Unlocking Free Coding Resources for Students: A Comprehensive Guide
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Free Coding Resources
For students, having access to free coding resources is invaluable. It enables you to explore professional-grade tools and services that would typically incur a cost. Many companies recognize this need and provide students with the chance to try their offerings without charge. If you’re a student, take advantage of this opportunity to utilize some fantastic resources!
Section 1.1: GitHub Student Developer Pack
This resource is arguably the best option available for students looking to learn coding for free. The GitHub Student Developer Pack grants access to an extensive range of services, subscriptions, and credits. You can register a free domain, use cloud services, and enroll in premium courses. Highlights include:
- 1-year free domain registration on the .me TLD (via Namecheap)
- $100 in platform credit for new users (DigitalOcean)
- 12-month subscription to Canva’s Pro tier (Canva)
- Access to over 25 Microsoft Azure cloud services, along with $100 in Azure credit (Microsoft Azure)
- 6-month access to all courses and workshops (FrontendMasters)
- And much more!
Subsection 1.1.1: Personal Experience with GitHub
During my studies, I utilized this pack to launch a website under my own domain and gain access to numerous valuable courses. The knowledge I acquired significantly aided me in securing a position at Spotify.
Section 1.2: JetBrains Free Educational License
JetBrains, the creator of renowned IDEs like IntelliJ, WebStorm, and PyCharm, offers students (and educators) access to their professional versions for free.
These IDEs are my personal favorites, and I continue to rely on them daily. Throughout my studies, I experimented with various IDEs, but JetBrains products stood out as the best in my opinion. I highly recommend obtaining a license.
Chapter 2: Additional Free Platforms for Development
This first video titled "FASTEST Way to Learn Coding (for FREE) and ACTUALLY Get a Job" provides insights into how students can effectively learn coding without spending a dime.
The second video, "Learn to Code for FREE | Completely FREE Resources for Beginners," lists various resources that are completely free for beginners looking to start their coding journey.
Section 2.1: Heroku
Heroku is a platform designed for deploying applications, making it easy to launch websites or backend services. It also allows users to integrate resources like databases and monitoring tools. The step-by-step guides provided simplify the process.
Most of these services can be accessed with the free hobby tier, ideal for personal projects. I have relied on Heroku for years as my preferred service for hosting personal projects online.
Section 2.2: Unity Student Plan
Are you interested in game development? The Unity Student Plan is worth exploring. Unity is a versatile game engine utilized in creating popular games like Overcooked, Disco Elysium, and Hollow Knight.
The gaming industry is rapidly expanding, leading to a growing demand for game developers. Gaining experience with a platform like Unity will enhance your job prospects.
Conclusion
These are my top four free coding resources for students. I was amazed when I discovered these tools during my studies, and I encourage you to explore them as well. This is a prime opportunity to experiment with professional-grade tools and services.
Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or GitHub
Originally published at prplcode.dev