Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Free Code Camp VS Open Shell

Compare Free Code Camp VS Open Shell and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Free Code Camp logo Free Code Camp

Learn to code by helping nonprofits.

Open Shell logo Open Shell

Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start...
  • Free Code Camp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-23
  • Open Shell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-07

Free Code Camp features and specs

  • Comprehensive Curriculum
    Free Code Camp offers a wide range of topics, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even back-end development, ensuring a well-rounded education.
  • Project-Based Learning
    The platform emphasizes learning by building projects, which helps students gain practical experience and build a portfolio.
  • Community Support
    A large and active community provides support, encouragement, and networking opportunities through forums, chat rooms, and local meetups.
  • Real-World Non-Profit Projects
    Students have the opportunity to work on real projects for non-profit organizations, gaining real-world experience and contributing to meaningful causes.
  • Accessibility
    Completely free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection, making it an excellent resource for individuals who cannot afford paid courses.

Possible disadvantages of Free Code Camp

  • Self-Paced Nature
    The self-paced format requires a high level of self-discipline and motivation, which can be challenging for some learners.
  • Lack of Formal Certification
    While Free Code Camp offers certificates for completing certain sections, these are not as formal or widely recognized as degrees or certificates from accredited institutions.
  • Limited Personal Interaction
    Absence of personalized instruction can make it difficult for learners to get immediate help with specific problems or questions.
  • Basic Coverage of Advanced Topics
    While the curriculum is comprehensive, some advanced topics are only covered at a surface level, which may require learners to seek additional resources.
  • Technical Challenges
    Some users have reported technical issues and bugs on the platform, which can disrupt the learning process.

Open Shell features and specs

  • Customization
    Open Shell provides extensive customization options, allowing users to modify the Start menu to fit their preferences, from design to functionality.
  • Familiar Interface
    It offers a classic start menu which is familiar to users of older Windows versions, making it easier for them to navigate.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, it allows for community contributions, making it more transparent and potentially more secure.
  • No Cost
    Open Shell is free to use, providing a cost-effective solution for users who want a different Start menu experience without paying for software.
  • Regular Updates
    The project is fairly well-maintained, receiving updates that add new features and fix potential issues, improving user experience over time.

Possible disadvantages of Open Shell

  • Compatibility Issues
    There could be compatibility problems with certain Windows updates or third-party applications, requiring troubleshooting and fixes.
  • Learning Curve
    While it offers many customization options, new users might find the settings and customization process overwhelming and confusing initially.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, it relies heavily on community support rather than professional customer service, which can be a drawback for users needing prompt assistance.
  • Resource Usage
    Though generally lightweight, Open Shell can consume additional system resources, which might be impactful on less powerful machines.

Analysis of Free Code Camp

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Free Code Camp is considered a good resource for both beginners and more advanced learners looking to enhance their coding skills. Its accessibility and well-structured course offerings make it a popular choice among those who wish to learn programming at their own pace without financial barriers.

Why this product is good

  • Free Code Camp is widely regarded as a valuable resource for learning coding and web development due to its comprehensive and free curriculum, community support, and project-based learning approach. It covers a range of topics including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, data visualization, and more. The platform also emphasizes hands-on projects, which help reinforce learning and provide a portfolio of work for users to showcase to potential employers.

Recommended for

  • Individuals new to programming and web development looking for a structured yet free learning platform.
  • Aspiring developers who prefer learning through hands-on projects and real-world applications.
  • Self-learners who need a comprehensive curriculum that they can follow at their own pace.
  • Professionals in other fields seeking to transition into tech-related roles.

Analysis of Open Shell

Overall verdict

  • Open Shell is considered a good tool for those who desire a more traditional Start Menu experience on modern Windows versions. It is reliable, versatile, and generally well-received by the community for resurrecting the familiar interface from previous Windows iterations.

Why this product is good

  • Open Shell (formerly known as Classic Shell) is appreciated for its ability to bring back the classic Start Menu functionality to Windows, particularly for users who prefer the interface design and usability of older versions of Windows. It provides a customizable menu, various skins, and additional enhancements for the Start Button, File Explorer, and Internet Explorer. The software is lightweight, free, and open source, allowing for a high degree of personalization and adaptability.

Recommended for

  • Users who prefer the classic Windows Start Menu.
  • Individuals who are not satisfied with the default Start Menu on newer Windows versions.
  • Users seeking a highly customizable and lightweight menu solution.
  • Technical users who appreciate open-source software and want to tweak their system appearance and functionality.
  • Anyone upgrading from older Windows versions who wants to maintain a consistent user interface experience.

Free Code Camp videos

Free Code Camp Review - Is It Worth Your Time?

Open Shell videos

Classic Menu for Windows 10 with Open Shell

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Free Code Camp and Open Shell)
Online Learning
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Online Courses
100 100%
0% 0
LMS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Free Code Camp and Open Shell

Free Code Camp Reviews

  1. Enriching Your Portfolio

    freeCodeCamp grants certificates to candidates after they finishing a topic/chapter which can enrich your portfolio However, if you are looking/preparing for jobs, leetcode is better


How to Learn Coding in 2024: 18 Great Ways to Do It
Free Code Camp is a web development bootcamp that has helped tens of thousands of their graduates find a job at tech companies.

Open Shell Reviews

We have no reviews of Open Shell yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Free Code Camp seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 577 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Free Code Camp mentions (577)

  • The Best 100 Free UI/UX Resources for Every Designer & Developer
    FreeCodeCamp Freecodecamp.org Free coding tutorials, including responsive design and JavaScript. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • How to start learning web development for free
    Freecodecamp provides 10+ free web development courses in JavaScript, Python, front-end, and back-end that are more than enough to kickstart any developer's career.  You learn through interactive coding exercises and articles, and can participate in forum discussions when you get stuck or need help. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?
    Don't do bootcamp. Start with something like https://freecodecamp.org and take a few lessons. Try to build something from that and see how motivated you are. If you see some progress and this thing still excites you, then may be find an engineer (a friend/co worker etc) who can guide you a bit as you continue to build something. Start small and stay away from bootcamps (my 2 cents). - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • How did you first get into being a digital nomad?
    Self-learning after hours to code: freecodecamp.org. Source: over 2 years ago
  • 6 Key Tips for Beginners Learning JavaScript
    An effective way to improve your JavaScript skills is working through coding challenges and exercises. Sites like ReviewNPrep, FreeCodeCamp, and HackerRank have tons of challenges that allow you to practice JavaScript concepts by building mini-projects and solving problems. These hands-on challenges force you to apply what you learn. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Open Shell mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Open Shell yet. Tracking of Open Shell recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Free Code Camp and Open Shell, you can also consider the following products

Codecademy - Learn the technical skills you need for the job you want. As leaders in online education and learning to code, weโ€™ve taught over 45 million people using a tested curriculum and an interactive learning environment.

Fences - Keep your desktop organized with Fences. This is a simple software program that allows you to sort the tabs on your desktop and create files that are easily recognizable to you.

The Odin Project - How it works. This is the website we wish we had when we were learning on our own. We scour the internet looking for only the best resources to supplement your learning and present them in a logical order.

Classic Shell - Classic Shell was developed for Windows 8 since that was the first version of the popular operating system to forgo the iconic Start menu.

edX - Best Courses. Top Institutions. Learn anytime, anywhere.

Start Menu X - Start Menu X with Start Button. Power users know how inconvenient and time-consuming it is to launch programs from the system menu.