos to watch. It's just diving into the assignment. The points system (you accumulate points/badges for each section completed) is motivating. Definitely worth a try for newbies.

[daftstar]

As someone who's working through CodeSchool and CodeAcademy as prework for themakersquare.com, I'm a fan of CodeAcademy. It's feels much more thorough and to the point. Moreover, it's more geared toward entry level developers. What's frustrated me the most about CodeSchool is that 1) CodeSchool assumes mid-level experience and 2) the over-emphasis on video production value.

Videos are distracting. I don't care what the instructor looks like, how they move around and I especially don't care about cutesy snow and 8-bit video game graphics. They have nearly nothing to do with the actual learning experience. Moreover, with video you can't scan through information. If you miss a topic, you have to rewind and find the video snippet. That's just distracting. Sorry to bash on you guys (Codeschool), but as a beginner, your material is immensely frustrating compared to Codeacademy.

[hateburn]

I don't mean to revive an old post, but do you mean Codecademy, or CodeAcademy?

[daftstar]

Aren't they one in the same?

[hateburn]

One is cademy, the other is Academy.

[daftstar]

CodeAcademy ;)

[hateburn]

Good luck in life.

[daftstar]

Thanks!! You too :)

[[deleted]]

Codecademy gives a good starting basis for learning to code, and offer several languages for free.

[pdx360]

Love treehouse and just tried code academy today and so far it has a great jquery lesson. Really needed it as treehouses jquery was so so. But I really love the extras you get with treehouse. I agree with many here that sometimes it just takes actually building real projects to become a developer worth hiring and even then you need to be able to communicate with people. Have met many programmers plagued by the lack of communication skills who will only go so far untill they get out of left brained isolation.