Python, JavaScript, AI: Free courses to learn IT from scratch

Where to Start

The first step is not choosing a language, but choosing a direction. Web development, mobile applications, AI, data analysis, testing, or cybersecurity — each has its own initial tools.

Once the direction is clear, you need to choose a programming language: JavaScript for web, Python for data and artificial intelligence, Kotlin or Swift for mobile development, Go, Java, or similar languages for backend.

The next issue is discipline. People who accumulate too much theory and start practicing late often stop halfway, so it is better to start writing code and storing projects on GitHub from the first week. When applying for jobs, completed projects are more important than certificates.

And now, relevant courses:

Tech Orda

A state program implemented by Astana Hub. It partially or fully covers the cost of studying in state-accredited IT schools — up to 500,000 tenge per student. Directions include programming, data analysis, cybersecurity, and design. The list of courses and schools, as well as application deadlines, are published on the platform.

Alem School

A free programming school founded in 2019, based on the model of French school 42. Learning takes place in a peer-to-peer format: there are no lectures or instructors; students solve tasks themselves and check each other's work. Admission consists of online testing and selection stages, and prior programming knowledge is not required.

Tomorrow School

An artificial intelligence school operating in partnership with 01 Edu at the Astana Hub base, a project of the Alem.ai foundation. Its directions are Go, JavaScript, Rust, and artificial intelligence. Learning is free, but only in offline format, on the Astana Hub premises; remote learning is not available.


Skills Enbek

The education platform of the Employment Market portal. There are free online courses in Data Science, Python, internet security, product, and HR management. Courses are available in Kazakh and Russian.

Samsung Innovation Campus

An international educational program offering free courses in Java and Python. It is aimed at school students and university students and is implemented in several cities in Kazakhstan. Learning takes place in both offline and online formats.

Stepik

A large Russian-language platform, the most extensive in terms of the number of free courses. In addition to introductory courses in Python, Java, C++, and SQL, it offers courses in algorithms and mathematics prepared by universities. Each topic is reinforced with interactive tasks — you can write and check code directly in the browser.

Free Courses from Google

Google offers educational materials on several platforms. Digital Garage — short free courses on digital marketing, data basics, and career skills. Google Cloud Skills Boost — a technical track for developers and engineers with practical lab tasks. Google AI for Developers — materials on working with artificial intelligence models. You can listen to Google Career Certificates programs on Coursera for free, but the certificate itself is paid.

freeCodeCamp

A completely free program in web development, data analysis, and machine learning. Learning consists of completing tasks, and at the end of each block, there are projects that can be added to your portfolio. Certificates are also free.

CS50

An introductory course on computer science fundamentals from Harvard University. Lectures and materials are open and free. The course teaches not a specific language, but the basic principles of programming — memory, algorithms, data structures. At the end, you need to create your own project.

The Odin Project

A free full-stack program covering frontend and backend. Its feature is that, along with its own materials, the course provides links to open documentation, teaching you to search for information independently. This is a skill close to the actual work process.

Hexlet

Free introductory courses in Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, and other languages. Theoretical materials are accompanied by practical tasks. The platform's main programs are paid, but the introductory section is open.

Kaggle

A platform for those working with data. In addition to short free courses in Python, SQL, and machine learning, it offers real datasets and competitions — allowing you to apply your knowledge immediately to real tasks.

Microsoft Learn

Microsoft's free learning platform. It offers learning paths in Python, C#, Azure, databases, and artificial intelligence. Materials are provided with practical tasks and guides for working in your own environment.

MDN Web Docs

Not a standalone course, but the primary documentation for web technologies. However, since it is a daily tool for any web developer, it is good to get familiar with it early — it also has free learning materials on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.