Learning To Code With Coding Bootcamps - The Ultimate Guide

The demand for software engineers

We’re going through a coding education (and coding bootcamp) boom!

And with good reason.

Programmers are in high demand.

A career in software development can be incredibly rewarding and lucrative.

From working full-time for some of the biggest and most innovative technology companies—to freelancing, with a flexible schedule and the skills to support many clients with their technology needs.

Developers are needed on projects such as designing, building, and maintaining a business’ website, to developing complex web applications and databases.

There are many opportunities to apply coding skills in every industry—marketing, healthcare, finance etc.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects a 25% growth for software development jobs over the next decade.

It also notes the median annual wage for software developers as $120,730.

So how do we fill all these jobs?

Enter coding bootcamps.

 

What is a coding bootcamp?

Coding bootcamps are accelerated education programs focused on teaching job-ready coding skills.

They’re more cost effective than four-year university programs.

Coding bootcamps are a clear response to the barriers created by traditional computer science education.

Learning to code has historically been time and cost prohibitive.

The traditional path to web development jobs has started with a 4-year college degree.

These often cost $100,000 or more.

It’s a major commitment.

Oftentimes the college courses don’t give the tangible, real-world skills you’d need to hit the ground running after graduation—not to mention the accumulation of student debt.

Let’s break down the details of the many factors to consider when deciding to attend a coding bootcamp.

Can anyone learn to code?

We like to say that anyone can learn to code—but a life-long career in coding isn’t necessarily for everyone.

It helps if you have strong analytic skills and are detail oriented.

But you don’t need any hard skills out of the gate to learn to code.

For starters, ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I like problem solving?
• Do I like to follow instructions to build things?
• Do I like to persevere and focus on a problem until I solve it?
• Do I like being a continuous learner?
• Do I like (or think I’d like) working with technology?

 

Did you say, “yes,” to all these questions? If so, then that’s the first step, since these soft skills are inherent in any software engineer.

Coding can take on many forms.

You can write code for a major software company to build, maintain, and support their product’s robust feature set.

Or you can leverage HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to develop new websites.

You can even use software development for physical hardware like robots and drones.

All these interesting opportunities require different skills, coding languages, and years of experience.

As a result, it’s not about whether you can learn to write code or not.

It’s about if these fields and work experiences are enough to keep you motivated, satisfied, and coming back day after day.

 

Can you teach yourself to code?

Technically “yes,” you can learn to code on your own.

But the truth is that very few people succeed in trying to teach themselves to write code.

There’s more to becoming a successful software developer then just learning the code syntax.

It’s having guidance on what programming languages to start with, how to troubleshoot an error, how to avoid logic errors, and spot bugs.

Plus, you’ll learn different, and more efficient ways to develop.

There are many free online resources available that help beginners learn the basics, and some go beyond the fundamentals.

But no off-the-shelf coding course is going to hold you accountable, push you to excel, or cheer for your success.

That’s why even expert developers don’t go it alone.

They join online communities, meetup groups, and have go-to resources they can turn to when they get stuck.

You can be brilliant at the fundamentals but having a community to exchange ideas and solve problems is key to gaining well-rounded coding expertise.

Learning shouldn’t be a solitary experience; it’s more effective when it’s collaborative.

 

Coding Bootcamp vs. Computer Science Degree

It can be hard to properly compare attending a coding bootcamp versus getting a computer science (CS) degree.

The best way to compare them is by their main goals, how they equip students, and the return on investment.

CS programs focus heavily on theory.

They create generalists with deep skills around algorithms and programming concepts.

This is fantastic foundational training and is key for complex programming.

However, you can’t build anything with it.

It’s like teaching someone about architectural blueprints and building concepts, but not giving them the hammer and nails needed to construct the house.

In contrast, coding bootcamps are all about applying specific skills.

They’re hyper-focused on teaching students a software language, and to be job ready.

Rather than focusing on complex theory, coding bootcamps are more practical.

They help students understand the syntax, dependencies, and execution of the software, along with triaging skills.

To use our earlier analogy, coding bootcamps give you the hammer and nails to build the house, while also exposing you to the blueprints.

CS degrees generally take four years to complete, whereas coding bootcamps can take as little as four weeks, depending on the course’s scope and content.

Bootcamps don’t require math courses, foreign language courses, or liberal arts courses.

They immerse students on the main topic of the programming language, at a much more affordable cost.

 

How do coding bootcamps work?

Traditionally, coding bootcamps have worked in one of two ways: purely online or purely in-person. Both methods have pros and cons.

The traditional coding bootcamps are full-time in-house experiences.

They take the classic classroom approach of teacher-to-student learning with an intense focus on coding education.

While these programs are immersive, their full-time nature generally means students have to quit their current jobs to attend.

They can cost $10,000 or more, making them cost prohibitive.

Some also require students to take on debt to start learning.

Also, in-person bootcamps tend to be based only in major metropolitan areas.

In fact, 50% of all bootcamps in the United States are based in just 10 cities.

For an individual who is not working and has discretionary money to spend, the traditional in-person bootcamp model may work.

But it’s inflexible, making it an unlikely option for most students who want to learn to code.

The other classic model is online-only coding bootcamp courses.

While they solve a lot of the pitfalls created by traditional in-person coding bootcamps, they also have their challenges.

On the one hand, they’re extremely flexible.

You can do them on your own as time permits, and you can complete the courses no matter where you’re located.

At $100 per course, they’re very affordable.

But there’s zero time pressure to complete them, and zero accountability as well.

That’s why, despite the cost and flexibility, only 5% of students complete them.

More recently, a new coding bootcamp model has emerged: the community coding bootcamp.

It blends the traditional online and in-person formats to take advantage of the best that each has to offer.

Coursework is done online but with access to a dedicated instructor.

This gives individuals the flexible learning schedule along with the support of an experienced instructor.

Students can continue their day jobs and other responsibilities.

In this hybrid model, students are part of a local community of students all taking the same coding bootcamp.

They meet every weekend for bootcamp workshops.

Students work together and with an instructor to practice, troubleshoot, and reinforce that week’s lessons.

This blended approach closely mimics the day-to-day workings of an actual developer who frequently works with both an in-house and remote team.

The core of the learning is done online.

Instructors are usually working developers themselves which keeps the training fresh with the knowledge needed in the current job market.

Additionally, instructors contribute to course improvements and new content, ensuring that the heart of any curriculum is up to date.

Instructors get rated and receive constant feedback to ensure quick and constant adjustments.

This ever-evolving, ever-improving curriculum ensures that bootcamps stay current and focus on skills much-needed by employers.

Unlike the typical online models, community coding bootcamps are structured to keep students accountable.

Learning modules tend to span 4 to 5 weeks, and each module includes weekly homework assignments with fixed deadlines.

Each member of the community is working towards that deadline and leverages their instructors and weekend sessions to gain the help they need to complete their work.

Through this approach, students are constantly learning and achieving milestones during the entire bootcamp.

At less than $2,000, this hybrid model offers an affordable, flexible option that keeps students engaged, encouraged, and accountable.

 

 

How long are coding bootcamps?

As with anything, the more you want to learn, the longer it will take.

Whether we’re talking about the in-person, online, or hybrid community bootcamp, that mantra holds true.

The shortest bootcamps are around 4 weeks.

They usually cover the basics such as HTML and CSS.

Longer bootcamps can take 3-6 months, and cover front end, back end, or full stack web development.

Other important considerations are location and full-time versus part-time.

Traditional in-person coding bootcamps can be 6 months of full-time, in-classroom learning.

In contrast, community coding bootcamps might also be 6 months, but they’re a blend of part-time and weekend training.

They’re the same duration as in-person bootcamps but offer far more flexibility.

 

What languages do coding bootcamps teach?

JavaScript:

The best way to start your journey into web development is with JavaScript, a popular programming language that has helped standardize the way websites and applications are built.

JavaScript runs code so quickly that a server version called NodeJS was later developed.

With these developments came an entirely new idea—a universal language that could be used for all situations.

That’s why JavaScript is usually at the heart of any versatile coding bootcamp program.

Regardless of a student’s interests—developing websites, mobile apps, or applications for PCs and Macs—JavaScript serves as a fundamental building block for all of them.

 

HTML and CSS:

For coding bootcamps focused on web development, you’ll generally start with HTML and CSS.

HTML, hypertext markup language, is the standard language used for creating web pages and web applications.

If you want to build websites, you need HTML. Alongside HTML is CSS, cascading style sheets.

CSS is used to describe the general format, look, and feel of web pages, which is why these two go together.

JavaScript is then added to make websites dynamic, interactive experiences.

Bootcamps focusing solely on HTML, CSS and JavaScript teach the fundamentals needed before moving to a more advanced level.

 

Bootstrap:

If you’re interested in the user interface and user experience of websites and applications, look for front end coding bootcamps.

These bootcamps usually start with bootstrap, which is a giant collection of reusable bits of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code.

Bootstrap was developed by Twitter in 2011 to help build websites that would look great regardless of the device—phones, tablets, or laptops.

This was the origin of the term “responsive design” meaning sites that automatically adjust to look good and remain usable regardless of screen size.

Keep in mind that Bootstrap is limited to a site’s visual elements, not the data.

 

React and React Native:

React is the most popular JavaScript library.

React helps developers build functional user interfaces by creating HTML-like elements.

These reusable React components can be combined to make a more complex user interface.

This can be anything from a product catalog to a check-out process, to even ratings and reviews.

Coupled with React Native, you can extend your knowledge to build mobile apps, too.

React Native lets you package a website into a mobile app, meaning it can be offered on Apple’s App Store or Google Play, the world’s largest app repositories.

 

NodeJS and MongoDB:

So far, we’ve primarily talked about websites, mobile apps and user-facing experiences.

If you also have an interest in how applications and sites are architected, a full stack coding bootcamp could be the right fit.

These bootcamps usually include NodeJS, a critical language for creating database operations, user authentication, and application logic.

Additionally, you’ll often see training on MongoDB where you store all the data to build your web applications.

 

SQL:

Structured Query Language (SQL) is a database programming language used for querying and updating data in relational databases.

It’s typically used by software developers and database administrators to work with large datasets.

However, SQL can also be used by non-technical users to query a database for specific information.

 

Python:

Python is used for web development, data science, machine learning and more. Python development is incredibly fast due to its simplicity.

It has many libraries with ready-made features for developers to use.

This makes it flexible, so developers can focus more on creating new functionality.

 

GitHub:

Full stack bootcamps often assume you’ll be working with a team of developers. So, they’ll usually include training on GitHub.

GitHub is a tool that allows multiple developers to work on the same code.

It keeps track of who changed what, and provides services to merge the code back together.

It’s an industry standard and a tool you’ll want to know.

 

Coding bootcamps teach a variety of languages.

When thinking about which programming languages you should learn, consider your goals and interests for wanting to learn programming.

Are they oriented around designing websites?

Do you want to work on front end user experiences?

Are you more interested in building and maintaining the databases and back end infrastructure of websites and applications?

Or maybe all the above.

Knowing your goals will help you identify the right languages, and the right coding bootcamp for you.

 

 

Will attending a coding bootcamp get you a job?

As with anything, it takes time, energy and focus to get results.

But companies are hiring coding bootcamp graduates.

And a lot of very prestigious Fortune 500 companies are among them.

Many are specifically seeking candidates who received their technical education in a non-traditional way—such as a coding bootcamp instead of a computer science degree.

Coding bootcamps are designed to give you the fundamental skills you’ll need in an entry-level web development role.

After completing a full stack coding bootcamp, you’ll have the skills needed for junior-level web developer positions.

In fact, 78% of Nucamp’s full stack graduates were hired into these types of jobs.

As with any career progression, these entry-level positions are a great start for your professional development.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Not everyone that enters a coding bootcamp wants to be a developer.

Flexible, affordable training lets students dip their toe in the water to see if it’s right for them.

Students that work hard, learn the skills, and find they have a passion for coding do move on to new developer jobs.

Others pick up the languages but realize it’s not the right day-to-day job for them.

But they’re now equipped with a new skill set to make them more professionally well-rounded and marketable.

Coding isn’t just for engineers.

Many coding bootcamps offer career services after graduation.

This includes resume writing, mock interviews, and job search assistance.

You’ll still need to study and practice on your own to get comfortable in a Q&A session during a technical interview.

Having the right coding know-how is often the most critical part of interview success.

 

What do coding bootcamps cost?

As we discussed earlier, bootcamp costs vary greatly by the type of coding bootcamp you select.

What’s remarkable about community coding bootcamps is they can be conducted incredibly cost effectively, and these programs can pass the savings on to their students.

Students meet just once-a-week in co-working spaces and other public locales.

This means very little money is spent on rent.

Instructors are part-time which helps keep staffing costs low.

Additionally, by leveraging a lean management structure and automating learning platforms, community coding bootcamps can keep overhead costs low.

This marriage of quality and low overhead allows community coding bootcamps like Nucamp to offer web development bootcamps for under $400, and full stack coding bootcamps under $2,000.

Compare this to traditional in-person bootcamps.

A half-year bootcamp can easily cost over $10,000.

This is because these bootcamps have high expenses.

They only offer their classes in big cities and have their own dedicated spaces, all of which translates to high monthly rents.

Their instructors are full-time.

And a lot of money is allocated to marketing.

This makes for a very expensive business to run, which results in high tuitions.

With the hybrid coding bootcamp model, you get a high-quality coding education at a fraction of the cost of traditional in-person bootcamps.

 

Summary: How to find the best coding bootcamp

When looking for the best coding bootcamp, research their costs, curriculum, community support, required time-commitment, class format, and job search assistance.

Also, what do their graduates have to say?

Look at online reviews to see the compliments and critiques given by their students.

 

Why Nucamp?

Nucamp’s mission is to help all aspiring career shifters currently left out of the digital economy receive high-quality, debt-free, and risk-free education.

Everyone should have access to web development training and a career in IT.

We’re committed to providing high-quality, affordable coding education, and make it accessible.

Our tuition is the lowest in the industry, and we offer several scholarships and fair financing options.

Nucamp further distinguishes its bootcamps by the talent of its instructors, who teach part-time while working in the industry.

They bring topic-specific expertise and front-line knowledge into the classroom to ensure the coursework content is highly relevant.

Nucamp limits each class to 15 students maximum.

Coding bootcamps that marry mission, collaborative students, and passionate instructors are rare.

Yet it’s these very bootcamps that create the strongest communities, the most engaged learning environment, and the strongest outcomes.

 

READY TO SEE IF CODING IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Find a Nucamp coding bootcamp near you.

Or please schedule a call with a Nucamp advisor.