Ask HN: Do online learning tools like Code School or Codeacademy work?

You really need to analyze what you mean by "work." Everyone is different and thus their learning styles are different. Personally, Codecademy was not the answer for me in the beginning.

When I began learning to code, I would go to a website and "steal" their source code. Then take that code and upload it into my code editor. From there, I manipulated the code and watched how it changed and what it did. After doing that for a while and feeling quite comfortable, I was curious to learn more and kind of like one would look into a dictionary to understand certain words, I looked into Codecademy to understand new concepts.

To tell you the truth, Codecademy isn't the best "Code Dictionary" but it is a great way, once you have a solid base, to learn more and to make sure there wasn't anything important that you have missed.

In all truth, the best way to keep learning is by coding a lot. Build, create, fix and contribute.