We’ve researched all the MOOC providers to find the best online course to learn data structures and algorithms free and paid. While you learn for free, it doesn’t offer you the certificate, which is essential. This is done to make it easy for you to find all the best courses in one place.
By referring to this article, you can find the right course to learn data structures and algorithms online. The data structures and algorithms course listed here are from Coursera, edX, and Udemy. The course listed here is at all levels – beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners.
There are few prerequisites for learning Algorithms and Data Structures. That is learning one of the programming languages and essential knowledge of discrete mathematics.
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Best Online Course to Learn Algorithms and Data Structures Free and Paid
This list includes both paid and free, while the paid course comes with a Certificate. Don’t be hasty in making your decision to choose the right course. Spend about 10-20 minutes in this article to find the class that is suitable for you to learn.
In a Hurry?
If you don’t have much time, use the below links to find the best training tutorial to learn data structures and algorithms online. Rest assured we only recommend the best course:
–Best Data Structures and Algorithms Specialization Course
–Knows Python and want to learn Algorithms
–Get this course if you know C# and enroll in this if you know C and C++.
–If you’re looking for a totally new Beginner class in Algorithms and Data Structures.
Data Structures and Algorithms Online Course for Beginners
1. Introduction to Java Programming: Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms – edX
This introductory tutorial is one of the best to learn data structures and algorithms online. Here you master Java programming language with ease. Along with Java, the course material is designed to teach you the fundamentals of Algorithms and data structures.
If you are good with Java programming language and already have some experience, then this course is the best choice. The subjects covered here are lists, stacks, queues, trees, searching, and sorting. Also, the course language is in English, but the transcript is available in Spanish and English.
Key takeaways of this course:
- All the topics are covered in detail by the instructors.
- Best suitable if you already know Java and want to learn more about Data Structures and Algorithms.
- Learn to develop and use linear data structures.
- Learn for free and only pay if you want to add a verified certificate.
- It is perfect for beginners with java background.
Over 33k learners and counting have enrolled in the course. You can complete this course over 5 weeks by dedicating 5-7 hours per week.
2. Algorithmic Design and Techniques – edX
This is an introductory course in the Algorithms and Data Structures MicroMasters program and is the first module. Here you can study all the ideas and algorithmic techniques to solve computational problems.
By taking this course, you learn to design new algorithms and solve computational problems. This is the first part of the MicoMaster course. Take this course if you want to learn the essentials of Algorithms and Data Structures. Once you complete this, you’ll become more confident in taking the MicoMaster program.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Study how you can sort data to help with searching.
- Break the problem into small parts and learn to solve them recursively.
- Learn to use dynamic programming in genomic studies.
- Study all the essential algorithms technique.
- Learn the best practice of implementing algorithms.
- Get trained in testing and debugging programs.
The module covers for 6 weeks, and you need to dedicate bout 8-10 hours per week to complete. Over 37k students have enrolled in this course and benefitted from the course.
3. Foundations of Data Structures – edX
This course is the basic one to understand what algorithms and data structures are. This subject is the best one and stays forever if your goal is to become a software developer. Upon taking this course, you will start by learning the basics of data types and their importance. You can take this data structure course if you have basic programming skills.
After getting an overview of data structures, the instructor will continue to cover sequences, trees, sets and maps, graphs, and different types of sequences. Since this is an introductory class on data structures, don’t expect that it covers every topic. To learn the topic completely, you should consider taking Data Structures and Algorithms Specialization in Coursera.
Key takeaways of this course:
- A good course to start, especially if you are a beginner.
- Learn different types of sequences – Strings, Stacks, and Queues.
- Study how you can create tress to make the decisions.
- You will get more understanding of organizing the data efficiently.
- Learn to create data structures with only limited knowledge of programming. But it would be great if you already know to program very well.
The course can be completed in 6 weeks. But for this, you should spend 1-2 hours a day. Over 50k learners have signed up for this course so far.
4. Algorithms: Design and Analysis by Stanford Online
This is a self-paced online training to learn Data Structures and Algorithms developed by Standford University. Since Algorithms is the heart of computer science, you learn the subject with utmost concentration. This is a perfect course for beginners who have no idea what algorithms are. It also gives you detailed information on their practical applications.
It comes with 6 multiple choice quizzes and 6 programming assignments to make sure you’ve learned enough with explicit instruction. After completing this course, you will become confident in clearing interview rounds, and the path for your career opens up. Also, it would be great if you have little experience in programming languages such as Python, C, or Java.
Key takeaways of this course:
- You will be confident in the interviews and have a chance to clear the round.
- The concept of sorting and searching will be easier for you in the future.
- Learn to design algorithms with best practice.
- Study about data structures to store the information needed for programming.
You can get this course to learn Algorithms and Data Structures for free. But you’ll have to pay for the verified certificate, which adds more value to your resume. This course can be completed in about 6 weeks, and over 9k students have enrolled.
5. Data Structures and Algorithms – The Complete Masterclass
If you are wondering how to learn Algorithms and Data Structure from scratch, then don’t worry. This course is specifically designed to provide knowledge on the subject. By learning it, you will be able to write a clean code that can be understood by anyone.
There is no prerequisite to take this course, and anyone who is interested in the subject can enroll. The goal of this course is to make you a professional programmer who can write ethical codes. It also makes you confident on the subject to clear the interview rounds and lands a job.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn to choose the right data structures when coding.
- Get an overall understanding of the fundamentals of Data structures and Algorithms.
- Understand the concept of Hash tables, Arrays, Trees, Graph, Linked Lists, Stacks, and Queues.
- Learn how to use popular algorithms when needed.
This course has a total of 7.5 hours of video training and 24 downloadable study materials. The average rating of this course is 4.7 out of 5 by over 1k votes.
6. Algorithms and Data Structures in Python
If you know to write a Python programming language, then this course is for you. It is designed explicitly for Python programmers. After learning the basics of data structures, you proceed to study graph algorithms.
Every video begins with the theoretical teachings on the topic and then explores by writing the code with step-by-step instructions in Python. It is an excellent course if you want to understand the data structures and algorithms.
Key takeaways of this course:
- You will get a good grasp of knowledge on the data structure and algorithm.
- Gain training to become the best in algorithmic thinking.
- Able to develop your own algorithms.
- Correct the inefficient code by learning to detect it.
It comes with 14 hours on training sessions on the subject. The course is rated 4.3 out of 5, and over 12k students have enrolled in this course.
Data Structures and Algorithms Tutorial for Intermediate Level
7. Data Structures and Algorithms Specialization – Coursera
Data Structures and Algorithms Specialization course is available in Coursera. The University of California San Diego and National Research University developed this course to provide students with a detailed study guide. To be honest no other course comes as close to this one. The specialization certification course comes with 6 courses and two real-world projects. You’ll gain the certification after completing the projects.
The instructors have invested over 3000 hours in developing this course. It includes challenges to solve problems instead of multiple-choice questions, and it has 100 algorithmic coding problems to solve. Every algorithm you develop will go through a particular test to check if it is correct. That is why this course outshines all other classes.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Consists of two real-world projects to give you an edge in learning.
- A comprehensive course that has about 100 coding challenges.
- Break the massive problem into small pieces to recursively solve them.
- Learn how data structures are applied in various programming languages.
- Learn the concepts of Algorithms on graphs and strings.
- After learning basic algorithms, you will proceed to learn advanced topics on the subject.
The approximate time to complete this specialization course is about 5 months. It is one of the best online resources to learn Data Structures and Algorithms. And it has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 by over 11k learners.
8. Data Structures by UC San Diego
Algorithms and data structures is a significant subject, and one needs to train well on the subject. And every good algorithm will have good data structures. You will see how common data structures are used in many problems. Study how they are applied in different programming languages.
This course conists of programming assignments where you will learn to use the data structures in the programming language. This will guide you to understand in detail what is happening. By teaching you the use cases of data structures, you become an expert in no time. In this course, you will see how Dropbox can upload large files and save space. This will give you an edge in understanding the subject.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn the basics of data structures and study the fundamental building blocks.
- Study what trees are and how it is used in Computer Science.
- Analyze the performance of algorithms by using amortized analysis.
- Store and modify the set of objects by learning to implement data structures.
The course covers for 6 weeks, and you need to invest about 26 hours of time in completing the course. The average rating stands at 4.7 out of 5 by over 2.5k students.
9. Algorithms Specialization Course – Coursera
Stanford developed this Algorithms Specialization Course that consists of 4 courses in it. It covers many practical applications to learn Algorithms and intellectual depth of coverage on the subject. By taking this course, you will undergo rigorous training to think just like a computer scientist would. You can enroll in this course even if you have a little background in programming.
By the end of the tutorial, you will master the fundamentals of analysis and design of algorithms. It also includes many types of assessments and practice sessions. Also, further learnings are done by completing the weekly programming assignments by using one of the algorithms.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Primary topics of the subject cover asymptotic notation, sorting and searching, and randomized algorithms.
- You can take this course even if you’ve little programming experience.
- Get a detailed outline of the Graph search and shortest path.
- Learn Data Structures to solve problems.
- Understand what NP-completeness means to algorithm designers.
Since this specialization consists of 4 courses, you would have to spend about 4 months to complete. Over 6k learners have rated this course at 4.8 out of 5. Complete all the hands-on projects to earn a certificate in Algorithm specialization finally.
10. Algorithms and Data Structures in C# by Microsoft – edX
Microsoft developed the course on data structures and algorithms and made it available in edX. You will earn a solid foundation on the subject with this course. Using a C# programming language, you learn algorithms and data structures. Because C# provides many ways of data structures using arrays. Get this course if you know the C# and concepts of Object-Oriented Programming in C#.
It is vital for your program to hold the information you provide; hence learning data structure is essential. You will understand how C# language is used to keep many information using simple data structures. The exciting thing is Microsoft is the one who developed the C# programming language. Hence they will teach you very well on the subject with this course.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn the algorithms and data structures using C#
- Understand how the data structure is used to hold many pieces of information.
- C# provides simple and complex data structures.
- Learn to use data structures and how to sort and search algorithms work in C#.
- Developed by Microsoft.
You can complete this course in 3 weeks by studying for 3-5 hours in a week- an excellent course to signup for if you already know C#.
11. Algorithms and Data Structures by Microsoft
This course is suitable if you are familiar with object-oriented java programming. Microsoft developed this course aiming Java developers. Learn and compare the functional algorithms and data structures and how it works. You will dive deep into the fundamental concepts from the beginning and get all the details on the subject.
This curriculum includes some of the famous algorithms and equations, so you get an idea. It also includes online videos and demos of coding. You will end the course by completing the final project of creating an app.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn algorithms and the real-life stacks of famous algorithms.
- Self-paced online videos and demos are included.
- Get an in-depth lecture on the stacks, queues, and linked lists.
- Learn everything about the algorithm analysis.
- Become better in writing algorithms and follow best practices.
You can complete this online course on algorithms and data structures in about 5 weeks.
12. Algorithm Design and Analysis – edX
The University of Pennsylvania developed the course Algorithm Design and Analysis and is available in edX platform. Get an overview on the fundamentals of algorithms and data structures. Then learn many techniques and best practices to design an algorithm. The video training is excellent and interactive.
You should have prior knowledge of discrete maths, basic probability, and Java. Only then you can benefit from this course to learn Algorithms design. By the end of this course, you can design accurate and efficient algorithms using data structures. You can learn this course for free and add a verified certificate to provide value to your resume.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn how you can represent data efficiently in the ways you need to.
- Get solutions to several optimization problems.
- Learn to analyze the efficiency of the algorithms.
- Study algorithms and operate on common data structures.
- Get the grasp of greedy algorithms and understand it better.
Over 35k learners have signed up for this course to learn algorithms design online. The course curriculum covers the subject over 4 weeks, and that’s about a month to complete the course.
13. Algorithms by IIT Bombay
You may not know that Algorithms are used by the most prominent web companies and many startups. As the saying goes, you can make it if you are good at algorithm thinking. The course is designed to teach how you can think about algorithms and create them using some of the sophisticated techniques.
This course is part of the Fundamentals of Computer Science, which is a good option if you want to start learning programming, algorithms, and data structure from scratch. You will gain knowledge to solve problems using algorithms with data structures. The algorithm topics covered in this course is Numerical, String, Geometric, Graph, and Sorting and Searching,
Key takeaways of this course:
- Solve real-world problems using algorithms with relevant data structures.
- Learn the structure of essential algorithms.
- You can design a scalable system by using algorithms and data structures.
- Outstanding instructors who carry many years of experience on the subject.
Over 57k learners have enrolled in this course and started learning algorithms. You too, can benefit by signing up. The course can be completed in about 6 weeks.
14. Data Structures Fundamentals – edX
Learn the fundamentals of Data Structures from basic to advanced levels. You’ll begin by learning all the basic concepts of data structures that will be used in the entire course. The video lessons from the instructors are interactive and easy to understand.
To get the most out of this course, you should know one of the programming languages and discrete mathematics. There are 6 modules in this course each for a week.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn the arrays and linked list, which are the basic building blocks of data structures.
- Understand how you can study the dynamic arrays.
- Learn the robust technique of hashing and its applications.
- Know the applications of data structures.
- Study the basic structure of binary trees.
The course covers for the duration of 6 weeks, and you can complete by dedicating 8-10 hours per week. Over 39k students have enrolled in this course to learn and understand the fundamentals of Data Structures.
15. Algorithms, Part I by Princeton University
Princeton University has developed 2 part course in Algorithms, and this is the first one. It covers all the essential knowledge on the subject to teach you algorithms and data structures. If you want to ace your career as a Software Developer, then this learning is a must. The teaching of algorithms in this course uses Java programming language, so if you know Java, go for it.
Part one covers the foundational knowledge of sorting, data structures, and searching algorithms. Algorithms, part I covers the subject in detail and has over 32 hours of training content. We’ve covered the part two in the below section make sure you go through about that as well. You can enroll in this course for Free from Coursera.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Completely 100% free course with great subject content.
- Provides the introductory training on the Algorithms and data structures.
- Teaches a technique on developing and analyzing algorithms.
- Analysis of Algorithms involves creating mathematical models to explain their behavior.
- Learn and understand elementary sort, mergesort, and quicksort.
- Develop a symbol table for search and insert operations.
By learning 6-10 hours/week, you can complete this course in about 6 weeks. 98% of the students have found this useful and has 4.9 ratings out of 5.
16. Algorithms, Part II by Princeton University
This is the part two of the Algorithms course by Princeton University. You can take this right after completing the part one algorithms. It covers the advanced topics and goes further into the subject. Just like the Algorithms – Part I course, this too requires you to know Java programming language.
The focus of the part tow is to teach you more on the Algorithms and Data Structures. It covers graph- and string-processing algorithms. This is the free course and should be taken only if you’ve programming experience and have completed the Algorithms – Part I course.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Free course to learn algorithms and data structures.
- You should know the Java programming language.
- Learn two different types of algorithms for searching a graph (depth-first search and breadth-first search).
- Learn to implement the Kosaraju−Sharir algorithm for computing.
- Understand what is a minimum spanning tree problem and use a greedy algorithm.
- Perfect 5 start course rated by over 1k students.
The course curriculum covers for 6 weeks, and you need to spend about 33 hours to complete the course. The average rating of this course is 5 out of 5 by over 1k students.
17. Data Structures and Algorithms: Deep Dive Using Java – Udemy
If you’ve had some knowledge of working with Java programming language, then you can take this course. The instructor gives a brief overview of each topic only about what you need to know. Then the focus will shift to provide you implementation so you can apply in future programming projects.
By finishing this course, you will have good knowledge of both theory and implementation. Learn to write code by watching the videos side-by-side to get a piece of good working knowledge.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn the pros and cons of many data structures, so you choose a suitable data structure for your applications or data.
- You will explore several algorithm types to solve different problems.
- Code implementation of each data structure is studied.
- The entire source code is provided to you and available for download.
The entire course is 16 hours long, which you can complete in your own time. Over 5k students have voted 4.5 out of 5. More than 30k students have enrolled in this course.
Algorithms and Data Structures for Advanced Learners
18. Analysis of Algorithms by Princeton University – Coursera
Princeton Developed Analysis of Algorithms course and is available for free to learn in Coursera. Princeton University is the most reputed one in the world, and their instructors are best in class. You get to learn calculus, which will help in getting accurate predictions.
You will get to learn about generating functions and real asymptotics. Then you proceed to learn further on the symbolic method in Algorithms and underlying structures. Some topics covered here are strings, permutations, words, trees, and mappings. Since you don’t get any certification after completing the course. If accreditation is what your goal is, then this is not the one.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn the history and scientific approach of algorithm performance.
- Understand the oscillatory behavior of the divide-and-conquer in algorithms.
- Understand the importance of recurrences, generating functions, and asymptotics.
- Study the different types of trees and their conditions.
- 100% online self-paced course that supports flexible deadlines.
This is an advanced course, so before enrolling, make sure you have intermediate knowledge on Algorithms and Data Structures. The course content covers for about 15 hours of content. It is rated 4.6 out of 5.
19. MicroMasters Program in Algorithms and Data Structures – edX
UC San Diego developed this MicroMasters course to study Algorithms and Data Structures. It is available in edX platform, and there is hardly any course with so many details and topics covered.
Enroll in this course if you want to earn a certificate and add value to your career. There are 8 courses in this MicroMasters program and needs 9 months of training. Since this is seld-paced, you can even complete it for less than 9 months.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn to apply the best technique to solve algorithmic problems.
- Use programs to work in less than a second.
- Learn to test and debug the code.
- Analyze the running time and prove the accuracy of your algorithm.
- It comes with a capstone project to complete based on your learnings.
- Study NP-complete problems to solve problems using algorithmic techniques.
This course will take about 9 months to complete the course. It includes every topic on the subject of Algorithms and Data Structures. We recommend that you should take this course as it is one of the best online courses to learn Algorithms and Data Structures.
20. Mastering Data Structures & Algorithms using C and C++
You should know C and C++ to take this Algorithms and Data Structures online course. Even if you already know some of the topics, it will still help you understand other concepts that you may have missed.
By taking this course, you improve your problem-solving skills and your analytical skills. It teaches you line-by-line coding, and you can follow the same from your end.
Key takeaways of this course:
- You will develop analytical skills on Data Structure to efficiently use them.
- Learn several popular Algorithms and Data Structures.
- Able to Implement data structure using C and C++
- You also study recursive algorithms on data Structures.
Mastering Data Structures & Algorithms using C and C++ course consists of over 50 hours of training. Also, it has about 184 resources to download. Over 26k students have enrolled in this course. The average rating of this course is 4.6 out of 5.
21. JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures Masterclass
If you are working with Javascript and have basic knowledge of its syntax, you’re good to take this class. You also need prior knowledge of data structures. The instructor teaches a complete topic on recursion, which is an essential topic.
It also teaches you to follow a 5 step approach to solve any coding problems of any difficulty level. Also, you learn 6 different sorting algorithms and become a master in no time.
Key takeaways of this course:
- Learn to ace your interview with the knowledge you gain in this course.
- Learn to implement more than 10 data structures from scratch.
- Become a reliable developer and improve your problem-solving skills.
- Study the recursion problems and recursion sets.
This course can be completed in about 22 hours of time. It consists of 80 downloadable resources and more than 80 exercises to complete. More than 44k learners have enrolled in this course and has 4.7 ratings out of 5.
Summary
Now that you’ve learned the list of the best course to learn Data Structures and Algorithms, don’t forget to share it with your peers. We have chosen only the best courses by performing thorough research so that you’ve less time to look and more time to study.
By taking any of the courses, you will have a chance to get a better salary or change your career.
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