Which Coding Training Format Is Right for Me?

Coding is a highly diverse field with high-income potential even after a few months of training. Most coders can apply their skills to their industry or another industry that matches their interests.

When comparing types of coding training, there are many factors to consider. Everyone learns differently, and choosing the right kind of training is critical to your experience. Keep reading to learn more about the different formats of coding training, how they compare to each other, and how to determine which is best for you.

What is Coding?

Coding is one of the most in-demand skills dominating today’s job market. In simple terms, coding is the language that tech professionals use to tell devices how they should operate. There are several coding languages that are used for different purposes; some of the more common languages include Java, Python, and JavaScript.

Coding skills are required in many positions, including Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Cybersecurity Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, and many others. The main upside of coding is that it’s also adaptable to nearly any industry, including education, fashion, finance, medicine, entertainment, and marketing. While it may seem complicated to break into a coding career, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nowadays, anyone can become a coder and obtain an entry-level position after taking a coding bootcamp or two.

Read more about what coding is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Coding?

Coding is an incredibly versatile field that covers a wide selection of topics. You’ll be able to create websites, algorithms, and programs that have uses in every industry on the market. Even if your chosen career operates primarily in-person, you’ll be able to take creative approaches to coding that will make everyone’s lives easier.

You can make your own video game, build an online presence for your small business, or code simple programs that automate your mundane tasks. There’s no limit to what you can do with coding. This impressive skill will always serve you well if you have an imaginative mind and a willingness to learn more.

Training Formats for Coding

Coding training tends to fall into four categories: in-person, live online, free tutorials, and on-demand. Each of these formats has perks and drawbacks, which can affect your overall experience.

In-Person Coding Training

There are two significant points to consider when it comes to in-person training. Some perks are that you’ll often be completely free of distractions and have occasional social opportunities by learning with peers who are also interested in coding. However, those who participate in these courses often encounter some drawbacks. First, you’ll have to travel to a physical location and pay for transportation. You’ll also need to revolve your schedule around the in-person class schedule, making it challenging to juggle other obligations.

If you’re local to New York City, you can learn at Noble Desktop’s training centers in Manhattan. Anyone not in the New York City area can still find a local coding training center through the Classes Near Me search engine. Some solid choices are The Software Guild, Northwestern Boot Camps, and various local colleges and universities offering open coding programs to the public.

Live Online Coding Training

Live online training has become more popular in the past few years. Some of its perks include its engaging, real-time experience that’s taught by the same coding experts that would teach in-person classes. You’ll also be able to take these classes from anywhere in the world, including your bedroom or kitchen. Some drawbacks are that you’ll need to set up your workspace and technology independently, but many online training centers offer technical support if needed.

Regarding specific training, you can find live online coding classes through Noble Desktop or their Classes Near Me search engine. The Software Engineering and Full Stack Web Development programs are great places to start. Other live online class providers include Ironhack, Digital Crafts, and Code Fellows. You’ll be in good hands no matter which option you choose.

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

You might feel a little overwhelmed when looking for coding classes and bootcamps, which is perfectly understandable. You’ll likely want to start with something that matches your interests or aligns with your career goals.

It’s okay to hesitate when you’re starting the process of learning to code. Try some free courses first to see which topics appeal to you, and then you can go from there. Many pre-recorded lectures cover the fundamentals and will give you enough knowledge to gauge if it’s right. All these free courses are intended to let you test the waters and make an informed decision before committing.

Websites are where most people start when they’re first learning to code, and the Intro to Front End Web Development class by Noble Desktop shows you which programming languages are needed and how to use them. From there, you can look into WordPress, one of the internet's most-used Content Management Systems (CMS). WordPress is highly customizable, and the Intro to WordPress for Developers course teaches you how HTML and CSS knowledge can enhance its interface.

Another side of coding is data science. General Assembly's free Intro to Data Science class teaches you the essential practices data scientists use. They also have an Intro to Data Analytics course that covers Google Sheets and other standard tools.

Read about more free coding videos and online tutorials.

On-Demand Classes

Coding can seem overwhelming to a new learner. There are many avenues and categories to choose from, and picking a topic can seem to be a tremendous feat. Look through the coding courses and the live online options and bookmark some that appeal to you. Take note of the topics and recurring themes in each course, program, and bootcamp you find. That will help direct your focus when you narrow them down.

Once you’ve settled into your chosen topic, look into on-demand, asynchronous, and self-paced courses to see if your topic is a good fit for you. Start small—stick with one topic at a time, especially if you’re a beginner. Make a list of the ones you enjoyed, and then prioritize them based on your goals until you have a sequence of topics to learn. Once you’re satisfied with your choices, you can fully commit to a class.

Comparison of Coding Training Formats

In-person classes have the benefit of having your instructor work with you in real-time in a distraction-free environment. If you have a question, you can raise your hand, and they’ll be able to help instantly. The primary drawback is that you’ll need to commute to a physical location, which can be tricky if you have obligations outside class or live in a traffic-heavy area. It can also be problematic if you live far away from a training facility.

Live online classes have the same benefit of working with an expert in real-time, but they remove the drawback of in-person classes because you can take them anywhere. That’s especially helpful if you want to reduce commuting time and save money on gas. You’ll also be able to learn from home if you have kids or learn on the go if you have travel obligations from work. The main drawback is that you’ll need a solid internet connection and a distraction-free environment to take them.

Free online tutorials and on-demand classes are generally used as introductory material and are perfect for those who want to learn the basics without spending money. They tend to scratch the surface of coding, and more advanced topics are usually too complex to learn without expert guidance. The reason is that feedback is needed to ensure you’re on the right path, and that kind of feedback can only happen in an in-person or live online class. Coding languages are also frequently updated, so video tutorials can sometimes provide out-of-date information, which isn’t something you’ll need to worry about when attending a live coding class.

Is it Possible to Teach Yourself Coding?

With the advent of the internet, it’s become possible to teach yourself many different topics, including coding. However, even with this advantage, it’s hard to progress with online tutorials by themselves after a certain point. You may become overwhelmed with all the information at your disposal. You may also misguide yourself—you could practice for 10,000 hours, but your coding projects will suffer if your technique is incorrect.

It’s important to find mentors to guide you through your coding journey. They’ll help you adjust and fix your mistakes before misinformed techniques become habits that are hard to break. Online tutorials are perfect for gauging your interest and testing out various topics, but at the end of the day, classes and courses with real-time instruction will take you farther than you can go alone.

How to Decide the Best Way to Learn Coding

If you’re learning to code without any previous experience, you may want to begin with free online classes that will give you an overview of the programming language (or languages) that interest you. Search through the selection, watch the pre-recorded courses, and take note of the ones that feel aligned with your goals.

You might be someone who already has coding knowledge, but you want to build on skills you already have or branch out into another topic to become a more well-rounded programmer. Bootcamps are best for that purpose. Most bootcamps are available in-person and online; you can adapt them to your specific circumstances. Many of these programs also offer financial assistance if needed.

There’s a chance you’re a professional who already has an entirely different skill set and wants to pivot into a coding role. If that’s correct, you can benefit from taking a certificate program either in-person or live online. These programs include immersive courses that cover various topics relevant to your coding goals. They often include one-on-one mentoring to assist you with employment opportunities and interview skills. By completing a program, you’ll earn a certificate demonstrating your mastery of programming concepts that you can present to your current or future employer for hiring and promotion considerations.

Learn Coding with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop has a robust collection of coding classes and bootcamps that fit various learning needs. They offer in-person classes in Manhattan as well as live online classes internationally. All classes have relatively small class sizes and are taught by coding experts who have practical knowledge in the field. After completing your classes, you’ll have the option to retake those courses at no cost for up to one year, allowing you to practice, review subjects, and receive insights from instructors for free.

If you’re eager to learn a collection of coding languages and applications, the Software Engineering Certificate will give you a taste of three notable ones. You’ll start with Front End Web Development, allowing you to create websites through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Once you understand these subjects, you’ll shift focus to JavaScript’s various frameworks and databases, including React, Node.js, and Express.js. Finally, you’ll learn Python Development with Django, which is helpful for server-side programming, among other topics.

The Full-Stack Web Development Certificate provides a comprehensive education in coding designed to take you from coding novice to career-ready. You’ll first learn to develop the front ends of websites with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress. After that, you’ll dive into a JavaScript back end stack known as MERN: MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js.

Anyone interested in algorithms and data collection should look into the Python for Data Science Bootcamp. It’ll show you the fundamentals of Python and everything that it entails. The possibilities of uses with Python are vast. Companies such as Netflix and Amazon use Python, and this bootcamp will teach you how to start writing your own Python programs.