Are there any meaningful certification sites for programming?

Honestly, degrees and real projects are what's really valued. Certifications aren’t worth much in the grand scheme, except maybe the ones for AWS or Azure in certain fields, like cybersecurity or IT.

As many have pointed out, certifications don’t carry much weight in our field. If you're serious about getting noticed, focus on building a solid portfolio with actual projects, as that's what hiring managers look for.

You might find some value in certifications from sites like Coursera or edX, which offer courses and certificates upon completion, but remember they come with a price tag. Just keep in mind that genuinely skilled candidates often skip listing certifications.

In my experience, most certifications are just expensive pieces of paper. They don't enhance your portfolio; they can actually hurt it if you have no real achievements to back them up. Employers usually prefer degrees or solid project work.