Autor: Codenga 15.04.2024

A coding app - what’s that?

If you are new to the concept of coding apps, spare a moment to familiarize yourself with the following explanations. And if you already know what a coding app is, feel free to skip this section.

A coding app is a piece of software that teaches you how to code. It usually comes with some kind of interactive lessons. Those lessons may include a basic theory and exercises, giving you an opportunity to learn and practice coding.

There are quite a few coding apps available - so it would be a good idea to learn a bit about each of them.

An updated list for 2024

We will do our best to include up to date information. There are some apps, like eg. Grasshopper, that’s been shut down, so it makes no sense to include them on the list. We tried to include apps that are fully supported as of the beginning of 2024.

Also, keep in mind that the prices we included, can vary due to regular promotions/sales.

Now, let’s explore the best coding apps!

Codecademy Go

Codecademy Go is a companion app for the very popular Codecademy platform. It offers a somewhat limited set of features, compared to its full-size parent. Codecademy Go works best if you need a bit of learning on the go.

Features

• Flashcards to practice new concepts
• Personalized practice
• Includes both free and paid content

Prices

Some courses are free and the full catalog is available as a subscription. A yearly subscription costs up to $239.88 per year.

Codenga

Codenga is a unique one. Not an app as such, it’s rather a web based platform, offering a vast variety of coding courses. What sets it apart from other solutions is a “pay for what you really need” model. There are no subscriptions - you pay for individual courses.

Every course comes with a lifetime access and a certificate of completion.

Features

• Vast selection of topics - about hundred of individual courses available
• No subscriptions and lifetime access
• Courses covering both the basic and advanced skills

Prices

Courses start at $2.99. The average price of an individual course is about $4.99. There are also complete Career Paths available for an average price of $25

Encode

Encode is a straightforward app, suitable for beginners. It offers you an opportunity to learn a few common languages: JavaScript, Python etc. A free version comes with a limited amount of content, and a paid version is relatively cheap.

Features

• Offline mode for learning on the go
• Straightforward, bite-sized lessons
• Limited set of language to learn

Prices

Free with in-app purchases.

Enki

Enki is geared towards people that want to learn various tech skills like data analysis, operating systems and programming. There are numerous tracks (learning paths) available. There is also an active community of learners.

Features

• Varied tech skills like data-science, spreadsheets, Git etc.
• Free version offers limited experience
• Complete learning paths

Prices

$50 per year for the self-guided track and $350 per year for the mentored track.

Sololearn

Sololearn comes with a nice selection of courses, suitable for beginners. You can learn languages like Python, Java, C++ etc. You can also learn skills like front-end development.

Features

• A pretty good selection of courses
• Basic version available for free, full access available with subscription
• Numerous quizzes and exercises

Prices

Basic courses are available for free. Full features are available for $69.99 per year or $12.99 per month.

Programming Hub

Programming Hub offers a nice gamified experience for beginner coders. There are numerous languages available for you to learn.

Features

• Interactive bite-sized lessons
• Fun experience focused on basic programming skills
• A lot of interactions and visually enhanced learning

Prices

Basic version available for free. You can upgrade to full experience for $9.33 per month, $112 per year or $375 per lifetime.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a well known non-profit org. It’s geared towards schools and various educational institutions. But it can be equally useful for individuals wanting to learn a variety of skills.

Features

• Free to learn
• Good variety of content available in various languages
• Covers topics beyond programming like math and science

Prices

Free

CodeGym

CodeGym is focused on Java language and provides a pretty extensive learning program with optional mentorship, projects etc.

Features

• Java language only
• Online community of learners
• Pretty comprehensive

Prices

About $30 per month for basic level of membership.

Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a fun app for children. It uses games, stories and other activities to encourage kids to learn the basic principles of coding.

Features

• Geared toward kids
• Fun and engaging activities
• Teaches fundamental principles of coding

Prices

Free with additional in-app purchases

Which coding app to choose?

Coding apps are very suitable for beginners - that’s where they really shine. They are a great way to learn basic coding skills like:

• syntax of the language,
• main programming concepts eg. loops, variables, functions,
• and basic programming techniques.

When it comes to more advanced skills, some of the apps unfortunately fall short. Most of them focus on the basic, aforementioned skills.

Everyone needs to start somewhere - a good coding app can make the daunting task of learning to code much easier. If you manage to fight your way through the basic skills of coding, then you are already ahead of the game.

So there is really nothing wrong with using a good app to build the foundational skills. Tons of people are using them to a great effect. You can too.

What do you need to start learning

The apps we described are usually available for both Android and iOS, requiring only a smartphone to download and run them.

Some apps are also accessible through web browsers, such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, making them available on devices connected to the internet, like smartphones or laptops.