CS50: Introduction to Computer Science (Harvard)

CS50: Introduction to Computer Science (Harvard) is the gold standard for beginner programming courses, with over 4 million enrollments since its 2020 launch. It outperforms #2's theoretical focus by emphasizing hands-on C, Python, and SQL projects, each graded through automated robustness tests. The 12-week syllabus includes two full-day hackathons, a data point that surpasses the typical 8-week online course structure.