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Scala is a key language for working with big data tools like Apache Spark, used by top tech companies.
Free courses on Coursera and YouTube offer both theory and hands-on coding, ideal for beginners and advanced learners.
Platforms like Scala Exercises make daily practice easy, helping build strong coding habits without extra cost.
Big data is everywhere. It drives apps such as Netflix, Google Maps, and stock trackers. All of this relies on some heavy-duty coding, and one of the most essential programming languages behind these systems is Scala. It works well with Apache Spark, a software that companies use to handle vast amounts of data.
Learning Scala can assist in breaking into tech careers, particularly those involving data. The good news is that there are some fantastic free courses out there:
Platform: Coursera
This course is instructed by Martin Odersky, the creator of Scala. It's delivered by EPFL (a leading university in Europe) and can be taken for free on Coursera if taking the audit is chosen. The course instructs writing clean and effective code with the functional programming paradigm of Scala.
It has approximately 50 hours of video lectures, coding exercises with grading, and provides a solid foundation for working with tools such as Spark.
Platform: Coursera
This one is a follow-up to the initial course. It assists with constructing larger and more complex programs. It shows how to tackle more difficult problems and create code that can be reused time and time again, which is an enormous time-saver when constructing large projects. It's ideal for those who already have some knowledge of Scala and wish to dive deeper.
Also Read: Top 10 Reasons to Learn Scala in 2025
Platform: YouTube – Rock the JVM
This is a YouTube series by Daniel Ciocîrlan, a software engineer. His videos are fun to watch and explain Scala 3 in a simple way. He writes real code and explains everything step by step, which makes it easier to understand.
It is derived from Scala 3, has more coding than theory, and teaches the fundamentals such as syntax, logic, and functional programming.
Platform: YouTube – Rock the JVM
After learning the basics, this video series is great for practice. It has more than 50 problems that help test how well someone understands Scala. Each problem comes with an explanation and shows how to solve it.
It’s helpful for getting better at problem-solving and preparing for coding interviews.
Platform: Official Scala Platform
This is a web-based website where students can type Scala code directly in the browser. Nothing needs to be downloaded, making it simple to begin with. It's suitable for regular practice and serves as a reinforcement of what was covered in other lessons. It covers subjects such as collections and pattern matching, higher-order functions, type inference, and classes.
Apache Spark, which is used by many large companies to process data is built in Scala. Therefore, by learning Scala, it is easier to work with Spark. Netflix, LinkedIn, and Twitter use Scala in their infrastructures, meaning learning it can lead to finding good data and backend tech jobs.
All of these courses are free and really useful. Coursera explains how Scala works from the inside. The YouTube videos teach how to use Scala in real life. And Scala Exercises is great for daily coding practice.
There’s no need for fancy computers or expensive software, just some time, internet, and interest in learning. For anyone thinking about working in tech or data in the future, learning Scala in 2025 is a smart move.
