Codecademy
By Susan Yudt,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Smart site gives teens hands-on experience with coding.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this website.
Community Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
No autonomy
Report this review
Incredible Application for computer coding
Report this review
What’s It About?
Designed to introduce newbies to the world of coding -- writing computer programs -- CODECADEMY provides interactive lessons on JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, with plans to expand to additional programming languages. Lessons are organized into three tracks, and users earn points and badges as they complete each exercise, which can be shared on Facebook or Twitter. Those who are already well-versed in the world of coding can also create their own lessons. Codecademy plans to expand on its social features so that users can find their friends on the site.
Is It Any Good?
Codecademy does a great job getting users to overcome the first obstacle to learning: getting started. Visitors to the site can immediately try out a simple, fun programming exercise. After a few more lessons -- and a confidence boost -- they're asked to sign up. By focusing on the hands-on experience, Codecademy keeps lessons engaging rather than didactic. On the other hand, users who don't have much coding experience might want a little more background information about the programming languages and what they can do.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how technology can help students learn. What did you find useful on this site? How might you improve it?
Who are the people working behind the scenes to make computer programs and games? How is building a game different from playing one?
Website Details
- Skills: Tech Skills : digital creation, Thinking & Reasoning : applying information, logic, problem solving, Collaboration : meeting challenges together, teamwork, Self-Direction : initiative
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: STEM
- Pricing structure: Free to try, Paid, Free
- Last updated: August 15, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Our Editors Recommend
Free Educational Apps, Games, and Websites
STEM: Apps, TV, and More for Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate