Is Treehouse the best way to teach myself how to code?

I'm not sure if Treehouse is the best, but it's taught me enough to start my own design business, which is now taking steps to go to the next level - teach kids how to design and code with real projects. So, like Ryan, I'm a bit biased myself.. [edited update: 14 Aug 2012] we're now a cooperative, where our customers are our owners and helping to fund the future of web development. And yes, much of this owed to Ryan and his team for the inspiration.

Step 1) Learn how to think like a programmer. Learn Python the Hard Way is good for this. http://learnpythonthehardway.org/ The book "How To Think Like a Programmer" comes recommend, but I've never actually read it. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1844809005/ Step 2) Get familiar with Objective C and Cocoa The Big Nerd Ranch books are usually the best, but right now, the tools (Xcode) are changing faster than the books can keep up. Step 3) Write code If it's your first project, write a small project.  Otherwise write a slightly more ambitious project. Step 4) Learn from others Sample code is not always the best, because there are usually shortcuts taken.  Open Source code is hit or miss I've found.  Ideally, you would be working in a day job with other experienced Cocoa developers.  If you are lucky, there are Cocoa dev meetups around you. Step 5) Go back to step 3)

I found http://www.codecademy.com a great way to get into the concept of programming. You start off with basic javascript and get to learn the very fundamentals step by step. It's very nicely done and you'll get through the first lessons without much effort. Also it's free.

I'm going to be biased and say is the best way to get up to speed on any platform. http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/17/pair-programming-considered-extremely-beneficial/ Find someone you know who knows the platform/language/technology you're trying to learn (harder than it sounds in some cases) and pair.

As a current user of Treehouse, I cannot say whether it is the BEST way to learn to code but I am certainly finding it an EFFECTIVE way to improve my coding. I also identify with the ethos put forward by the team at Treehouse having read their blogs and bought some of their publications such as Execute. I would easily recommend it to anyone.

So far, After just one two months i have come from zero to a very, Very good basic understanding of Java and OOP in general along with a great understanding of Android development. I LOVE TeamTreeHouse - http://teamtreehouse.com. And recommend them EVERYWHERE I go, to ANYONE who seems remotely interested in learning the things they teach... A++ to The team IMO. but remember you also need to take advantage of ALL of the quality material (like teamtreehouse, Coursera, Khanacadamy, udacy.) you can find to fill in any missing gaps. And in no time you will be there. Im confident in my ability to land an entry level developer job as soon as i get a few more things in my portfolio i will be super confident, but even with the knowledge i have now, I am confident i could walk in and land the job.

Swift - the new iOS Programming Language is so versatile that it's perfect for people to learn to code, even if they haven't done any programming at all.  And Swift will replaced Objective-C (in time - but not so distant future) as the main tool to create iOS App.  So, I recommend to start straight-away with Swift (no need to learn C). You can find an abundance resource list to learn Swift in the following Quora: My all time favourite is a Udemy online course by a chap called Rob Percival.  In this online video course, you will learn the tool (XCode), the language (Swift), and how to practically create real apps (18 of them).  Very recommended. (link: http://crks.me/1KxoXqA). It's not free however. Alternatively check out this Quora on resources for learning iOS Development:

I have tested treehouse for a bit. The videos are good for newbies. Good but not great. Let me tell you why, based on my short trial.1 - They don't use images or slides to enable quick learning and recaps. This would be useful when teaching html features. Its mostly a text/code based approach.   2 - Many simple questions go unanswered for 1 months plus. Worse, I rarely see the treehouse staff answering questions. Even worse, I have never seen the instructors answering the questions. So, you are left to get answers from other students. They might be knowledgeable, but it seems more like a case of the blind leading the blind.3 - HUGE drawback: No project at the end of each substantial course ! They should have 1-3 projects which will test your memory and let you practice your new skills ! Yes, it can be done ! See Rob perceival's : The Complete Web Developer Course - Build 14 Websites. 4 - Often, the end of chapter/video exercises are too easy compared to what was taught in the chapter. Sometimes, they are too theoretical. Whats worse, at the end of the CSS basics course, the instructor Guil Hernandez, suggests that students can get suggestions for projects from other students. Why don't treehouse instructors suggest 4-5 sample projects themselves & provide mockups which students can convert into a real website.IMHO, treehouse needs to introduce a mentor based feature where you get mentoring to build 5-6 solid projects for your portfolio.PS: I am skeptical about the advertisements of alumni getting jobs or getting money from apps. Such ads never tell you the full story - Did the alum have a CS degree and/or prior programming experience ? Are they REALLY doing technical work at their job or mostly manual, routine work? Were they able to hold their job for at least a year ? If they made money from apps, how long did it take to earn that much money ? How much time did they have to invest into creating that app ? Was the return worth the effort ?So, take these ads with a pinch of salt.

It does depend on how you learn. I find code academy brilliant because I learn best by 'doing' - working through problems first hand, but it's nowhere near as comprehensive as something like treehouse. I used the free trial with treehouse and thats a great opportunity to see how you get on with it. Personally I don't get on so well learning from videos, which is why I didn't continue with it as some parts are video based and I didn't think I'd get the full value.