Having a website is one thing, making it visually engaging is another. You might think that you need a lot of technical knowledge for the latter. While true, it is not necessarily a big and scary thing. Everybody can learn CSS and work with visual aspects of a website.
In this article, you will learn about the best places to learn CSS.
Table of Contents
What is CSS?
It all starts with a web page, which is mostly structured using HTML.
While you can use HTML codes to define each element of your content – which one is the header, which one is the paragraph, and more – we don’t recommend using HTML to alter formattings like size and color.
It is simply time-consuming. You may need to write your code all over again anytime you want to modify a web page. The formatting options are also limited.
That being said, you’ll need CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) – a language specifically used for content formatting. You can modify either a web page or whole pages on your site with only a few lines of code. There are three ways to do so, which are equally easy.
Why learn CSS?
The obvious benefit is you will have more control over your website’s appearance. What are the other perks?
- Earn money. The demand for front-end developer is high. Therefore, build your portfolio properly from the get-go and earn money soon!
- Good stepping stone. Understanding CSS makes it easier for you to learn other programming languages. If you’re constantly perfecting your skills, it may lead you to a new career option as a web developer.
- Technical knowledge. If your job is somehow related to websites, knowing about CSS will help you build a better communication stream with your designer(s),
- Save money. There is no need to hire a front-end developer. You have the expertise yourself.
As for the time required to learn CSS, it depends on the level of expertise you want to achieve and, of course, your consistency.
Mastering the basics can normally be done in two to three weeks. The more advanced you want to be, the longer it will take. We recommend nothing but to start learning right away.
Best Places to Learn CSS Online
Since CSS is very popular and essential, finding learning sources to learn from is easy. Here are our best picks.
Codeacademy is one of the most popular sources for learning programming languages, including CSS. It offers a free trial period for 7 days, after which you have to subscribe for $15.99-$19.00/month.
The CSS course itself consists of six topics and takes 15 hours to finish. It’s very useful, so we don’t recommend skipping any topics. Take your time and contact its community support should you need further assistance.
Not only will you learn to write code using its online editor but also finish several projects like modifying a page and building a portfolio site.
If you don’t have a working knowledge of HTML, Codeacademy suggests you take the prerequisite course called “Introduction to HTML”.
W3schools may have a modest user interface, but it offers a lot of thorough programming courses for free, including one about CSS.
Ranging from beginner to advanced levels, more than 300 examples are available to help you practice. It also provides you with various web templates which you can save and modify.
You don’t need to worry if you can’t solve some of the exercises. W3schools’ rich knowledge base will help you find the necessary information to learn in detail.
If you need a certificate to prove your expertise, you should consider taking the official test, which costs $95 per taking.
Shay Howe is a respected product designer and front-end engineer. Therefore, learning from this source equals to learning from an expert. Not to mention, it’s free of charge!
Unlike other sources, you will learn about HTML and CSS at the same time, which is divided into two categories – basic and advanced.
While it does have practical exercises, the course is quite heavy on text. Some may find this style boring. On a positive note, you will get a good blend of both theoretical and technical skills.
You can also buy his book on Amazon for $23.99. If you don’t think you need to, consider subscribing to his newsletter for more learning material.
freeCodeCamp is a non-profit organization that helps people learn to code. That being said, it’s obvious that the service is free, including the official certification!
To learn about HTML and CSS, you should pick a specific curriculum called Responsive Web Design Certification. Like other sources, you will learn both from the written material and practical exercises.
The interface is simple and straightforward, but responsive nonetheless. However, the course structure can be a bit confusing, as it uses specific terminologies on each course’s title.
If you care about their cause, you can help them by becoming a supporter. That means that you will donate $5 per month, taken directly from your bank account.
The last one is a bit different compared to the previous four. It doesn’t have any practical exercise, as it only contains text and reading material. How is this helpful?
Well, people do have preferences when it comes to learning something new. Some people might need to get their hands dirty from the very beginning. On the other hand, some others prefer doing a thorough reading first.
If you belong to the latter category, Zendev’s guide to learning CSS is all you need. Technically, it doesn’t have any material of its own. What it does is collecting external articles around the web and grouping them based on the same categories.
Simply put, it summarizes the best ‘literature’ sources for CSS. From the technical terminologies to online course recommendation, everything is easy to navigate!
Let’s be clear and honest. A plain-looking website is no longer tolerated the way it was before. You need to engage and entice your visitors with at least a decent appearance.
That being said, learning CSS is becoming more urgent than ever. You can take full ownership of your site’s visual, thus eliminating the need for hiring someone else, which might be too overpriced sometimes.
If you want to learn technical skills and theoretical knowledge at the same time – CodeAcademy is the answer for you.
Zandev is perfect for those, who fancy reading and don’t mind learning from different sources.
With various templates to practice on, W3schools is perfect for those, who like to get their hands dirty.