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Beginner's Step-by-Step Coding Course - Learn Python JavaScript HTML Scratch Programming the Easy Way

Beginner's Step-by-Step Coding Course - Learn Python JavaScript HTML Scratch Programming the Easy Way

DK Books

4.5 (2,139 reviews)

A visual, project-led first coding course from DK, covering Scratch, Python, JavaScript and HTML. Built for adults starting from zero, with every chapter ending in something that actually runs.

£17.61 RRP: £20.00

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Features

Learn to code without wading through walls of text

DK takes the graphic approach it is known for and applies it to programming. Every block of code is broken apart visually, with short annotated steps showing what each line actually does rather than presenting a finished listing and hoping you work it out. It is aimed squarely at adults starting from zero, or returning after a long gap away from it.

Four languages, in a sensible order

Scratch — drag-and-drop blocks that teach loops, variables and conditions before syntax gets in the way
Python — the core language of the book, used for practical scripts and small applications
JavaScript — interactivity in the browser, plus simple game logic
HTML — page structure, so the JavaScript chapters have somewhere to live

The order matters. Starting in Scratch means the first ideas you meet are the ones that carry across every language, and you meet them without fighting punctuation errors at the same time.

Project-led, not reference-led

Each chapter ends in something that runs: a website, a game, a small app. The projects are then followed by personalisation challenges, which is the part most beginner books leave out. Adapting a working program is where the learning tends to stick, and the book is built around that rather than around a language reference you would only ever look things up in.

The wider aim is computational thinking, breaking a problem into parts before writing a line of code. The content is written and checked by a team of expert coders, so the examples run as printed.

Specifications

Format: hardcover, 360 pages
Publisher: DK
Published: 2 January 2020
ISBN-13: 978-0451495242
Dimensions: 20.3 x 2.6 x 24 cm
Language: English

A Kindle edition is available for less, but the wide-format layout with code annotated across the page is the whole point of this book, and it reads considerably better in print.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this suitable if I have never written any code before?

Yes, that is exactly who it is written for. It opens in Scratch, where you build programs from labelled blocks rather than typing syntax, so you meet loops, variables and conditions before you have to worry about punctuation. Python, JavaScript and HTML follow once those ideas are in place. No prior experience is assumed and nothing beyond a standard computer is needed.

Which programming languages does it actually cover?

Four: Scratch, Python, JavaScript and HTML. Python gets the most space and is the language you are most likely to carry on using afterwards. JavaScript and HTML are taught together for browser projects, and Scratch is the on-ramp at the start. It is not a deep reference on any one of them, it is a guided first pass through all four.

Is it a children's book or an adult one?

An adult one. DK publishes coding books for children as well, and this is not one of them, the tone and the projects assume an adult reader. The visual layout does make it a reasonable choice for a parent or teacher working alongside a teenager, and it is often bought for that, but it is not written down to its reader.

How does it compare with Coding All-in-One For Dummies?

They do different jobs. This one is visual and project-led, and gets you writing working code quickly across four languages. Coding All-in-One For Dummies is much longer and denser, closer to a reference you keep on the shelf, and covers more ground including web development in depth. Start here if you have never coded, go there if you want breadth and do not mind reading a lot of prose. Prices on the two move independently, so check both before deciding.

Is the 2020 edition still worth buying in 2026?

For what it teaches, yes. It covers fundamentals, variables, loops, functions, conditionals and program structure, and none of those have changed. Python 3 and browser JavaScript are still what you would learn today, and HTML page structure is stable. You would want something newer only if you were after a specific current framework, which this book does not attempt to cover.

Is there a cheaper way to get hold of it?

The Kindle edition is usually the cheapest new option, and used hardbacks turn up well below the new price. The catch is that this is a wide-format visual book with code annotated across the page, so it suffers more than most from a small screen. If the price gap matters, a used hardback is generally the better trade than the ebook.