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  • If you find yourself at home with a lot of free time on your hands, consider learning the basics of coding.
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  • Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates said he loves Khan Academy and Code.org.
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  • Here are eight free online courses on everything from JavaScript to SQL, from the platforms recommended by Gates.
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  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

To help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, millions of people across the globe are practicing social distancing and staying indoors.

Others may have more time on their hands because of unemployment. More than 1.1 million people filed for unemployment last week, per the Labor Department's most recent report. If you find yourself at home with hours of free time and no idea how to spend it, consider taking up an in-demand skill: coding.

The great news is that there are plenty of resources out there to learn. But which class should you choose?

Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, who taught himself how to code, has shared a few online learning platforms he loves. They include Khan Academy and Code.org, which each have hundreds of videos and classes in computer programming.

Khan Academy's "videos are a tremendous resource on topics ranging from basic arithmetic to complicated subjects like electrical engineering," Gates said.

Here are eight coding classes from some of his favorite platforms that are perfect for beginners.

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