Last updated: June 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Lua is a small, fast scripting language used to extend bigger programs — games, Roblox, Redis, Nginx and more. The best course depends on why you want it. For learning Lua by building real games, Master Lua Programming with LÖVE is outstanding (4.9 stars). For the language on its own, The Complete Lua Programming Course is the most up-to-date pick. If your goal is Roblox specifically, take a dedicated Roblox course.
- Best overall: Master Lua Programming with LÖVE (Udemy, 4.9)
- Best for the language: The Complete Lua Programming Course (Udemy)
- Best for beginners: Lua Coding Basics (Udemy)
- Best for Roblox: Complete Roblox Lua (Udemy)
Lua is the quiet workhorse of programming — rarely a developer’s first language, but embedded in an astonishing range of software. It is the scripting layer in Roblox, the LÖVE game framework, World of Warcraft add-ons, Redis, Nginx, Neovim and countless games and tools. It is small, fast and easy to learn, which is exactly why it gets embedded everywhere. The courses below were chosen for clear, practical teaching, then checked individually — each was loaded and verified live in June 2026 with its rating, enrolment and last-updated date.
A note on the catalogue: Lua is a niche language, so even the best courses have smaller review counts than a Python or JavaScript course would. We have weighted that honestly. A commission never changes the ranking.
The best Lua courses in 2026 at a glance
Before you spend money on the wrong online course, read this.
I've taken hundreds of online courses and certs. Get my honest Tuesday picks — plus reader-only deal alerts.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
| Course | Best for | Rating | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Lua Programming with LÖVE | Best overall (games) | 4.9 · 3,167 ratings | Udemy |
| The Complete Lua Programming Course | The language itself | 4.4 · updated 2026 | Udemy |
| Lua Coding Basics | Beginners | 4.4 · updated 2026 | Udemy |
| Complete Roblox Lua | Roblox scripting | 4.5 · 1,701 ratings | Udemy |
1. Master Lua Programming with LÖVE — best overall
This is the standout Lua course by a clear margin — a remarkable 4.9 rating from 3,167 reviews, the highest-rated and most-reviewed Lua course we found. It teaches Lua by building real 2D games in LÖVE (a popular Lua game framework), which is the ideal way to learn a scripting language: you write code that immediately does something visible. You come away knowing both the Lua language and how to ship a small game. It was last updated in mid-2023, but Lua and LÖVE are stable, so it holds up well.
Take it on sale, as with any Udemy course. For most people who want to learn Lua, this is the one to start with.
RECOMMENDED PARTNER — UDEMY
Learn Lua by building real games
The highest-rated Lua course anywhere — 4.9 stars, 3,000+ reviews, built around the LÖVE framework.
Affiliate partnership — we may earn commission when you sign up via this link. We only recommend courses we’d send a friend to.
2. The Complete Lua Programming Course — best for the language itself
If you want Lua as a general-purpose skill — not tied to games or Roblox — this is the most current option, last updated in February 2026 with a 4.4 rating. It takes you from zero through the core language: variables, tables (Lua’s one big data structure), functions, metatables and the patterns you will use to embed Lua in other software. The review count is modest because Lua is niche, but the teaching is solid and up to date, which matters most for a language guide.
3. Lua Coding Basics — best for complete beginners
For an absolute-beginner on-ramp, this short, current course (updated April 2026, nearly 18,000 students) keeps things simple: the syntax, variables, loops and functions, with no assumptions about prior programming. If Lua is your first language, or you want a gentle refresher before tackling games or Roblox, it is a low-commitment starting point.
4. Complete Roblox Lua — best for Roblox
Roblox is where a huge number of people first meet Lua (technically Luau, Roblox’s variant), and if that is your goal, a dedicated Roblox course beats a general one. This pick — 4.5 from 1,701 reviews — teaches scripting inside Roblox Studio, building actual games rather than abstract exercises. It is the right starting point if you want to make and publish Roblox experiences specifically, rather than learn Lua for embedded or back-end use.
What is Lua actually used for?
Lua almost never runs on its own — it is an embedded scripting language, designed to add programmable behaviour to a larger host. Knowing where it shows up helps you pick the right course:
- Games — Roblox (Luau), the LÖVE framework, and scripting in engines and titles from World of Warcraft add-ons to Garry’s Mod.
- Infrastructure — Redis scripting, Nginx (OpenResty) and other high-performance servers embed Lua for custom logic.
- Tools and editors — Neovim uses Lua for configuration and plugins, and many apps expose Lua as their extension language.
- Embedded systems — its tiny footprint makes it popular on constrained devices.
So the honest framing: you rarely learn Lua to get a “Lua job.” You learn it to do something specific — build a Roblox game, script Redis, configure Neovim — and the right course is the one aimed at that use.
Is there a Lua certification?
No — there is no official or widely recognised Lua certification, and you do not need one. The courses above grant completion certificates, which are fine for your own record, but nobody hiring for Lua-adjacent work asks for a “Lua cert.” What matters is what you have built: a published Roblox game, a small LÖVE project, or a working Redis or Neovim script. Treat any certificate as a bonus and put your energy into a portfolio piece instead.
Can you learn Lua for free?
Easily. Lua is small enough that the official documentation and the free book “Programming in Lua” (the first edition is free online at lua.org) can take you a long way. There are good free YouTube series for both general Lua and Roblox, and the Roblox Creator documentation is free and thorough. Lua is one of the more learnable languages from free material alone — a paid course mainly adds structure, a project to follow and someone to learn from. Start free, and buy a course if you want the guided path.
How to choose the right Lua course
- Match it to your goal. Games → the LÖVE course; Roblox → the Roblox course; general scripting → the complete-language course.
- Weight ratings by count. Lua courses have smaller review numbers — the LÖVE course’s 3,000+ reviews at 4.9 is exceptional for this niche.
- Favour project-based teaching. Lua sticks best when you build something with it, not just watch syntax lectures.
- Start free if unsure. Lua’s free resources are good enough to confirm your interest before paying.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lua hard to learn?
No — Lua is one of the easiest languages to pick up. It has a small, clean syntax and a single core data structure (the table), so beginners can become productive quickly. Its simplicity is exactly why it is used as an embedded scripting language.
Is Lua the same as Luau (Roblox)?
Almost. Luau is Roblox’s variant of Lua, with added features like type checking. If you learn standard Lua, you will be right at home in Roblox, and vice versa — the core language is the same.
Is Lua worth learning in 2026?
Yes, if you have a specific use in mind — Roblox, game scripting, Redis, Neovim or embedding it in your own software. It is rarely a standalone career skill, but it is a high-leverage one when paired with a host platform, and it is quick to learn.
Which Lua course is best for beginners?
Lua Coding Basics for a gentle start, or jump straight into Master Lua Programming with LÖVE if you want to learn by building games — its 4.9 rating makes it suitable even for newcomers.