Programming is becoming more accessible every year. If earlier, in order to get into the profession, those who wanted to had to enroll in a university and spend years on methodical training, now in order to master all the intricacies of coding, just one desire is literally enough. More and more free or almost free materials are being posted on the Internet, using which it is actually possible to learn programming to a level that allows you to find a job, and the training will not take so much time. Today we have prepared a short review of the best programming tutorials of various types (from books to games and university courses), with the help of which you can not only acquire basic coding skills, but also master the knowledge and skills in programming that are the prerogative of professionals.
Author: Kay S. Horstmann One of the best books for beginners to learn Java - this is the textbook that many recommend using at the start. Much of this is due to Kay Horstmann's style: the author is really good at writing guides. Horstmann talks about Java SE 9 in simple terms, but at the same time does not simplify the structure and pays enough attention to detail. The same author has written a number of other books that cover Java 8, Scala, Java fundamentals, and other topics. “Whether you're new to Java or a seasoned developer, this guide will help you write the most reliable, efficient, and secure code of the future,” the publisher promises. A little immodest, but generally true. Core Java really does contain a lot of useful stuff for both beginners and experienced coders.
“Clean code”
Author: Robert Martin Clean Code is Robert Martin's cult bestseller, and one of the best programming tutorials in general. In this book, Martin talks about the difference between good code and bad code, why writing good code is important, and how to turn bad code into good code. After the success of Clean Code, Robert Martin wrote two “sequels” - “The Ideal Programmer” (Clean Coder) and “Clean Architecture. The Art of Software Development” (Clean Architecture: A Craftsman's Guide to Software Structure and Design). So, in “Clean Architecture,” the author talks about how to create software architecture that will stand the test of time, as well as how to get rid of misconceptions about design patterns and software architecture in general. “Clean Architecture” is a must-read for developers of all levels, systems analysts, architects, and every programmer who wants to climb the career ladder or at least influence the people who do this work. All architectures follow the same rules,” says the author.
"Perfect Code"
Author: Steve McConnell "Perfect Code" by Steve McConnell is considered one of the best practical programmer tutorials of all time. This book will definitely be on the list of must-reads for every coder. In "Perfect Code" the author examines various programming techniques and principles, talking about their advantages and disadvantages with real examples from his own experience. Even though it's over ten years old, this book will still be useful to programmers of all levels, from beginners to seasoned pros.
Games as a programming tutorial
We also looked at the best games for programmers not long ago, so here we can highlight only a few of the best programming tutorials in game form.
And here it would be right, even if a little immodestly, to put JavaRush.ru in first place. Why is JavaRush one of the best programming tutorials available? Well, firstly, the JavaRush course is made in the form of a fun online game (quest), but at the same time it is designed for an adult audience and includes a huge amount of practice (more than 1200 practical problems). The game takes place in the far, distant future, where people live on Earth along with robots, and anyone can travel through space. The player is pumping his character from level 1 to level 40. Those who successfully complete 40 levels of the game gain enough working knowledge of Java to get a job as a Java Junior (and this is confirmed in practice ). JavaRush allows almost anyone to learn Java programming from scratch and start working in this profession.
Codecombat is a fairly popular browser game that is designed to teach the basics of programming in a group of students with a teacher (there is even a special Classroom Edition), but it is also suitable for single users. In essence, Codecombat is a set of tasks and puzzles that can only be solved using program code. Allows you to learn the basics of Python, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, as well as the Lua language, which is used in game development (game development). One of CodeCombat's strengths is the fact that this programming tutorial offers players three different courses, focusing on computer science, web development, and game development.
Codewars is a popular browser game that is a set of puzzles and puzzles that allow you to practice writing code and solving algorithmic problems. For solving each problem, the user receives points, the number of which depends on the method of solution - the more effective it is, the more points. One of the best features of Codewars is the ability to study solutions to problems proposed by other users - this way you can learn approaches to algorithmic problems from more experienced and savvy colleagues. The game supports a huge number of languages, including Java - 21 languages in the main version, plus another 17 less common languages in the beta version.
Video lectures about programming
Even though coding practice is the most important thing, sometimes it is more useful to listen to professionals than to try to find answers on your own. Video lectures can also be a great way to help you advance in self-teaching programming. Fortunately, now dozens and even hundreds of hours of a wide variety of lectures on coding are available to everyone. Some worthwhile free YouTube sources include CS Dojo , TheNetNinja , and Harvard's CS50 YouTube channel . If we talk about paid content that is really worth the money, Lynda.com (which has recently changed its name to LinkedIn Learning) offers users an extensive library of high-quality and professional programming tutorials in exchange for $30 for a monthly unlimited subscription to all materials.
Java courses from Oracle
Oracle Academy's self-paced courses allow anyone to learn Java absolutely free with the help of a fairly extensive and well-structured base of training materials. For beginners, you can start with the Java Fundamentals course . This course is intended for students with little or no programming experience. The course includes an introduction to object-oriented programming concepts, terminology, and syntax, as well as step-by-step procedures for creating basic Java programs through hands-on labs. Those who complete the course will learn to program 3D animations, develop 2D games, and create Java applications. I would also like to note the excellent course Getting Started with Java Using Alice . Like the similarly titled workshop , this is a free course for people with little or no Java programming experience, designed to learn basic programming concepts while developing 3D animation in the Alice 3.1 application. Alice is a free educational introductory Java development environment created by Carnegie Mellon University.
Java MOOC course from the University of Helsinki
Java MOOC (massive open online course) from the University of Helsinki is considered one of the best courses in the world for learning Java, which is also free. Moreover, since January 2020, the University of Helsinki began publishing an updated and expanded version of this course. This course teaches the fundamentals of computer programming as well as the algorithms and concepts of object-oriented programming in Java. The course includes comprehensive materials and many exercises. The core Java MOOC course is divided into two separate parts: Java Programming I and Java Programming II. Each of these two courses consists of seven parts with its own set of exercises. Completing one part takes about 5-20 hours.
The game takes place in the far, distant future, where people live on Earth along with robots, and anyone can travel through space. The player is pumping his character from level 1 to level 40. Those who successfully complete 40 levels of the game gain enough working knowledge of Java to get a job as a Java Junior (and this is confirmed in practice ). JavaRush allows almost anyone to learn Java programming from scratch and start working in this profession.
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