There has never been more help available for learning tech, and a lot of it is free. The problem is knowing where to start. Here's my round-up of resources worth your time, grouped by what you want to learn, plus some tips on picking the right one.
If you haven't read it yet, start with why learning tech is worth it, which covers what to learn first and how to make it stick.
Online course platforms
- Coursera and edX: courses from universities and big tech companies. You can usually watch the material for free and pay only if you want a certificate.
- Udemy: thousands of practical courses on almost any topic. Never pay full price, as there are frequent sales.
- Khan Academy: completely free, and great for the basics of computing and maths.
- LinkedIn Learning: good quality courses on software and IT skills. Some UK libraries give members free access, so it's worth asking at yours.
Learning to code
- freeCodeCamp: a free, complete curriculum with real projects and certificates.
- Codecademy: interactive lessons that run in your browser, so there's nothing to install.
- LeetCode, HackerRank and Codewars: coding puzzles to sharpen your skills and prepare for technical interviews.
Networking and IT
- Cisco Networking Academy: free introductory courses, and the home of Cisco Packet Tracer, a free network simulator. I used Packet Tracer for the pilot study in my routing protocols dissertation, and its simulation mode is brilliant for watching packets move around a network.
- GNS3: a free tool for building virtual networks with real router software. It's what I used for the main experiment in my dissertation when lockdown closed the lab.
- A Raspberry Pi: the best cheap hands-on lab there is. Try my Pi-hole project first.
Cyber security
- TryHackMe: guided, beginner-friendly hacking labs in your browser.
- Hack The Box: tougher challenges once you've found your feet.
- See my ethical hacking basics for more on getting started legally.
Communities and forums
- Stack Overflow: search it before you ask, because your question has probably been answered already.
- Reddit: communities like r/homelab, r/raspberry_pi, r/networking and r/learnprogramming are full of helpful people.
- Local meetups: check Meetup.com, or your local library and makerspace, for tech groups near you.
YouTube
Video is great for seeing exactly where to click. Search for a specific task ("set static IP Windows 11") rather than a broad topic, and check the upload date, because menus and commands change. I also share my own tech projects on my YouTube channel, FrƎƎjack Tech.
Books
Online material is great, but a good book gives you depth. Two classics for anyone getting into programming:
- Clean Code by Robert C. Martin
- The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas
Handy tools for organising your learning
- Notion, Obsidian or OneNote for notes you can search later
- Trello for keeping track of what you're working on
- Anki for flashcards, which are great for exam facts like port numbers and admin distances
How technology helps you learn
Technology doesn't just give you things to learn, it changes how you learn:
- Learn anywhere: online courses, apps and e-books mean you can study on the bus or at the kitchen table.
- At your own pace: pause, rewind and repeat as often as you need.
- Accessibility: captions, screen readers, text-to-speech and adjustable playback speed make learning easier for a lot of people.
- Simulations and labs: tools like Packet Tracer and virtual machines let you practise without expensive kit.
- Gamified learning: streaks, points and challenges (like Duolingo for languages, or Codewars for code) help build a habit.
- AI assistants: these can explain a confusing concept in a different way. Always double-check what they tell you, though, as they can be confidently wrong.
How to choose the right resource
- Know your goal. A career change, a hobby or one specific project all need different things.
- Be honest about your level. Starting too advanced is the quickest way to give up.
- Match your learning style. Videos, reading or hands-on: whatever keeps you going.
- Check reviews and dates. Tech moves fast, so make sure the material is recent.
- Decide whether you need a certificate. For a career, a recognised certification can help. For a hobby, it usually doesn't matter.
- Mind your budget and time. Plenty of the best resources are free, so try them before you pay for anything.
Final thoughts
You don't need to spend a fortune to learn tech. Pick one resource from this list that matches your goal, stick with it for a few weeks, and build something with what you learn. That's how it really sinks in.
