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General Discussion

Posted by Hung Nguyen
Hung Nguyen
1,016 Points

Suggest tracks/programs for pre-coding bootcamp preparation? I'm a beginner

I'm switching careers from law to tech and am going to apply to a coding bootcamp in San Francisco. I have no technical background at all and am trying to learn basics before applying since a lot of the schools have qualifications that I won't meet if I go in there unprepared (ie. Hack Reactor, App Academy, etc). I am currently on the Front End Web Development track since it delves into html, css and javascript. I finished the first program in the track "How to Make a Website" covering html and css basics and am now onto the "Javascript Basics" program.

To get my head around programming lingo/logic/syntax/etc that I will need to qualify for a coding bootcamp (and just as important, to form a proper foundation so I can succeed once I'm in a bootcamp), what other programs or tracks would you guys suggest?

Also, certain schools emphasize certain languages (ie. Hack Reactor is javascript, while App Academy is Ruby on Rails, etc). I'm going to apply to multiple schools so what languages should I focus on?

Thanks in advance.

1 Answer

Jay Padzensky
Jay Padzensky
4,731 Points
Jay Padzensky
Jay Padzensky
4,731 Points

I think it's important to keep in mind that programming languages are like a carpenter's tools- each is useful in different scenarios, depending on what you're trying to accomplish. I feel it's a good idea to do some research into what languages commonly perform what tasks, and then identify which tasks you may be the most interested in doing yourself.

Website structure? HTML and CSS. Interactivity and some web apps? JavaScript. Back End server-client communication? [lots of options, but again depends on your interests].

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the actual design of a site, but I love the interactivity part of it. JavaScript has been a language that makes a lot of sense to me, and as a result, I learn it quicker and enjoy it more, creating a positive feedback loop.

In the end, regardless of the language you opt to learn, if you're specifically looking to get into web development, HTML and CSS is a great place to start because at least some knowledge of them and their lingo are going to be critical in installing interactive features or having it communicate with the back-end. Best of luck on your coding journey!