Java is an object oriented computer programming language (OOP) that is both class-based and concurrent. Java is designed to have very few implementation dependencies, thus it’s very flexible as it lets developers write the code just once while being able to run it anywhere making the Java application run on any platform.

Java applications are compiled to bytecode (class file) which run on any Java virtual machine (JVM) regardless of the platform it’s being used on. Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems then it was acquired by Oracle.

This post is a road map for anyone willing to start learning Java online for free from scratch, the post will present and compare between the best online sources where beginners can start from and follow along, the sources stated in this post are full structured courses so you won’t find a link to a single video or a group of unrelated tutorials.

If you just want the bottom line (the road map to learn Java) and you don’t wish to read the entire article then go to the “Bottom Line” section at the end of the article.

Start Learning Java for Free from Scratch

Udemy

Udemy is the first free source where beginners can learn Java through video tutorials; you can learn literally anything on Udemy for free or for a fee (depending on the course provider). To join Udemy just register using your email. Go to the search bar and type what you want to learn (Java in our case). The course entitled “Java for Complete Beginners” is by far the best course out there.

Structure: The “Java for Complete Beginners” course is divided into 7 sections and each section is divided into lessons (68 lessons in total), each lesson covers certain topics in Java.

Interface: The interface is quite simple just click on the lesson you want and the video tutorial will start.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. The instructor makes it very easy for beginners to follow along.
4. There are some quizzes to test your understanding.
5. The source code is available with the course.

Cons

1. The only drawback is that the course should be followed by another one to cover even more topics in Java (Advanced topics).

Verdict: This is by far the best place for any beginner to start learning Java for free through video tutorial.

The New Boston

The New Boston is the second free online outlet where beginner can start learning Java, the course on this outlet is well-structured and organized for beginners. Unlike Java you don’t need to register to have access to the course, just go to the website and you’re ready to go.

Structure: The course is divided into 87 video tutorials that cover major of the beginners’ topics in Java.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just go to the website and click on the topic you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the video’s window.

 Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. There’s a section for an advanced course.
4. It has some tutorials for some Java applications.

Cons

1. Unlike “Java for Complete Beginners” on Udemy, the source code isn’t available for download, also there are no quizzes to test your understanding.

Verdict: This is the good source for beginners to start learning Java for free from scratch through video tutorials; it also has tutorials about how to create some very primitive applications in Java “Java in action” (e.g. drawing graphics).

Guru99

Guru99 is the third free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch, unlike “Udemy” and similar to “The New Boston” you don’t need to register to have access to the video tutorials.

Structure: The training is divided into 59 training lessons; each one covers certain topics in Java. The lessons are text as well as video.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to a new window where you shall find the video tutorials.Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structure and organized for beginners.

Cons

1. The course doesn’t cover advanced topics in Java.

Verdict: This training is an excellent outlet for beginners to start learning Java through video as well as text tutorials.

Learn Java Online

Learn Java Online is the fourth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch. This is an interactive course, so you can type the code in a console in your browser and run it from there so you don’t have to install an IDE on your computer. You don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The course is divided into two sections; the basics section and the Advanced section, the advanced section is still under construction at the time of writing this post. Each section is divided into lessons and each lesson covers a certain topic in Java.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the lesson’s window.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured for beginners.
3. The interactive interface makes it easy for beginners to try the code in the browser.

Cons

1. The course only covers the very basics of Java.

Verdict: This is a good source for beginners who prefer interactive tutorials and want to get an overview about Java.

Home and Learn

Home and learn is the fifth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch. This is a text-based course; you don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The course is divided into 13 sections, each section is divided into lessons, and each of the lessons covers a certain topic in Java.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the lesson’s window.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. The course is written in an excellent way that makes it easy for beginners to follow along.

Cons

1. This is a text-based only training, which might be a problem for beginners who prefer video tutorials.

Verdict: This is the best source to start learning Java for beginners who prefer text-based trainings.

Java Made Easy

Java Made Easy is the sixth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch. This is a text based tutorial, you don’t need to register to have access to the training.

Structure: The course is divided into three sections; beginner section, intermediate section and the advanced section. Each section is divided into lessons, and each of these lessons covers certain topics in Java.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the section you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the section’s menu then click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to that lesson’s window.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-organized for beginners.

Cons

1. The course covers only the basics of Java and its more of an overview about the programming language.
2. The course is a text-based tutorial which might be a problem for beginners who prefer video tutorials.

Verdict: This outlet is more of an overview about Java and it’s suitable for that purpose only.

Tutorials Point

Tutorials Point is the seventh free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch. This is a text based course and you don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The training is divided into 4 sections, and each section is divided into topics in Java.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the topic you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the topic’s window.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is very suitable for those who want to revise a certain topic in Java.

Cons

1. The course structure doesn’t make it easy for Java beginners to follow along, as it’s structured more towards revising certain topics in Java.
2. The course is a text-based tutorial which might be a problem for beginners who prefer video tutorials.

Verdict: This outlet is suitable for those who want to revise certain topics in Java; it’s not suitable for beginners to start learning Java.

Learneroo

Learneroo is the eighth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Java from scratch. This is a text-based training; you don’t have to register to have access to the training.

Structure: The training is divided into 18 lessons, and each lesson covers a certain topic in Java, the course only covers the very basics of Java. It’s worth noting that you need to register in order to able to submit answers to challenges.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the topic you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to its window.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The challenges increase you level of engagement with the course.

Cons

1. The course is more of an overview about Java than a fully structured Java course.
2. The course is a text-based tutorial which might be a problem for beginners who prefer video tutorials.

Verdict: This outlet is more of an overview about Java and it’s only suitable for that purpose.

Bottom Line

The recipe for learning Java

1. Udemy is the best place for beginners to start learning Java through video tutorials.
2. Learn Java Online is the best place for beginners to start learning Java through an interactive course.
3. Guru99 is the best place for beginners to start learning Java through a video as well as a text-based training.
4. Tutorials Point is the best place for those who want to revise certain topics in Java.
5. if you prefer books then the free books; Thinks Java, Introduction to Programming Using Java, Sixth Edition, and Introduction to Programming in Java are your best option.

Remember that the first step is always the toughest step, and the aim of this post is to provide you with resources that will help you take your first step in Java.