TLDR;
This video presents a curated list of five online courses designed to help viewers enhance their programming skills and advance their careers. It covers courses ranging from introductory programming to advanced system design, including options from Harvard, Princeton, and Meta. The list includes both free and paid resources, with a focus on practical application, consistency, and real-world relevance.
- CS50 by Harvard: An introductory programming course taught by Professor David Malan, focusing on computational thinking and problem-solving.
- 100 Days of Code by Dr. Angela Yu: A paid course on Udemy designed to build consistency in coding habits, primarily focused on Python.
- Algorithms by Princeton University: A course on data structures and algorithms (DSA) using Java, taught by experienced instructors.
- Meta Front-end Developer Professional Certificate: A comprehensive course on Coursera covering front-end development skills, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and UI/UX design.
- System Design by Harvard: An introductory video by Professor Malan on system design principles, covering scalability, load balancing, and data partitioning.
Udemy "Wall of Shame" [0:00]
The presenter introduces the concept of a "Wall of Shame," representing unfinished online courses, particularly from Udemy. The average completion rate for online courses is around 15%, because beginners want to see fast improvement in their skills and don’t necessarily need to know everything. Many courses are made long to appear valuable but don't provide much value for time. The video aims to highlight five online courses that offer significant value and help viewers acquire various programming skills.
CS50 - Introduction to Computer Science by Harvard [0:47]
CS50 is an introductory computer science course from Harvard, available for free on YouTube. Taught by Professor David Malan, the course has attracted over 5 million students in its first six months. It is designed for beginners and focuses on teaching how to think like a programmer, using C to teach problem-solving and critical thinking. A key component of CS50 is its problem sets, which range from basic tasks to complex projects like building a search engine.
100 Days of Code - Dr. Angela Yu [2:05]
"100 Days of Code" by Dr. Angela Yu is a paid course on Udemy designed to help learners build consistent coding habits. The course provides daily coding challenges and real-world projects, primarily focusing on Python while also introducing web development and data science concepts. It aims to make coding a daily routine, and is available for around $19 with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Algorithms by Princeton University [3:13]
The Algorithms course by Princeton University focuses on data structures and algorithms (DSA), taught using Java. Professor Sedgewick, one of the instructors, has been teaching algorithms since the 1980s and has even invented some himself. The course covers topics like sorting, searching, graph algorithms, and dynamic programming, emphasizing fundamental concepts applicable to a wide range of problems encountered in coding interviews.
Meta Front-end Developer Professional Certificate [4:38]
Meta’s Front-end Developer Professional Certificate on Coursera is recommended for those wanting to learn web development in a structured way. The course is taught by Meta staff and covers HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap, React, and UI/UX design with Figma. It also includes a section on coding interview preparation. The course costs around $270 for the certificate, but can be audited for free.
System Design by Harvard [5:59]
Professor Malan's introductory video on system design explains how to think about scalability. It covers basics like horizontal scaling, load balancing, and data partitioning, as well as more advanced concepts like security. The video is a starting point for understanding what happens between typing a URL and a website loading, bridging the gap between junior and senior developer knowledge.