11 Best Free Java Programming Courses to learn in 2024

Learn Java Programming for free in 2024 using these awesome online free Java courses from Udemy, Coursera, CodeCademy, and Educative.

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11 Best Free Java Programming Courses to learn

Hello guys, if you want to learn Java in 2024, online and by yourself, and looking for the best free Java courses then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best Java online courses and best Spring Framework courses, and in this article, I am going to share my favorite free online courses to learn Java in 2024 from Udemy, Coursera, CodeCademy, and Educative.

The Internet is full of useful resources. No matter what you want to learn there is something useful available for free. You just need to commit your time and effort. At the same time, it’s difficult to choose in the huge sea of free books, websites, and courses on the internet.

If you are not careful, you will spend most of your time browsing and changing courses without learning anything. That’s where a curated list helps. Curation is my hobby and passion. I love to read books and courses which allows me to curate useful resources and share them with you guys.

Today I’ll share 10 Java Programming Courses which beginners can use to learn Java for free.

Even though the focus is on beginner-level Java courses — because beginners are the ones who need the most guidance and help — I have tried to also include free courses which can be really useful for intermediate and experienced Java developers like this free Java Multithreading course from Udemy which is really great for both beginner and intermediate Java developers.

These are some of the really important skills, tools, and technology for experienced Java developers. If you are not familiar with them, it’s probably the right time to pick them up to boost your career and skills.

Btw, if you could spend a few bucks on learning a useful and in-demand skill like Java Programming language and looking for a comprehensive resource then I highly recommend you to check out The Complete Java Programming Masterclass course on Udemy.

This 80-hour long course is the most comprehensive and up-to-date course to learn Java online, it’s not free but you can get it for just $10 on Udemy sales which happens every now and then, as good as a cup of Starbucks coffee.

11 Free Java Programming Courses for Beginners to Learn in 2024

Without wasting any more of your time, here is my list of best online courses to learn Java for FREE. I have tried to include different kinds of courses like the free courses to learn core Java as well multithreading, object-oriented programming, etc.

I have also tried to include both hands-on and theory-based courses, as well as both video, text, and interactive courses so that you can practice online without downloading and setting up Java, which is really really great for beginners who love to start as soon as possible without any hindrance.

1. Java Tutorial for Complete Beginners [Best Free Course]

This is probably the most popular free Java course on Udemy, one of the best and my favorite online learning platform. Many people don’t know that Udemy also has free courses, which are legally free. I mean made free by their instructor and creator for education and marketing purposes.

This course probably has the first-mover advantage as more than 1.2 million people have joined this course to learn Java which is a record, but at the same time, the quality of the course is quite good.

If you are a beginner at programming or know a programming language but also want to learn Java, then you can enroll in this course. It’s FREE and I guess it always remains free on Udemy and you should join this to learn Java 2024.

Here is the link to join this free course — Java Tutorial for Complete Beginners

best free java course from Udemy

2. Object-Oriented Programming in Java [Coursera Free Course]

This is an intermediate free Java course from Coursera, another learning online learning portal that brings the best courses from the world's top universities and organizations like Google and IBM.

If you have some experience in software development or a background in computer science, then you can take this free course to learn object-oriented programming.

This is actually a Coursera specialization which is nothing but a combination of courses and projects and offers certificates after successfully completing the course, assessments, and projects.

This specialization is offered by Duke University and more than 66K learners have joined this program to learn Java. It has four Java courses to learn Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structure in Java which you can audit for free but you need to pay if you want a certificate.

After completing this specialization, you should be able to develop an object-oriented application in Java, leverage the power of existing libraries, how to build graphical user interfaces, and how to use some core algorithms for searching and sorting data.

And, the best part is that it is project-based, so you’ll get some much-needed hands-on practice and coding.

Link to Join the course — Object-Oriented Programming in Java

best free java course from Coursera

By then way, if you find Coursera courses useful, which they are because they are created by reputed companies and universities around the world, I suggest you join the Coursera Plus, a subscription plan from Coursera which gives you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects.

3. Practice Java by CodeGym (Free)

If you are looking for an online platform or a free course where you can practice Java programs and learn Java along the way, then this free Practice Java course by CodeGym is a great place to start with.

This contains free set of task by CodeGym, a popular online learning platform for Java developers. This is actually a curated collection of Java exercises that will help you grasp the syntax of Java language and core programming topics. In addition, you’ll find useful links to articles that cover the theory of Java.

If you’re a beginner and want to learn Java then you can start learning the basics and get immediate feedback on your progress.

And, If you’re a seasoned learner, it will help you estimate your current level of knowledge with additional Java challenges. Try to solve the first tasks — you’ll enjoy it!

Here is the link to join this free Java practice test — Practice Java by CodeGym

And, if you like the CodeGym platform for learning Java, which you will certainly do then you can also join their Premium Pro program which gives access to pro features access to all CodeGym quests, IntelliJ IDEA plugin, task requirements, task recommendations, and analysis of your coding style which is quite important for a professional Java developer. I highly recommend CodeGym Pro to anyone want to learn Java in depth

4. Java Multithreading [Free Udemy Course]

Multithreading is an essential part of Java programming and probably the single most important feature which separates a good Java developer from an average Java developer.

There is a high demand for Java developers who can write robust and concurrent code. They also get paid very high salaries.

If you truly want to excel in the Java world, multi-threading and concurrency is the one area you need to conquer, then this course will help you to do that at free of the cost.

Link to join the free Java course on Udemy — Java Multithreading

best free course to learn multithreading in Java

Btw, if you have a budget to spend some money on something worth learning, then Applying Concurrency and Multi-threading to Common Java Patterns By José Paumard on Pluralsight is also very good, but, of course, it’s not FREE.

You’ll need a Pluralsight membership to access the course, which costs around $29 per month/$299 per year but also gives access to their 7000+ online course library.

5. Practice Java by Building Projects [Free Udemy Course]

There is no better way to learn a new programming language than building projects. This is what I call active learning. You cannot learn by simply reading books or watching online courses until you start writing code and creating projects. This makes your mind work actively.

You get familiar with real-world requirements and then you find answers based upon whatever you have learned. In short, use this course for more involved and project-based learning.

A highly recommended free course for anyone learning Java in 2024 for both beginners and intermediate Java programmers.

Link to Join the course (FREE) — Practice Java by Building Projects

best free course to learn Java projects

Btw, if you feel that theory is bit light on this course then you can also combine this with The Complete Java Masterclass, one of the best and most up-to-date course to learn Java, but not free.

6. Java Database Connection: JDBC and MySQL [FREE]

JDBC is an integral part of Java API because most of the real world application you will create in Java will have to work with a database.

Good knowledge of JDBC is required even if you are using advanced frameworks like Hibernate, JPA, or IBatis and this course will provide you with that. It uses MySQL as an example database as it’s also free and teaches you how to work with a database in Java using JDBC.

Link to Join the course (FREE) — Java Database Connection: JDBC and MySQL

best free course to learn JDBC in Java

Overall, a perfect course for both beginners and intermediate Java developers looking to brush up their JDBC skills.

7. Java for Absolute Beginners [Free Course]

This is another beginner-level course for Java developers. If you are a computer science graduate or programmer coming from C, C++, or Python background, then you can use this course to quickly get up to speed with Java programming.

Here are things you will learn in this free Java course:

  1. Data Types, Methods, and Classes in Java
  2. Object-Oriented Programming in Java
  3. Java Collections Frameworks
  4. How to use Regular Expression in Java
  5. How to use Java API for File IO and Networking.
  6. How to use JUnit to test your Java code
  7. How to use Maven to build your Java Projects

It’s a short course, not very comprehensive but provides a nice overview from a beginner’s perspective.

Here is the link to join this course for FREE — Java for Absolute Beginners

best free course to learn java from scratch

8. Eclipse IDE for Beginners: Increase Your Java Productivity [Free]

There is no doubt that IntelliJIDEA has won the war against Eclipse to replace it as the most popular Java IDEs, but it is still a very good IDE to start with. It’s FREE and you don’t need to pay a license fee, which is required for the full edition of IntelliJIDEA.

This course is created by Chad Darby, author of the Spring & Hibernate for Beginners (includes Spring Boot) course on Udemy one of my favorite Java instructors.

Here are the key things you will learn in this free Eclipse IDE course:

  1. How to Install the Eclipse IDE on your machine
  2. How to create a Java application with Eclipse
  3. How to run and debug Java program from Eclipse.
  4. How to Generate Java Source Code using Eclipse Wizards
  5. How to Refactor and Debug Java Source Code
  6. Run JUnit Tests
  7. Import and Export Projects
  8. Add External JAR files to your Eclipse Project

As a Java developer, a good knowledge of your IDE is a must, and this course will teach you how to work with Eclipse IDE efficiently. Highly recommended for any programmer starting with Java development.

Here is the link to join this free course — Eclipse IDE for Beginners

best free course to learn Eclipse IDE for Java developers

9. Java 9 New Features In Simple Way — Overview

This is an excellent course to get familiar with — some exciting new features introduced in Java 9, like Java’s Module System, Improvement on Process and Stream API, Introduction of static factory methods for creating an Immutable collection, and many others.

If you already know Java and just want to update your knowledge to new Java features, then this is the right course for you. More importantly, it’s free, and you will find all important Java 9 changes in one place.

Link to join this course (FREE) — Java 9 New Features in Simple Way

best free course to learn Java 9 features

10. Java Programming Basics [Free Online Course]

This is another beginner-level course for Java programmers or anyone who wants to learn Java. It’s free and short, which makes it perfect for beginners to get an overview before moving on to more comprehensive and difficult courses.

If you want to learn Java and have no programming experience, you can use this course to learn both Java and programming basics.

Link to Join this course for FREE — Java Programming Basics

best free course to learn Java for beginners

11. Hands-On Docker for Java Developers [FREE Course]

Docker is becoming an increasingly important tool in the world of cloud-based applications. It allows you to deploy your Java Microservice easily on Cloud and it also makes it easy to scale your application and deploy multiple instances with few clicks using Kubernetes.

Docker also made the development easier as you don’t need to download individual Java tools like JDK, native libraries, JAR files, etc instead you can just run your application as a Docker container and it works. It seriously makes both the development and deployment of Java applications easier.

If you are interested in cloud-based Java development and leveraging containers for setting up new instances quickly, then this is the perfect course for you to start with.

Link to Join this course — Hands-On Docker for Java Developers

best free course to learn Docker for Java developers

And if you can spend some money on learning, then the Cloud Native Java book by Josh Long is a great book.

If you are keen on learning Docker and looking for more options and alternatives then you also check out this list of Free Docker Courses for Programmers on Dev Community.

12. Learn Java from Scratch [Free Educative Course]

If you are looking for interactive courses to learn Java from scratch in 2024 then you will love this text-based, interactive free Java course from Educative.

If you don’t know Educative is a new online learning platform for programmers and allows you to run Java programs right from your browser, which means you don’t need to download JDK or install any IDE, set your PATH And Classpath, instead you can just run your Java program online.

In this course, you will start with coding a hello world program and proceed to cover common concepts such as Conditional Statements, Loop Statements, Math, and Logic in Java, before moving on to more advanced concepts like Inheritance, Generics, and ArrayLists, along with much more.

After completing this Java course, you’ll be an intermediate-level Java developer, ready to take on your own projects. Given reading text is faster than watching videos, you will also learn quickly in this Java course.

Here is the link to join this free courseLearn Java from Scratch

best free interactive course to learn Java

And, if you find the Educative platform and their interactive courses useful then you can also get an Educative Subscription that provides access to not just this course but their 210+ courses in just $14.9 per month. It’s very cost-effective and great for preparing for coding interviews

Best Paid Java Online Courses for 2024

If you don’t mind paying few bucks for learning a valuable skill like Java programming language, one of the most popular programming language of world and with lots of job opportunity, here are a few paid courses which are worth their price:

  1. The Complete Java Masterclass [Udemy]
  2. Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization Certificate on Coursera
  3. Java Programming Bootcamp: Zero to Mastery
  4. The Complete Java Programming Masterclass for 2024! [Karpado]
  5. Java Fundamentals: The Java Language [Pluralsight course]
  6. Java Specialists Superpack 2024
  7. CodeGym (learn Java by building Games)

These are also my favorite online courses to learn Java programming in depth from various online platforms.

That’s all about some of the free Java Programming courses for beginners. If you want to learn Java, then these courses are more than enough to make you a Java expert.

As I said, these courses cover the vast landscape of Java programming from core Java to advanced Java, from multithreading to JDBC, and from Eclipse to Docker. Hence, it’s equally useful for beginners and intermediate Java programmers. Even experts can learn a few things from some of these courses.

And, if you like to watch videos, here is the video of the best Java courses which you can watch on the Javarevisited youtube channel

Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these free Java online courses, then please share them with your friend and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

Closing Notes

Thanks for reading this article. You might be thinking that there is so much to learn, so many courses to join, but you don’t need to worry.

There is a good chance that you already know most of the stuff, and there are also a lot of useful resources like books and tutorials which you can use.

I am a particular fan of Udemy courses as they are very affordable and provide a lot of value in a very small amount, but you are free to choose the course you want.

At the end of the day, you should have enough knowledge and experience about the things mentioned here.

Good luck with your Java journey! It’s certainly not going to be easy, but by following these courses, you are one step closer to becoming the Java Programmer, you always wanted to be

If you know any other free Java course which is not in the list but good for beginners, feel free to comment here. All the best with learning.

I am Java programmer, blogger, working on Java, J2EE, UNIX, FIX Protocol. I share Java tips on http://javarevisited.blogspot.com and http://java67.com