The problem with Codecademy (and most programming instruction) is that users are learning in a vacuum with no real direction. Learning for the sake of learning

The problem with Codecademy (and most programming instruction) is that users are learning in a vacuum with no real direction. Learning for the sake of learning rarely works, unless you're an autodidact extraordinaire. Maybe I'm completely wrong, but in my experience, I learn best by doing -- specifically when working toward a concrete goal. Codecademy is a decent option if you just want to refresh or pick up the basic syntax of a language. But for in-depth learning -- as with all things in life -- you'll learn best by doing, especially if you need to know that certain something to progress.