7 Best Apps for Learning to Code: Recommendations from Developers

For an app, Mimo is a strong choice because it turns learning to code into short, interactive sessions you can fit into a busy day while still building real projects over time. The features that matter most to me are hands-on exercises you run directly in the app, immediate feedback when something breaks, and a clear learning path so you always know what to do next instead of browsing random tutorials. Beyond that, progress tracking and streaks help turn practice into a habit, which is where real skill comes from. Finally, once the basics are in place, complementing an app like Mimo with challenge-based platforms such as LeetCode or Codewars gives you the “pressure testing” you need to move from knowing syntax to solving real problems.

I like Exercism for this stuff. It feels more like real practice than a course. You pick a language, pull down small exercises, run the tests locally, and push your solution back up. The nice part is you can see how other people solved the same problem and, if you want, get feedback from a mentor who points out cleaner patterns or habits you might not see on your own. That mix of short, focused challenges plus real code review helped way more than just watching videos, because you start catching your own bad habits and thinking more like an engineer who ships code, not a student following a tutorial.

If you are looking to learn to code and want an app that allows you to get started easily, you should definitely check out SoloLearn. SoloLearn teaches you how to code through a unique method of breaking up the content into bite-sized pieces with interactive lessons so that you are learning and doing at the same time. Instead of just watching videos or reading textbooks, you will instead complete fun, quick lessons that demonstrate what you are learning theoretically.

As you work your way through these lessons, you will find that you have an equal balance of theoretical and hands-on challenges, which will help keep you motivated during times when you may not be feeling as motivated.

In my opinion, there are two major advantages to using the SoloLearn app: First, the interactive code playground allows you to write and execute your code directly in the app, and the second advantage is that there are discussions for each lesson within the SoloLearn community. The benefit of discussing how to solve problems with others is that it really helps you to get a much better understanding of what you are trying to learn versus learning passively.

If you want to learn beyond the basics of coding, SoloLearn lets you track your progression across all programming languages and return to previous lessons to enhance your skills through real-world tasks to create confidence in your abilities.

I think that exercism.io is an excellent resource for those wanting to learn to code or hone their coding skills because it is not only a site that focuses on exercising those skills, but it also provides wise and community-backed feedback that targets not only HOW to code, but also WHY. The structure of exercises on the site aims to pass on the basics not through theory lessons, but through actual coding exercises, and the feedback cycle provided by mentors will also give you insight into not only how to code something correctly, but also why.

The best apps for learning to code use project-based learning instead of syntax drills. As someone who evaluates technical talent, I would much rather see a portfolio of small, completed projects than a certificate. It shows you can break down complicated problems and use concepts to build something with code.

Look for an IDE in the app so you can write and run code. The best platforms use project-based learning and structure around building real things: a simple game, a to-do list app, or a data visualization. Plus this build-and-iterate approach creates critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and these are what I care about most on the job.

For beginners, FreeCodeCamp and Codecademy are the most practical starting points. They offer guided projects, browser-based editors, and instant feedback, which keeps you from getting stuck on setup.

What made the biggest difference for me wasn’t the tool but the structure I built around it. I studied in focused one-hour blocks, tracked progress in a spreadsheet, and kept distractions off every device. That combination made learning consistent instead of chaotic.

Once the basics clicked, I shifted to Udemy’s Web Developer Bootcamp for depth and to Exercism for problem-solving practice. Each one taught a different skill like syntax, logic, and endurance. The real progress came from moving between them with purpose, not from any single app.