My Favorite Places to Learn Web Design and Development

There are so many places today to educate one’s self, whether it be going to school, taking online courses, internships etc.. That being said, the Web Design & Development industry is and will always be forever changing and evolving and it is SUPER important to stay ahead and with the curve and continue to educate yourself. Especially if you work for a website development company like we do.

Here is a list of my Favorite Places to Learn Web Design and Development

#1. Treehouse

Treehouse isn’t free BUT like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Their premium education courses focus on the whole spectrum of web design and development from novice to expert. So far in my experience, they do the best job of walking through learning something new and really holding your hand along the way. Quizzes and achievements help keep you motivated which for any online course can be a huge factor to overcome. 
URL: https://teamtreehouse.com/ 
Cost: Basic Plan ($25/month) | Pro Plan ($49/month)

#2. Envato/tuts+

tuts+ is another premium based service BUT also offer a lot more in the way of design and multi-media. tuts+ really bring the whole package and offers more content than you could possibly digest. The monthly fees are very affordable considering the bang for your buck additionally new courses and tutorials are constantly being added.
URL: http://tutsplus.com
Cost: $15/month | $180/year | PRO: $360/year

#3. Lynda.com

Lynda.com may be the most recognizable out of the bunch since they are one of the earliest pioneers of online technology training/courseware. They contract experts from all around the world in their given profession to ensure the course you take is by one of the top leaders in the field. Great value here.
URL: http://www.lynda.com
Cost:Basic($25/month) | Basic($250/year) |Premium($37.50/month) |Premium($375/year)

#4. Smashing Magazine

Smashing Magazine is not the same as the above services, in fact, it’s not a “service” in the courseware sense at all. However Smashing Magazine has built a reputation for publishing some of the most relevant trendsetting posts in our industry. Their focus seems to be very much on User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) sensibilities and catering to best Front End techniques. On any given post, the thread of comments are a source of good debate and hot drama which really reflects the passionate visitors that this site caters towards.
URL: http://www.smashingmagazine.com
Cost: FREE!

#5. A List Apart

Much like Smashing Magazine, A List Apart has carved out quite the reputation for itself over the years. With a high threshold on quality content and posts, it’s no wonder why they get the traffic and buzz that they do. The editorial style nature of their site and articles feels very tangible and publication-like. This is a site worth bookmarking and taking advice from.
They boast their site to be:

For People Who Make Websites

They sure do 🙂

URL: http://alistapart.com
Cost: FREE!

#5. CSS-Tricks

Last but not least is CSS-Tricks. The Webmaster (do people still use that term?) Chris Coyier started off by very modest means in terms of his technological know-how and has worked his site for being one of IF not THE top ranking sites when you query Google about CSS related searches. His site has taken on many shapes and forms over the years. It began out of the necessity to log and document web techniques into a glossary of sorts for his own reference. Years later, Chris is one of the top sought after Keynote speakers in the industry and addresses and tackles things that feel like “real world problems” and scenarios.

URL: http://css-tricks.com
Cost: FREE!

What are your favorite places to learn?

Please share your favorite sites, blogs in the comments. I’d love to hear how you keep sharp in our ever-changing industry of design and technology.