720 Free Online Programming & Computer Science Courses You Can Start in January

There has never been a better time to learn computer science and programming skills. Whether you‘re a complete beginner looking to learn coding fundamentals or an experienced developer aiming to expand your skill set, the number of free online courses available is staggering. Many of the best colleges and universities, like MIT, Stanford and Harvard, offer free courses taught by world-class professors. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft and IBM have also released their own free educational content. Add to that the countless tutorials, interactive coding sites, and other resources put out by developers, and it‘s clear that anyone with a computer and internet access can gain valuable programming knowledge – completely for free.

To kick off the new year, we‘ve combed through this abundance of free online education to compile the ultimate list of 720 programming and computer science courses you can start in January 2023. We‘ve categorized them by skill level – beginner, intermediate, and advanced – so there are options for learners at every stage of their coding journey. Most are completely self-paced, so you can enroll now and learn on your own schedule. A few also have set start dates in January, which are noted.

Let‘s dive into some of the highlights in each category.

For beginners, you can‘t go wrong starting with an introductory CS or programming course from a top MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provider like Coursera, edX, or Udacity. These platforms partner with leading universities to translate their on-campus courses into an online format, with pre-recorded video lectures, quizzes, projects and discussion forums.

Some of the most popular intro courses include:

• CS50‘s Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University (edX) – a broad and beginner-friendly intro to CS and programming with no prior experience required

• Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python from MIT (edX) – foundational Python programming skills taught in the context of computational thinking and basic CS topics

• Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) from the University of Michigan (Coursera) – a gentle introduction to coding in Python for those with no programming experience

• Intro to Computer Science from the University of Virginia (Udacity) – a intro to CS and programming in Python requiring basic algebra and a logical mindset

There are also excellent beginner coding courses from top tech companies:

• Intro to HTML and CSS and Intro to JavaScript from Udacity – basic web development skills taught by engineers from Google, AT&T and Hack Reactor

• Intro to iOS App Development with Swift from Udacity – app development fundamentals using Apple‘s Swift programming language, created by engineers at Google and Lyft

For those with some coding experience looking to go deeper, the intermediate courses offer a wide range of options depending on your interests. You can find in-depth courses on just about any major programming language, like Java, C++, Python, JavaScript and more. There are also great courses that focus on specific aspects of computer science, like data structures and algorithms, databases, software engineering, and web development.

Some top-rated intermediate offerings:

• Algorithms, Part I from Princeton University (Coursera) – covers the essential information that every serious programmer should know about algorithms and data structures

• Software Construction in Java from MIT (edX) – dives deep into Java and core programming topics like functional programming, object-oriented design, and concurrency

• Intro to Artificial Intelligence from Udacity – a sweeping overview of the field of AI and its applications in areas like robotics, computer vision and natural language processing

• HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers from Johns Hopkins University (Coursera) – learn the core tools of front-end web development by building a site from scratch

• Nand2Tetris Part I and II from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Coursera) – an ambitious project-centered course where you build a modern computer system from the ground up, starting with just a Nand logic gate

On the advanced end of the spectrum are specialized courses on cutting-edge topics in computer science, often at the graduate level. If you want to dive deep into machine learning, cryptography, computer vision, advanced algorithms or other advanced fields, there are a wealth of free courses available from top universities.

Some advanced courses to consider:

• Artificial Intelligence from Columbia University (edX) – a graduate-level overview of AI covering machine learning, robotics, natural language processing and more

• Machine Learning from Stanford University (Coursera) – the foundational machine learning course taught by AI pioneer Andrew Ng

• Cryptography I from Stanford University (Coursera) – an introduction to the fundamentals of modern cryptography covering encryption, digital signatures and more

• High Performance Computing from Georgia Tech (Udacity) – teaches techniques for analyzing, designing and optimizing HPC systems and parallel programming

• Convex Optimization from Stanford University (Stanford Online) – an advanced optimization course with applications in machine learning, statistics, engineering and more

Beyond courses, there are many other free resources that can help accelerate your programming skills. Interactive coding sites like freeCodeCamp, Codecademy and CodinGame provide hands-on coding practice and projects. Online developer communities like Stack Overflow, Reddit‘s r/learnprogramming and Codecademy Forums allow you to get help from other coders. Competitive programming sites like HackerRank, LeetCode and TopCoder help sharpen your problem-solving skills. And don‘t forget about the wealth of technical blogs, publications and podcasts out there to help you stay on top of the latest trends in software development.

To make the most of these free online learning resources, it‘s important to approach it with the right mindset and study habits. Set clear learning goals for yourself and block off dedicated time to study. Actively participate by completing assignments and projects, not just passively watching videos. Consider joining a study group or finding a learning buddy to keep yourself accountable. Take frequent breaks to avoid burnout, and look for ways to apply your new skills, like building your own side projects. With the right approach, you can achieve your CS learning goals without spending a dime.

As you can see, the "problem" today is not a lack of educational content in computer science and programming – it‘s figuring out where to start given the overwhelming abundance of choices. This list of 720 free online courses is a great jumping off point to find the courses and resources that match your skill level and learning goals. No matter where you are on your coding journey, you can find high-quality courses from top universities and companies to take you to the next level. So what are you waiting for? Make 2023 the year you learn to code or take your programming skills to new heights. Happy learning!