Last updated: July 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Julia is a fast, modern language built for scientific and numerical computing — think Python’s ease with C’s speed. The best paid course is Julia Programming Language: From Zero to Expert, and JuliaAcademy is a genuinely good free option.
- Best overall: Julia Programming Language: From Zero to Expert (Udemy, 4.4★)
- Best free option: JuliaAcademy — free, official-adjacent courses
- Best for scientists: Julia Scientific Programming (Coursera, free to audit)
- Learn Julia if: you do numerical/scientific computing and want speed — not as a first general-purpose language
Julia was designed to solve the ‘two-language problem’ in scientific computing: prototype in an easy language like Python, then rewrite the slow parts in C. Julia aims to be both — readable and high-level, yet fast enough for serious numerical work through just-in-time compilation. It has a devoted following in data science, computational research, machine learning, and quantitative finance. It is a niche but genuinely useful skill, and because the course selection is small, choosing well matters.
| Course / resource | Focus | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julia: From Zero to Expert | General Julia | A structured paid path | Udemy, 4.4★ |
| Julia Scientific Programming | Scientific computing | Researchers/scientists | Coursera, free to audit |
| Coding for Non-Programmers in Julia | Absolute beginners | First-ever coders | Gentle intro |
| JuliaAcademy | All levels | Free official-adjacent courses | Free |
The best Julia courses in 2026
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1. Julia Programming Language: From Zero to Expert — Udemy (Best overall)
The most complete paid Julia course on Udemy, rated 4.4★. It covers the language from installation and syntax through functions, types, and Julia’s multiple-dispatch system, into data handling and plotting. Enrolment is modest simply because Julia is a small field — but for a structured, start-to-finish path, this is the pick. (Julia’s 1.x releases are stable, so the material holds up well.)
2. Julia Scientific Programming — Coursera (Best for scientists)
A university course (University of Cape Town) that teaches Julia through real scientific-computing problems — data handling, simulation, and analysis. You can audit it for free. The right pick if your interest in Julia is research or numerical work rather than general programming.
3. Coding for Non-Programmers in Julia — Udemy
If Julia would be your very first language, this gentler course assumes no prior coding. That is an unusual choice — most people meet Julia after Python — but if the scientific-computing goal is clear from the start, learning it directly is viable.
Free ways to learn Julia
- JuliaAcademy (juliaacademy.com) — free courses, several taught by core Julia contributors.
- The official Julia documentation and manual (docs.julialang.org) — thorough and well-written.
- Coursera’s Julia Scientific Programming — free to audit (above).
Julia vs Python: which should you learn?
For most people, Python first, Julia later — if at all. Python has the vastly larger ecosystem, community, and job market, and is the safer general-purpose and data-science choice. Julia’s edge is speed: for heavy numerical computing, simulations, and performance-critical scientific work, it can be dramatically faster than pure Python without dropping to C. Reach for Julia when raw numerical performance matters and you have outgrown Python’s speed — not as a replacement for learning to program.
Is there a Julia certification?
No — there is no official or widely recognised Julia certification, despite the search interest. Course-completion certificates (from Udemy or a paid Coursera certificate) exist, but no industry body certifies Julia proficiency. In the scientific and data communities where Julia is used, what counts is demonstrable work: a package, a notebook, or research you have produced with it, not a certificate.
Julia courses: frequently asked questions
Is Julia hard to learn?
If you already know Python or another language, Julia is fairly easy to pick up — the syntax is clean and familiar. The genuinely new ideas are its type system and multiple dispatch, which are powerful but take time to use well. As a first language it is harder, mostly because learning resources are fewer than for Python.
Is Julia worth learning in 2026?
For the right person, yes. Julia remains a strong, growing choice for scientific and numerical computing, data science, and quantitative finance, where its speed is a real advantage. It is a niche skill with a smaller job market than Python, so learn it for what it is good at rather than as a general-purpose default.
Do I need to know Python before Julia?
No, but it helps. Most people come to Julia after Python and find the transition smooth. Because Julia’s learning resources are fewer, having one language under your belt makes the journey easier — but a motivated beginner can start with Julia directly.
Is there a Julia certification?
No official one. There is genuine search interest in ‘Julia certification,’ but no recognised industry credential exists. Completion certificates from courses are available; in practice, Julia proficiency is shown through the code and research you produce.
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