TL;DR:

• Developers and engineers should be staying on top of constantly changing trends and upskilling, whilst newbies need dedicated platforms to learn crucial industry skills.

• There are plenty of free resources online suitable for both, ranging from simple HTML courses to Web3 development.

• We’ve gathered seven of our favorite free resources below,  including HTML.com, The Modern JavaScript Tutorial and Learn Git Branching.

Development and engineering are constantly changing, and whether you’re a seasoned veteran looking to upskill or a green newbie curious to break into the industry, knowing where to start with all the help available online can be overwhelming.

To save you the trouble of opening 36 tabs and immediately giving up, we’ve rounded up some of the best free resources for seven of the most important skills to brush up on below…

HTML

• What is HTML?

Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is – to put it simply – the language in which websites are built. It is used to create web pages, tell a browser how to display certain blocks of the page, and labels elements of content, among a host of other crucial functions. HTML is a basic but essential building block in the web development process, so having a good grasp on it is crucial. It’s also a great introduction in ‘thinking like a coder’, so if you are new to the world of developers, HTML is a good place to start.

• Free HTML learning resource:

There are plenty of free learning materials online to learn more about HTML, to the point of being overwhelming, in fact. We recommend heading to HTML.com, an expansive but easy to digest hub of HTML tutorials, references and cheat sheets designed with both beginners and experts in mind.

CSS

• What is CSS?

If HTML is the structure, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is the style. CSS goes hand in hand with HTML when it comes to making web pages readable, as it’s used to apply styles to HTML elements.

These can include colors, spacing, and other decorative elements. Getting to grips with CSS is an important next step once you’ve got HTML under your belt, as it gives you much more control over how a web page is displayed; the difference between a HTML-only page and one with CSS applied is night and day.

• Free CSS learning resource:

Boasting daily articles about both CSS and HTML, alongside a bounty of guides, techniques and tips, CSS-TRICKS should be your first port of call in exploring the world of styling web pages.

JavaScript

• What is JavaScript?

The third installment in this web design trilogy is JavaScript, a programming language that enables much more complex behaviors in web pages. Used to build elements from animation and interactive elements through to the loading of new content without reloading the page, JavaScript elevates a static page (made up of HTML elements styled by CSS) into a dynamic and intuitive user experience.

A mastery of JavaScript also opens up the world of browser based and third-party APIs, ready-made blocks of JavaScript code that can add exciting (and otherwise extremely difficult to build) new features to your pages.

• Free JavaScript learning resource:

With a staggering 1300 pages of guides, techniques and articles, The Modern JavaScript Tutorial is a treasure trove of advice being constantly updated. Whether you’re new to JavaScript or an expert looking to brush up and learn some new tricks, this free resource should be bookmarked ASAP.

React

• What is React?

Developed by Facebook, React is a JavaScript based user interface development library. One of the most popular front-end development tools out there, React uses a component based framework that makes it much easier to deliver a dynamic and complex web page or app, whilst requiring less complicated coding with reusable components. A good understanding of React is especially important for front-end developers.

• Free React learning resource:

With 67 totally free lessons, React Tutorial offers a hands-on chance to learn React from scratch. Challenging you to build a shopping app in the interactive learning environment, you’ll work through a selection of guided challenges that will ensure you are a React pro in no time.

Git and GitHub

• What is Git?

Put simply, Git is a version control system used to manage source code. It enables a team to track changes and save copies of version history, with a branching workflow that allows developers and DevOps engineers to work simultaneously on different branches, eventually merging changes into a main branch.

Cloud based repositories like GitHub offer an alternative to hosting Git locally. Many, GitHub being the most widely used, have grown beyond their roots as basic repositories to become end-to-end development platforms. With the prevalence of Git and GitHub in professional programming and developer environments, getting a handle on the process can be essential.

• Free Git repository learning resource:

Hands-on learning is often the most effective, and certainly the complex nature of the Git workflow can lead to a lot of learning on the job. Thankfully Learn Git Branching gives you a fun, thorough, and best of all free learning experience that sees you applying practical skills in a tutorial interface. It’s engaging, useful, and fun, too!

Web3

• What is Web3?

Built on blockchain technology and billed by some as the future of the internet, Web3 is based on the philosophy of a decentralized world wide web, cutting out the ‘middlemen’ and returning value to the builder and user. With cryptocurrency at the center of its economy and development process, Web3 is a new industry that developers will need to get a handle on before breaking into. Need more of a breakdown? Check out our advice for preparing for Web3 here.

• Free Web3 learning resource:

Useweb3 is a constantly updating platform dedicated to helping developers breaking into the Web3 space. This free resource boasts tutorials, guides, video courses and code challenges, as well as a job board dedicated to Web3!

Solidity

• What is Solidity?

Another programming language anchored in crypto, Solidity is designed and built specifically to help develop smart contracts, primarily for the Ethereum blockchain. The terms of these smart contacts are embedded in code, which controls the verification and execution, enabling a decentralized, less risky and anonymized exchange.

• Free Solidity learning resource

Head to Crypto Zombies for a fun, interactive and free way of learning how to use Solidity to build smart contracts. An A to B tutorial disguised as a game building challenge, you’ll learn everything from the foundations of Solidity to developing your own smart contract.

Here at Adadot we are dedicated to our mission of making success sustainable, one developer at a time.