Are HTML & CSS Classes Worth It?

So you’ve decided you want to learn HTML & CSS but aren’t sure how to proceed. There are many ways to master HTML & CSS, from free resources to online courses to in-person classes. But, which option is best? Is a class really worth it? This article aims to answer these questions by providing you with a deeper understanding of the advantages and considerations of a HTML & CSS class. Keep reading to learn more.

Consider the Costs

Attending a live (either online or in-person) HTML & CSS training will most likely cost several hundred to a few thousand dollars, so there’s no denying that it’s a financial commitment. On-demand virtual courses are more cost effective and allow you to learn at your own pace. There are also, of course, free online tutorials and YouTube videos to help you grasp the basics. Each of these options have their own benefits and drawbacks, so understanding the pros and cons of each offering is the first step in deciding if it’s worth the cost. 

Advantages of a HTML & CSS Class

There are substantial advantages to a HTML & CSS class (as opposed to free online resources) that might make the price tag worth it for you. Outlined below are some of the top advantages of attending a HTML & CSS course with a live instructor-led curriculum. 

General Benefits

A live course, whether online or in-person, has obvious advantages like real-time interactions with an instructor and other students, allowing you to ask questions and receive feedback instantly. This can be especially helpful when you’re struggling with a specific topic in the course. Live classes also have the added benefit of built-in accountability. If you don’t show up for your scheduled class times, your absence will be noticed. For some students, this can keep them motivated and on task. Finally, these structured courses boast a top-notch curriculum, covering HTML & CSS in-depth, often using real-world examples to help you apply skills and techniques. 

Access to Current and Relevant Information

It can be hard to decipher the most current best practices and strategies for a field like HTML & CSS, especially when you’re just sifting through free tutorials online. As the web continues to evolve, HTML and CSS will change with it, adapting to the shifting trends and demands of the digital landscape. A quality HTML & CSS class will have the most up-to-date practices and theories to ensure what you’re learning is useful in the current world. 

Learning Theory and Practices

HTML & CSS are used in a variety of programming languages and coding practices, so having a firm foundation in the principles and practices will be very important. At its base, HTML & CSS are two essential tools that form the foundations of any web page. They’re often used together, but they both serve different purposes for web coding. The key differences lie in their implementation, ease of use, various features, and their structure, but both are essential to web development. An experienced instructor will walk you through all the fundamentals of HTML & CSS and help you learn how best to apply them. 

Personalized Feedback

A lot of learning HTML & CSS is trial and error. Most courses will provide real-world examples and projects so that you can learn to apply your skills and make valuable mistakes along the way. A live class allows an instructor to provide you with feedback on your work in the moment. Plus, a course led by an expert instructor also provides a chance for that expert to look over your projects outside of class and provide thoughtful, more in-depth advice later. Many courses even include 1:1 mentoring or virtual office hours, giving you ample opportunities to learn from your mistakes and build your skills. 

Collaboration and Communication

HTML & CSS professionals are typically members of a larger web development team that includes front end developers, programmers, and user interface (UI) designers. Collaboration and communication are important skills that can be practiced in a HTML & CSS course. You could work on projects with other students, present your data for the class, or learn tips and tricks for successfully communicating and collaborating. Online tutorials may provide some insight into this, but won’t create opportunities for you to practice these things like a live class. 

Building a Portfolio

A quality HTML & CSS course will help you create a portfolio that can prove your competency as an expert through the success of your work. You can create a personal website or app, track your successes and failures, and use that data to improve your practices and techniques. A portfolio also gives you a chance to show off your personality, helping to set you apart from other HTML & CSS experts. The companies and content you prefer, as well as your unique decision making and strategy, will all be things that potential employers focus on when considering you for a role. Think of it as developing your own personal brand; your portfolio is a way to show off that brand and let it shine. 

Considerations When Looking at HTML & CSS Classes

There are additional things to consider before enrolling in a course beyond your interest level or career dreams. While learning HTML & CSS is accessible for most, it may not be for everyone.

General Considerations

As previously mentioned, live online classes offer a structured learning environment and accountability with scheduled class times. While these can be valuable benefits, if you work full time or have other commitments that occupy your day, scheduled class times could be difficult to accommodate. A live class also requires you to learn at the same pace as the other students. If you master new subjects quickly or are already competent in some topics covered in a HTML & CSS course, you may wish to skip ahead to save yourself some time. This also applies in the opposite direction: if you require more time on a specific subject, a live online class may not accommodate.

Finding the Right Balance of Skills

It’s important that you know what skills and subjects you’d like to focus on before you enroll in a course. Or, if you’re entirely new to HTML & CSS, it’s recommended that you look for a class that has the right balance of technical skills, theory, soft skills, and project-based work. A comprehensive training program or bootcamp will offer a robust curriculum that covers these aspects, but shorter classes may only focus on the basics or specific features. 

Is it Worth Enrolling in a HTML & CSS Class?

Who will find it worthwhile?

Learning HTML and CSS is the first step for anyone that wants a career in coding or web development, providing the fundamental transferable skills necessary for learning more complex languages. Many professional roles require knowledge of HTML & CSS, including Web Developers, Visual Designers, and Front End Web Developers. 

Whether you’re upskilling or reskilling, pursuing ongoing professional education will always serve you well in your career. But, for those that aren’t interested in career change or advancement, mastering HTML and CSS can still be worthwhile. Learning technical skills can improve your problem-solving skills, memory, confidence, and concentration skills. Learning a new skill can make you a more well-rounded person, both professionally and personally. If you’re looking to expand your soft and hard skill sets, learning HTML & CSS can be worth it for you.

HTML and CSS can also be of value to creatives and designers. While HTML and CSS are considered more technical skills, they do have their place in design. Both are primarily focused on how a web page looks, so learning these languages will help you improve your design skills. CSS in particular allows you to manipulate the colors, fonts, sizing, and spacing of content, so knowledge of these two tools will be useful for creating mockups of websites, apps, or other user experiences.

Additionally, HTML and CSS can be of value to marketing professionals as they can help with emails, social media posts, and more. You can use both to design emails that are more visually appealing and to style social media buttons, create responsive social media icons, and structure a Facebook login page. If you love to customize your social media accounts, mastering HTML and CSS can help. 

Who probably doesn’t need a HTML & CSS class?

If you’re already a Programmer, Software Engineer, or Front End Developer, attending a HTML & CSS course would be redundant, as you already possess the skills. HTML and CSS are the basis of all coding and programming, so experts in these fields will most likely be looking for more advanced training. Furthermore, if you want to be a backend developer, full-stack, or any developer other than frontend, it’s often recommended that you don't start with HTML and CSS.

Learn HTML & CSS Skills with Noble Desktop

Live HTML and CSS courses are an ideal learning method for those entirely new to the field. Live online classes are great for those who prefer a solitary learning environment with minimal distractions. They allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you choose), providing more flexibility. Additionally, if you live in an area with limited (or no) in-person options, online classes open up more opportunities for you. 

A great place to start would be Intro to HTML & CSS, a hands-on course that will teach you the basics of both of these fundamental tools. You’ll hand code a webpage from scratch using HTML, learning how to format paragraphs, headings, and lists. You’ll also learn how to create links, add images, and modify tags with attributes. By the end of class, you’ll be familiar with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), including tag selectors, class selectors, and the class attribute.

Noble Desktop’s HTML Email Certificate will help you gain skills to create responsive emails with personality. Boasting small class sizes led by expert instructors, you’ll learn HTML and CSS coding, including how to code effective and cross-mail-client compatible emails and optimize emails for desktop, webmail, and mobile users. By the end of this program, you’ll be able to code emails that display properly in various email apps for your business or clients.

Their Web Development with HTML & CSS will teach you how to develop websites with HTML and CSS, the coding languages used to create web pages. Using HTML, you’ll learn how to create webpages with text, images, and more. Then you’ll use CSS to style the content, create centered page layouts, add background images, style navigation, and make the page responsive so it adapts to various screen sizes using media queries. Finally, you’ll upload files to FTP to make your site go live.

If you’re looking to go a little deeper, you could try the Front End Web Development Certificate. You’ll learn HTML to mark up web pages, CSS for styling, JavaScript to add interactivity and animation, and Git to track code changes and collaborate with other developers. Ideal for those new to coding, you’ll develop the skills to create responsive websites optimized for any size screen (mobile, tablet, and desktop). Additionally, you’ll learn how to use WordPress, the world's leading content management system, to create customizable websites and edit content without the need to be a programming expert.