How to Prepare for a Coding Bootcamp

A common question from people applying to our program is "how can I prepare for your coding bootcamp?"

We absolutely love this question at DigitalCrafts! It shows us a potential student is serious about doing well in our program and is already thinking about how they can ensure they come into it as prepared as they can be. If you are wondering how you can prepare beforehand, then you are already on the right track. The term "bootcamp" is not one most schools use lightly and the more you can do to familiarize yourself with tools and languages you will cover during the course -- the better your chances are for achieving (and exceeding) your goals.

The Best Ways to Get Ready for a Coding Bootcamp (Even If You Haven't Decided on One Yet)

Here is our list of the best resources you can work on in the meantime to prepare. In fact, depending on the coding bootcamp you eventually choose, there is a good chance that some of these courses/resources are a part of the prerequisite work. And, even if that's not the case, these resources will still be effective in giving you a valuable familiarity of the basic concepts of software development that extends to any language you will eventually study.

Online Courses to Prepare for Code Bootcamps

Codecademy

We recommend completing both the HTML/CSS & JavaScript tracks. If you are looking at schools that use another language, such as Ruby, you can swap out JavaScript.

FreeCodeCamp

FreeCodeCamp is an extensive online course that is a great next step since it forces students to get out of in-browser exercises.

GitHub

GitHub offers a great tutorial on how to use it to create a simple "Hello World" site. No matter what coding bootcamp you choose, having an early familiarity with GitHub will help.

Bootstrap 4

Designmodo's Bootstrap 4 tutorial is a great tool for understanding how front-end frameworks like Bootstrap 4 work.

Offline Resources to Prepare for Coding Bootcamps

John Duckett's Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery Books - John Duckett's guidebooks are amazing at clearly explaining concepts with a range of practical exercises.

A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript - Great book with exercises included. Plus, this is part of our pre-work assignments, so you'll be getting a headstart!

Eloquent JavaScript - Eloquent JavaScript is available for free online and is a great exercise-based resource for learning basic and advanced JavaScript.

Helpful Tools & References

W3Schools.com - W3Schools includes detailed and easy to use reference guides for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Replit and CodePen - These in-browser editors are good tools for quickly writing and testing code without having to set up full environments. They also come pre-loaded with all the dependencies you would otherwise have to manually spend time inserting yourself. Best of all, they can be accessed on any device with web capability.

Python Tutor - Students love this tool. Paste in your code, and watch as it visually walks you through what's happening behind the scenes. Despite the name, it supports JavaScript and other programming languages as well.

Free Workshops and Events

Lastly, don't miss out on the events and development workshops in your area. Chances are your coding bootcamps also host workshops and events that cover basics in HTML, CSS, and the programming languages they cover. You might even learn more about the different schools and meet instructors to help you choose which course is right for you. If you are in the Houston or Atlanta area, for instance, we hold workshops all the time and invite potential students to find out what learning at DigitalCrafts is like.

If you want to take a deeper dive into code before classes start you should browse our blog for posts on "coding resources".