Best Free JavaScript Courses and Tutorials in 2026

JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world, used by 66% of all developers and ranked first for the 13th consecutive year. Web developers earn a median of $98,090 per year in the U.S., with roughly 14,500 openings projected each year through 2034. The good news for anyone trying to break in: the free JavaScript learning ecosystem is exceptionally strong.

The bad news is that most "free JavaScript course" lists are a mess. Some entries are paid Udemy courses with a 30-day money-back guarantee dressed up as "free." Some are 90 minutes of basics that stop before functions. Some are ten years old and still teach var as the default.

This guide ranks 8 genuinely free JavaScript courses for 2026, judged on depth, currency, interactivity, and what learners actually build by the end. No paywalled "free trials" pretending to be free.

Best Free JavaScript Courses Ranked for 2026

Eight free JavaScript courses reviewed and ranked by comprehensiveness, format, and modern syntax coverage. Each entry follows the same template so you can compare directly.

Scrimba: Learn JavaScript

Best for: Hands-on learners who want to code alongside the instructor from lesson one.

Scrimba's Learn JavaScript is 9.4 hours of interactive content built in partnership with Mozilla MDN. Per Borgen teaches the course himself. Learners work through 140+ coding challenges and build four projects: a passenger counter app, a blackjack game, a Chrome extension, and a mobile app.

The course uses Scrimba's scrim format, where learners pause the screencast and edit the instructor's code directly in the browser. There is no separate IDE to set up, and no context-switching between video player and editor. Coverage includes variables and const/let, functions, arrays, objects, the DOM, fetch, async/await, and ES6+ syntax.

The course is fully free and includes a completion certificate, which is shareable to LinkedIn. For a free, structured, interactive JavaScript course taught by a tech CEO, 9.4 hours is competitive with most paid offerings.

Skip if: You prefer learning with VS Code and a local Node.js setup from day one. Scrimba's browser-based interactive format works best on a desktop or laptop, not a phone.

freeCodeCamp: JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures

Best for: Learners who want a free, recognized certificate with required projects.

freeCodeCamp's JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures certification is free and covers a substantial chunk of modern JavaScript. The curriculum is text-first: read a short explanation, complete an inline coding challenge, move on. Five required projects gate the certificate, including a palindrome checker, a Roman numeral converter, a telephone validator, a cash register, and a Pokémon search app.

Coverage spans variables, functions, arrays, objects, OOP, functional programming, regular expressions, debugging, and basic data structures. The certification project requirements force learners to build, not just complete tutorials.

The certificate itself carries less weight in hiring conversations than the projects required to earn it. The five required projects are real portfolio work, which is the actual point.

Skip if: You learn better from video or interactive screencasts. freeCodeCamp is text-only by design.

The Odin Project: Foundations

Best for: Self-directed learners who want web development context, not just JavaScript in isolation.

The Odin Project's Foundations course teaches JavaScript in the context of the broader web stack: HTML, CSS, Git, the command line, and JavaScript together. The curriculum is open-source, project-heavy, and points learners to canonical resources (MDN, javascript.info) rather than re-explaining everything.

Projects include a calculator, a rock-paper-scissors game, an etch-a-sketch, and a library app, all built with vanilla JavaScript and the DOM. The expectation is that learners use VS Code, terminal, and Git from day one, which mirrors how professional developers actually work.

The community Discord provides support when you get stuck. The trade-off is independence: lessons assign tasks and link to external readings, then expect you to figure things out.

Skip if: You are looking for guided video instruction. Odin is reading and building, with no instructor walking you through code line by line.

javascript.info: The Modern JavaScript Tutorial

Best for: Learners who prefer a documentation-style depth over video.

javascript.info is the most comprehensive free JavaScript reference online. It covers fundamentals (data types, operators, conditions, loops, functions), advanced concepts (closures, prototypes, classes, generators), browser APIs (DOM, events, forms), and patterns (async/await, modules, regular expressions).

The site is open-source and translated into more than 20 languages. Each section ends with inline exercises that include solutions, so learners can verify understanding before moving on. There is also an EPUB and PDF version available for purchase, but the full text is free online.

The depth is closer to a textbook than a course. Many experienced developers keep javascript.info bookmarked as a working reference long after they have stopped "learning" JavaScript.

Skip if: You want a structured sequence with milestones. javascript.info is a deep tree of articles, not a course you finish.

MDN Web Docs: JavaScript Guide

Best for: Learners who want the official source.

The MDN JavaScript guide is Mozilla's official documentation. It is the closest thing to a canonical reference for the JavaScript language and the web platform. Every method, property, and concept is documented with examples, browser compatibility tables, and usage notes.

For learners, the "Learn JavaScript" path is the entry point: it covers what JavaScript is, first steps, building blocks, objects, asynchronous programming, and client-side web APIs. MDN is also the source many other free courses link to or copy from.

MDN is best paired with a structured course rather than used standalone. Use MDN when you need to understand exactly how a method works or what a syntax feature does. Use a course when you need a sequence and projects.

Skip if: You want hand-holding. MDN is reference material, not a guided course.

Codecademy: Learn JavaScript (Free Tier)

Best for: Learners who like text-based interactive exercises with auto-grading.

Codecademy's Introduction to JavaScript covers variables, conditionals, functions, scope, arrays, loops, iterators, objects, classes, modules, promises, and async/await. The course runs in Codecademy's polished browser-based IDE, with auto-graded exercises and instant feedback.

The free tier is genuinely free for the lesson content. Most projects, the certificate, and structured paths require Pro, which runs $39.99 per month on the monthly plan ($19.99 per month billed annually). Compared to other "free tier" platforms in this list, Codecademy's free lesson content is unusually substantial.

The trade-off is depth. Free Codecademy lessons stop short of the projects and capstones that build real portfolio work. Pair the free tier with The Odin Project's projects, or with Scrimba's project-based Learn JavaScript, to fill that gap.

Skip if: You want all features included. Codecademy gates a meaningful portion of its value behind Pro.

Exercism: JavaScript Track

Best for: Learners who already know basics and want focused practice with feedback.

The Exercism JavaScript track is a free practice platform with 130+ progressively harder JavaScript exercises. Learners solve exercises in their own editor, submit solutions, and (optionally) receive feedback from a human mentor. The platform is fully free and ad-free.

Exercism is not a course. There is no instructor, no project sequence, no certificate. What it offers is volume: a steady supply of small, focused problems with solution discussions and community feedback once a problem is solved. This is closer to a coding gym than a curriculum.

It pairs well with any of the structured courses above. Many learners finish a course like Scrimba's Learn JavaScript or freeCodeCamp's certification, then continue practicing on Exercism to keep skills sharp.

Skip if: You are starting from zero. Exercism assumes basic programming knowledge.

freeCodeCamp YouTube: Full JavaScript Courses

Best for: Passive video learners who prefer one long tutorial.

The freeCodeCamp YouTube channel hosts multi-hour JavaScript courses by experienced instructors. Many are full-length re-uploads of paid bootcamp content released for free, including a 12-hour JavaScript course and various "JavaScript for beginners" series.

YouTube delivery has obvious limits. There are no inline exercises, no IDE integration, and no automatic grading. Learners need a separate setup (VS Code, browser console, or an online sandbox) to follow along. It is also easy to watch passively without writing code, which builds the false sense that you understand more than you can actually write.

The upside is zero friction and zero login. For learners who want a single long-form tutorial in the background while commuting or cooking, YouTube is a low-stakes way to absorb syntax.

Skip if: You suspect you will watch without coding along. Pick an interactive option instead.

Free JavaScript Courses Compared

The summary table below ranks each course on the dimensions that matter most for choosing a free option: actual cost, project work, and certificate availability.

Of the eight, four are guided courses with a defined sequence (Scrimba, freeCodeCamp's certification, Odin's Foundations, Codecademy). Two are reference-style learning resources (javascript.info, MDN). Two are practice tools (Exercism, freeCodeCamp YouTube).

What Should a Good Free JavaScript Course Cover?

A free JavaScript course is genuinely good when it covers modern JavaScript and gets learners building real things. The minimum coverage in 2026:

• Variables (let, const), data types, and operators
• Conditionals, loops, and functions including arrow functions
• Arrays and objects, plus modern array methods (map, filter, reduce)
• Scope, closures, and the this keyword
• The DOM and event handling
• Asynchronous JavaScript: Promises, async/await, the Fetch API
• ES6+ features: destructuring, spread/rest, modules, classes
• At least 2-3 hands-on projects the learner builds end-to-end

Watch for the red flag of any course that still teaches var as the default or treats callbacks as the primary asynchronous pattern. Modern JavaScript has been let/const and async/await since ES2017. The MDN JavaScript reference is the source of truth for what counts as current.

A second red flag is the absence of projects. Reading or watching JavaScript without building something is the well-known "tutorial hell" pattern. A course that does not have you build projects or applications is a course that is teaching syntax in a vacuum.

How to Choose the Right Free JavaScript Course

The right free JavaScript course depends on how you learn and what you want at the end. Five common scenarios:

• Want guided, interactive learning with a structured path? Scrimba's Learn JavaScript (9.4 hours, MDN partnership, four build-along projects, free certificate).
• Want a recognized free certificate with required projects? freeCodeCamp's JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures.
• Want a complete web development curriculum, not just JavaScript? The Odin Project's Foundations course.
• Prefer reading to watching? javascript.info for tutorials, or MDN Web Docs for reference.
• Already know basics and want practice? Exercism's JavaScript track.

These resources complement each other. A common path: start with one structured course (Scrimba, freeCodeCamp, or Odin), use javascript.info or MDN as a reference when stuck, and continue with Exercism for ongoing practice once the course is done.

What to Learn After a Free JavaScript Course

Finishing a free JavaScript course is the start of frontend work, not the end. The next steps that matter most:

• Build 2-3 portfolio projects. A to-do app and a calculator are not enough. Pick a project with real complexity: a CRUD app with a backend, a tool you actually use, or a clone of a small SaaS feature.
• Learn React. React is used by 44.7% of all developers and is the most-used frontend framework at 83.6% usage. Scrimba's free Learn React course is 15.1 hours, taught by Bob Ziroll, and is the longest free React course currently available.
• Learn TypeScript. Most React job postings now expect TypeScript. Scrimba's free Learn TypeScript (4.2 hours) covers the basics.
• Move to a structured career path. After the free courses, Scrimba's Frontend Developer Path (81.6 hours, MDN-aligned) is the structured route to job-ready. Pro is $24.50 per month on the annual plan ($294 per year), or $49 per month monthly. Region-based discounts and student rates are available.
• Or go deeper into vanilla JavaScript. Scrimba's Advanced JavaScript course (9.8 hours, Pro, taught by Tom Chant) covers closures, prototypes, and patterns that most beginner courses skip.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free JavaScript course in 2026?

Scrimba's Learn JavaScript is the most comprehensive interactive free option: 9.4 hours of build-along content taught by CEO Per Borgen, built in partnership with Mozilla MDN, with a free completion certificate. For free certification with required projects, freeCodeCamp's JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures is the strongest alternative.

Can I really learn JavaScript for free?

Yes. JavaScript is used by 66% of developers worldwide, and the free learning ecosystem is exceptionally strong. Scrimba, freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, javascript.info, and MDN are all free and good enough to take a learner from zero to entry-level employability with consistent practice.

How long does it take to learn JavaScript for free?

With consistent daily practice, 3 to 6 months to build functional web applications. Scrimba's Learn JavaScript is 9.4 hours of instruction and typically takes 3 to 6 weeks with practice projects. freeCodeCamp's full JavaScript certification takes most learners 2 to 4 months of regular work.

Do I need to know HTML and CSS before learning JavaScript?

Yes. JavaScript runs in the browser and manipulates HTML and CSS. Most JavaScript courses assume basic HTML and CSS familiarity. Scrimba's free Learn HTML and CSS (5.7 hours, Per Borgen, also part of the MDN partnership) is a common starting point before tackling JavaScript.

Is the freeCodeCamp certificate worth anything?

The certificate itself carries less weight in hiring than the five required projects used to earn it. The projects (palindrome checker, Roman numeral converter, telephone validator, cash register, Pokémon search app) are real portfolio work, which is the part that actually matters.

What is the best free interactive JavaScript course?

Scrimba's Learn JavaScript is the longest interactive free JavaScript course, at 9.4 hours of scrims where learners pause and edit the instructor's code in the browser. Codecademy's free tier and Exercism are the runners-up, both text-based with auto-graded exercises rather than video-style interaction.

Key Takeaways

• The strongest free interactive JavaScript course in 2026 is Scrimba's Learn JavaScript (9.4 hours, Per Borgen, MDN partnership, free completion certificate).
• For free certification with required projects, freeCodeCamp's JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures is the strongest alternative.
• The Odin Project, javascript.info, and MDN are the strongest free reference resources for self-directed learners.
• Avoid courses that still teach var as the default or skip async/await. Modern JavaScript has been let/const and async/await since ES2017.
• JavaScript remains the most-used programming language at 66% of developers, with web developer median pay at $98,090 per year.
• Natural progression after a free JavaScript course: free React (Scrimba's Learn React, 15.1 hours), TypeScript, then the Scrimba Frontend Developer Path or Advanced JavaScript.

Sources

• Stack Overflow. "2025 Developer Survey: Technology." https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2025/technology
• State of JavaScript. "2025 Libraries Report." https://2025.stateofjs.com/en-US/libraries/
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Web Developers and Digital Designers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
• Mozilla. "MDN-Scrimba Partnership." https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/blog/mdn-scrimba-partnership/
• Mozilla Developer Network. "JavaScript." https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript
• javascript.info. "The Modern JavaScript Tutorial." https://javascript.info/
• freeCodeCamp. "JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures Certification." https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures-v8/
• The Odin Project. "Foundations Course." https://www.theodinproject.com/paths/foundations/courses/foundations
• Codecademy. "Introduction to JavaScript." https://www.codecademy.com/learn/introduction-to-javascript
• Codecademy. "Pricing." Accessed May 2026. https://www.codecademy.com/pricing
• Exercism. "JavaScript Track." https://exercism.org/tracks/javascript
• Scrimba. "Learn JavaScript, Learn React, Frontend Developer Path, Advanced JavaScript." Self-reported course data from scrimba.com. Accessed May 2026.