5 best online code training platforms

CodinGame

Type : Algorithmic (any language)

To me, CodinGame is THE perfect training platform because of two of its advantages : the gamification and the variety of challenge types.

The majority of exercises are available as games, each time introduction a situation and a problemto solve with code. From landing on Mars through dual-fighting to flying a spaceship, all games are wonderful.

As different challenge types, you'll find competitions (a couple of hours with a leaderboard and partner companies offering positions and internships), classical exercises as games but also some "Clash of Code" which are super-fast challenges with specific rules (shortest code le plus court, fastest,...).

Anyway, go for it!

Link: https://www.codingame.com/

Codewars

Type : Algorithmic (any language)

How Codewars works is pretty similar to CodinGame, except that the gamification is not put forward but is putting a lot of effort into the learning progress tracking, that is why this platform is used by a lot of schools and bootcamps.

On Codewars you won't do any "challenge" but "katas" like in martial arts, and even if the progress tracking is interesting, the only reproach I can formulate against the platform is to have a slightly complicated (at least non-simple enough) user interface, which makes the navigation a bit harsh sometimes.

But it's worth it !

Link: https://www.codewars.com

Leekwar/

Type : Game and Artifical Intelligence

Leekwars is not a gamified training platform, it's purely and simply a competitive game based on programming. The goal is to program the artificial intelligence of your character yourself (a leek warrior) in order for it to win battles (turn-based) against other players AIs.

The game is easy at first but it gets way more complex as your leeks earns more experience and requires quite an algorithmic mastery to progress. The programming language is platform-specific, the Leekscript and looks like any loosely-typed language, you will learn it quite easily!

Shoutout for the french creators of the platform

Link: https://leekwars.com/

CSSBattle

Type : HTML & CSS

The concept of CSSBattle is simple : you must exactly reproduce the given example by writing HTML and CSS code, using the smallest number of characters.

Your final score will be computed according to the number of characters used and the resemblance with the given example, you will then appear in the challenge leaderboard.

The website is well-designed and works like a charm!

Link: https://cssbattle.dev/

Root Me

Type : Sécurité

Root Me is well-known in the cybersecurity world because it's a very complete training platform with around 400 challenges grouped into numerous categories and different levels of expertise.

The first exercises are quite accessible and includes unavoidable security concepts, specifically for web developers, and the level escalate quickly with documentation to read and complex concepts to study.

I think that if you want to improve you knowledge in security, this is the best platform!

Link: https://www.root-me.org