coding help

Larry Jimu: The top 10 websites I use when I’m stuck

As a new, or even experienced, programmer, you’re going to run into difficulties. That’s why, as a former HyperionDev student, I’ve put together this useful list of the top ten websites for coding help. I’ve divided this list into two sections: five websites and five YouTube channels. I hope you find these websites as useful as I find them.  


  1. Stack Overflow

Ah Stack Overflow. The number one go-to location for all programmers. Stack Overflow is the most popular social network for developers worldwide, with over 4.7 million users. The beauty of Stack Overflow is that it allows you to ask custom-made questions to a community of capable developers. Members in the community are rewarded for providing the solutions to these problems, meaning you are more than likely guaranteed to receive a response to your coding question. Also, it hosts questions in numerous programming languages, platforms, and services – the top ones among them are JavaScript, Java, C#, PHP, Android, jQuery, Python, and HTML.


  1. Reddit

There is nothing you cannot find on reddit, and that is also the case for serious programmers who value useful information. Reddit is made up of thousands of communities that host discussions about particular interests and topics, including  programming languages, computers, the Internet, and more. When I have a problem, the useful communities I visit include r/Python, r/AskComputerScience, r/programming and r/dailyprogrammer.


  1. Tutorialspoint

Tutorialspoint is a digital library where you can learn a wide variety of software technologies. The library is divided into many useful sections including ‘Latest Technology’, ‘Machine Learning’, ‘Web Development’, ‘Java Technologies’, and so on. I often visit Tutorialspoint when there’s a particular topic I have not yet fully grasped, since their material is dummied down to the point where you can teach what you see there to a monkey.


  1. MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT OpenCourseWare offers courses from MIT professors to anyone with a thirst for knowledge, free of charge. Complete with video lectures, activities, and much more, you can’t beat access to free state-of-the-art learning on the fly. I highly advise the MIT Open Courses for anyone who wants to gain a more in-depth explanation for programming concepts.


  1. CodeRanch

CodeRanch is a discussion board for programmers. It’s an ideal place for novices to learn the basics of Java, Android and iOS programming, as well as posting queries about the things with which they need help. Sub-forums on databases, computer engineering, and other languages, including Python in Machine Learning, are also available. One can easily register, join a sub-forum, ask questions, and reply to unanswered questions.


YouTube Channels

  1. Colt Steele

Without doubt, the number one YouTube Channel I recommend for all programmers is Colt Steele. He is a very experienced tutor who lectures on his coding bootcamps in the USA. His videos incorporate a wide range of topics including Full Stack Web Development, Python, React, Node and several other Computer Science platforms. I highly recommend his videos to anyone who needs basic and easy-to-understand explanations for the most complex problems.


  1. TheNewBoston

TheNewBoston has more than 4,200 videos and over2.4 million subscribers. TheNewBoston is arguably the single best resource for anyone who wants to become a programmer. The tutorials in this channel cover a range of different programming topics including developing for Android and Web design. Bucky Roberts is the guy who manages the channel and teaches the lessons, using a teaching style best described as entertaining and simple. He makes me feel very comfortable whenever I’m stuck with coding.


  1. Treehouse

Treehouse, a YouTube channel run by teamtreehouse,is one of the most popular programming tutorial resources on the Internet. On Treehouse, you can find programming tutorials on PHP, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Apple’s Swift programming language, and C++. Teamtreehouse offers lessons on numerous topics including coding in C# and Python. Treehouse has over 332 videos and more than 154,000 subscribers.


  1. Programming Knowledge

Here you will find a variety of videos aimed at new programmers. The tutorials on Programing Knowledge range from an Android tutorial for beginners to Python, Java, and C++ tutorials. Among the resources is a C programming tutorial that is widely considered the best course in that language that you will find anywhere. The channel (along with the ProgrammingKnowledge blog) is owned by Yogesh Patel. The sheer number of videos – over 1,000 of them – is incredible, and all of them are geared towards beginners, making this one of the first channels that anyone who gets stuck in coding should bookmark. Programming Knowledge has over 443,000 subscribers.


  1. java Brains

JavaBrains is a popular YouTube channel, probably because the focus of this channel is simple yet precise. It’s a channel entirely dedicated to free Java tutorials. The Java programming language is known for its usefulness in building Android apps, server-side applications, web applications, and much more. So, the Java Brains channel provides video courses on Java essentials, enterprise Java courses, Java EE courses, and many more. There are even some JavaScript and AngularJS courses as well.


In conclusion, it is inevitable for a developer to need coding help. Like the great Sylvester Stallone said, “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward.” When that bug hits me with everything it has, I hit back and keep moving forward, using one of the resources listed above.


This post was written by Larry Jimu. 

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