Last updated: July 2026. Written by the OnlineCourseing editorial team. See our review methodology.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Object-oriented programming is best learned inside a language you’ll actually use, not as abstract theory. Pick the OOP course that matches your language — Educative’s interactive Learn Object-Oriented Programming tracks are the most current all-round option.
- Best for: Beginners past the basics of a language who want to write organized, reusable code — and anyone heading toward Java, C#, or Python roles.
- Top pick: Educative’s Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Java (or Python), taught interactively in the browser.
- Skip a paid course if: your language course already covers OOP well — many do.
Object-oriented programming (OOP) is the dominant way most mainstream software is structured: you model your program as objects that bundle data and behavior, using classes, inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism. The concepts are universal, but they only click when you apply them in a real language — which is why the best approach is an OOP course in the language you’re learning or working in. The picks below cover the major OOP languages.
The best OOP courses 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 | Language | Format | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Java | Java | Interactive text | Educative |
| Object Oriented Programming in Java | Java | Video + certificate | Coursera |
| Learn OOP with Python | Python | Interactive | Codecademy |
| C# Intermediate: Classes, Interfaces & OOP | C# | Video | Udemy |
| Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Python | Python | Interactive text | Educative |
1. Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Java (Educative) — best overall
Educative’s interactive Java OOP track is our top all-round pick because of its format: you read a concept and immediately run code in the browser, which suits OOP’s abstract ideas well. It covers classes and objects, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, and abstraction with hands-on examples, and it stays maintained. Java is the classic teaching language for OOP because it enforces the paradigm, making it a natural place to learn the concepts cleanly. Educative offers the same track in Python if that’s your language.
RECOMMENDED PARTNER — EDUCATIVE
Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Java
The four pillars of OOP — encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction — taught interactively in the browser. Python version available. Maintained and beginner-friendly.
Affiliate partnership — we may earn a commission when you enroll via this link, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend courses we would send a friend to.
2. Object Oriented Programming in Java (Coursera) — structured, with a certificate
This Coursera course (from Duke University and UC San Diego) teaches Java OOP in a graded, video-based format with a shareable certificate. It’s a good fit if you want university-backed structure, deadlines, and a credential, and it pairs well with the broader Java specialization it belongs to.
3. OOP in Python and C# — for your language
If you work in Python, Codecademy’s Learn OOP with Python is a hands-on, interactive path, and Educative’s Python OOP track covers the same ground in text form. For C#, Mosh Hamedani’s C# Intermediate: Classes, Interfaces and OOP (4.5 stars, 41,000+ ratings) is a well-regarded classic — note it was last updated in 2019, but C#’s OOP fundamentals haven’t changed, so the material still holds up.
Free ways to learn OOP
Most good language courses teach OOP as a matter of course, so you may already have free material in hand. Beyond that, freeCodeCamp’s curriculum covers OOP in JavaScript and Python, the official Java and Python tutorials both explain classes and objects, and university lectures on OpenCourseWare cover the theory. A paid OOP course mainly helps if your language course glossed over the concepts or you want a focused, single-topic treatment before moving on to design patterns.
Is there an OOP certification?
No — there’s no standalone object-oriented-programming certification, and none is expected. OOP is assessed as part of general programming ability in interviews and take-home tests. The Coursera Java course above gives you a certificate of completion, which is fine for a LinkedIn profile, but the real signal is code that demonstrates clean class design.
What to look for in a good course
OOP is a stable topic, so course quality is about the language fit and how hands-on it is. Look for:
- Your target language. OOP concepts are universal but expressed differently per language. Learn them in the language you’ll actually write.
- The four pillars, applied. A good course doesn’t just define encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction — it has you use them in real classes.
- Hands-on practice. OOP clicks when you design your own classes. Interactive or project-based courses beat lecture-only ones.
- A bridge to design. The best OOP courses point you toward composition, SOLID principles, and design patterns as the next step, rather than stopping at inheritance.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four pillars of OOP?
Encapsulation (bundling data with the methods that operate on it), inheritance (deriving new classes from existing ones), polymorphism (one interface, many implementations), and abstraction (hiding complexity behind simple interfaces). Every OOP course covers these four; understanding them is the core of the paradigm.
Which language is best for learning OOP?
Java and C# are the classic choices because they enforce OOP structure, making the concepts explicit and hard to skip. Python is gentler and very popular, though it lets you write non-OOP code too. Learn OOP in whichever language you’re already using or targeting for work.
Do I need to learn OOP before design patterns?
Yes. Design patterns are built on OOP concepts — classes, interfaces, inheritance, and composition — so you should be comfortable with OOP first. Once you are, our design patterns guide is the natural next step.
Is OOP still relevant with functional programming rising?
Yes. OOP remains the dominant paradigm in most mainstream languages and codebases. Functional programming is growing and worth learning too, but the two coexist — many modern languages blend them — rather than one replacing the other. See our functional programming guide.
Related course guides
Design Pattern Courses • Functional Programming Courses • Best Java Courses • Best Coding Courses