The world of coding, where a large number of professionals working in the field are actually self-taught.

We’re going to start by exploring coding bootcamp for women, and why you should take one if you’re interested in dipping your toe in the programming world. Then, we’ll look at the different criteria you should use when deciding how to choose a free coding bootcamp, and give you a list of the 10 best coding bootcamps out there right now.

What is a Coding Bootcamp?

Essentially a coding bootcamp is a short, intense course designed to give you the skills you need to transition into a job as a programmer. These days, in response to the overwhelming demand for people with web development skills, coding bootcamps come in many shapes and sizes.

1. CareerFoundry Web Development for Beginners Course:

This nano-bootcamp is a perfect way to create something tangible from the start. It only takes five days to complete, and it’s entirely based on a project, where you build your own website. You’ll be introduced to all the major frontend concepts. This means creating the page using HTML for the markup, then CSS to style it, and JavaScript to make it come alive with functionality.

Despite the importance of making sure your website looks its best no matter what the size of device it’s displayed on—this is often overlooked. Responsive design isn’t just something that UI designers are responsible for—a good web developer actually makes it happen.

2. Codecademy :

A great place to start when it comes to free coding bootcamps, Codecademy uses a teaching formula heavy on the “learn by doing” approach, proving an invaluable teacher for budding developers. In fact, it was here that CareerFoundry’s own founder, Martin Ramsin began taking free courses when he was learning to code himself. Offering a huge range of paid and free options, Codecademy’s web development courses are an excellent way to learn to code quickly.

3. CodeOp :

Forced online by the Covid-19 pandemic, CodeOp offers coding bootcamps for women, transgender, and gender non-conformative people, who are looking to get into tech. As well as creating a comfortable environment for learning, this school concentrates on supporting and mentoring students through small class sizes.

Their bootcamp is broken down into live workshops on HTML & CSS, JavaScript (beginner and advanced levels), Git, and Command-Line navigation.

4. UpSkill :

 UpSkill’s “Essential Web Developer Course” is completely free and features a whopping 197 lessons to go through. In it, you’ll be getting to grips with HTML, CSS, Ruby, and JavaScript, then focusing on lots of practical elements of being a web developer through a range of tools and frameworks. All of this is carried out according to UpSkill’s founding message—to explain all of these concepts as simply as possible. They also have a JavaScript Basics bootcamp, as well as many more free and paid courses.

5. FreeCodeCamp :

This online learning platform does exactly what its name suggests, offering multiple free coding bootcamps. These can range from a Responsive Web Design Certification to ones in APIs and Microservices, Frontend Development Libraries, and Machine Learning with Python.

Perhaps even more useful  to bud web developers, is the fact that freeCodeCamp boasts thousands of coding challenges. As well as rehearsing common web developer interview questions, this is an excellent way to prepare for job applications.

6. SkillCrush :

What we like about the coding bootcamp for women is that, it will teach you  the almost obligatory HTML and CSS, and you’ll also learn how to code with WordPress, which is a prized skill. WordPress runs so many websites and blogs (including this one), and proficiency in WordPress development could be ideal for a freelance web developer, who wants to be constantly in demand.

7. MIT Open Courseware:

Their Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python course is conducted mostly over recorded lectures, with regular problem sets and quizzes being the main way of applying what you’ve learned.

While the academic setting may not be in the true “bootcamp spirit,” the course’s aim of teaching you to solve problems using computation is really useful for getting a job as a web developer.

8. Resilient Coders:

These core skills include HTML, CSS, JavaScript and multiple tools, libraries, and frameworks, with an emphasis on fluency in vanilla JavaScript—something they also recommend to learn. In addition to this, you are taught soft skills for the profession, from communication to time management, and also to complete your own freelance work for a client during the bootcamp. Truly this makes for the full package—allowing you not just to work as an in-house programmer on graduating, but also to become a freelance web developer.

9. School of Code:

An in-person 16-week bootcamp before the pandemic, like a lot of physical institutions, School of Code went to remote learning and hasn’t looked back. Based in the UK, this one is a little different to the other coding bootcamps for women on this list, most of which you can jump straight into. You’ll need to get through an application process which includes a recorded video, creating a trial program.

10. Flatiron School:

Here is another solid video-led series of classes which together make up a nice little free coding bootcamp. You’ll be taken through the basic building blocks of web and software development, all broken down into four areas—HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, and API Integration.