Are JavaScript Bootcamps Worth It?

There are several ways you might learn JavaScript programming. Each method has different advantages depending on how much you need to know, your previous coding experience, and your available resources. Compared to options like college coursework or self-guided study, you might find a bootcamp course to be an ideal combination of thorough, professional instruction in a condensed format. This article discusses how bootcamps compare to other learning methods for JavaScript.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a programming language designed to be simple to write, quick to run, and usable on any platform. It is a scripting language, meaning that rather than handling inputs and outputs on its own, it runs within a host environment like a web browser or application. JavaScript is used most frequently in web development. It gives webpages dynamic and interactive functions like controls, forms, animations, plug-ins (like maps and calendars), and web-based applications, including games. For most of these uses, JavaScript code runs on the client’s web browser. JavaScript can also manage many site-wide functions and can run on a host’s web server. JavaScript can also be used to build stand-alone applications and is most often used in this way for mobile devices. ‘Smart’ devices, like smartwatches or appliances, can operate using JavaScript. Finally, coders have used JavaScript to create ‘applets’ like drawing tablets, sound editors, and machine learning systems that can be hosted on websites, run directly on various platforms, or embedded as pieces of larger programs.

What Can You Do With JavaScript?

The most common use of JavaScript is in web design and development, where it provides most of the functional behavior of webpages and websites. Becoming fluent in JavaScript will allow you to make your own webpages more active and functional and to build websites with appealing and useful features. JavaScript is also a core skill for employment as a web designer or developer, either as part of a web development firm or hired directly by a business to build or update their Web services. 

You might also use JavaScript to create applications, from teaching software to creative tools to video games. JavaScript’s platform-independent nature means these programs can be used on many different devices depending on the development environment you apply. You might write an application for yourself as a hobby project or a professional tool or create programs as products for sale. JavaScript is also a useful skill for those seeking employment in software development, particularly at companies that produce mobile applications and games. 

JavaScript assists several other kinds of projects and careers. Some JavaScript Developers create components, sections of code that other programmers can include in their applications to quickly add useful features. Inventors creating new ‘smart’ devices might choose to use JavaScript within those products to code its functions. Some data scientists and analysts find JavaScript useful for certain types of data collection and analysis.

Why Learn JavaScript in a Bootcamp?

Bootcamps are just one type among many possible JavaScript courses. You may find a bootcamp the best option to learn what you need, based on their accelerated pace, controlled focus, immersive instruction, and manageable costs. Bootcamps are also often centered around a particular career, and a bootcamp provider’s guidance is valuable for career-oriented students. However, other training methods have other advantages, and you should compare these options to make sure you prefer a bootcamp versus another type of course. 

Bootcamps Compared to College

Few if any colleges offer stand-alone courses in JavaScript. Instead, they usually include this language as part of multi-year, multi-class programs in web development, software development, computer science, or data science. For those only interested in learning JavaScript, it is not worth enrolling in a full degree course. Even students who might want a complete education in web development, including JavaScript, might find the time commitment and cost of a degree program too steep. However, if your interest in JavaScript is part of a larger career plan, and you have little prior experience, a college course can provide the additional knowledge missing from bootcamps or other focused programs. College courses also spread out their information over a longer period and take more time for in-class practice, whereas bootcamps address each topic quickly and require students to practice outside of class to maintain their faster pace.

Some schools offer shorter professional training programs of one or two years, consisting of a smaller number of courses focused on a particular skill set. Web development programs are most likely to include JavaScript, but again, you would be required to take additional classes to complete the program, at additional expense and time. Individual classes on JavaScript may be available as part of a college’s continuing education programs, but many of these are equivalent to the certificate programs already offered by technical schools. Even these individual classes can still require multiple class sessions, more than for the average bootcamp, and their scheduling is typically limited by the school’s and instructors’ course calendar.

A JavaScript bootcamp, by comparison, primarily addresses only the JavaScript language and its uses. A JavaScript bootcamp will limit its discussion of theory and comparative computing to just the background needed to use the language. And while these classes do omit some advanced topics, students are not delayed by lessons unrelated to their primary goal. While this information can be interesting and even useful for some careers, it is often unnecessary for other students. This tighter focus results in a shorter course that still covers every important skill within JavaScript itself.

Bootcamps may have a higher cost compared to shorter, even more targeted courses, but are far less expensive than even a single semester of college instruction. Bootcamps also offer more scheduling options compared to college courses: some bootcamps offer part-time versus full-time scheduling, and with fewer meeting dates per course, providers can run bootcamp courses more frequently throughout the year. For those already working, bootcamp study reduces the difficulty of balancing work hours with a class schedule. Finally, most bootcamp courses include expert instruction and feedback comparable to colleges’, plus even more focused career advice.

Bootcamps Compared to Self-Paced Courses

Another alternative for learning JavaScript is self-paced study, also called on-demand or asynchronous learning. Self-paced courses present their material in texts and pre-recorded video lectures, which can be downloaded and studied at each student’s convenience. This format removes the limitation of fixed scheduling, making self-paced study ideal for students who cannot commit to specific class times or who need to arrange their study around other commitments. The absence of a live instructor does mean that these courses lack direct interaction during lessons, but in exchange, self-paced courses are far less costly than bootcamps. 

Depending on the provider, some self-paced courses can be as thorough as bootcamp classes, and some are even more detailed. Many self-paced classes provide plenty of examples, exercises, and projects for students to practice their skills, and students can work on these tasks at their own pace, taking as long as necessary to grasp each concept before moving on (within a maximum time limit for the course). Many self-paced courses also include message boards and chats with other students and instructors, to address questions and discuss lessons. 

Still, the greatest disadvantage of a self-paced study program is the lack of immediate feedback. Coding errors can be difficult to diagnose, especially for novices, and mistakes can multiply if not corrected early. An instructor’s expert eye can catch these mistakes sooner and explain them more clearly. In a self-paced course, it can be easy to slow down or get stuck on difficult concepts, especially when feedback is delayed or absent. Many self-paced courses also charge a subscription fee for access to lessons, and some have a time limit to complete the course, meaning that delays can cost a student more or even force them to abandon their study. Further, working alone on an irregular schedule supplies less motivation than a live course, where attending each lesson and completing each assignment on time is vital to maintaining your progress. Another downside of self-paced courses is their pre-recorded material, which can sometimes be outdated. Even when regularly maintained, recorded lessons cannot match the active knowledge of a working expert. 

Self-paced study can be a useful option for students who cannot afford the expense of a bootcamp course or cannot meet the scheduling demands of live classes. However, self-paced lessons cannot match bootcamps for career preparation. Bootcamps set a faster pace, provide direct instruction, present the most current and important information, and help students meet their educational goals within a specific time frame. 

Bootcamps Compared to Free Training Options

Students can also find free lessons on JavaScript, available in printed or digital texts or as online videos. Most of these lessons are either short introductions to JavaScript or discussions of a single topic within the language. Video lessons are primarily found on social media sites like YouTube, but some coding and technical schools like Udemy and Codecademy offer a selection of their video lessons for free on their sites. Free JavaScript tutorials can also be found on language-specific sites like Learn-js.org or JavaScript for Cats. These resources are useful either for new students curious about JavaScript or experienced programmers seeking a solution for a specific problem.

Free lessons have the lowest cost of any study option, but they put the greatest burden on the student. They provide no feedback, either to answer questions or spot errors, which can make progress difficult. Many free programs are also incomplete, omitting newer or more advanced material, and they lack an organizational structure, requiring the student to decipher how topics fit together. To gain more than superficial knowledge from free lessons, you will spend extra time searching for resources and rechecking your work. Finally, free study programs cannot match the career resources and guidance offered by most bootcamp courses, nor can they verify your accomplishments. 

Free lessons, then, can be useful to learn more about JavaScript and understand its features and uses compared to other programming languages. They can help you decide if you need to know more or might even want to pursue a career related to JavaScript. They can also be a useful supplement to other JavaScript studies, providing additional information and a different perspective on coding challenges. However, to gain full, professional proficiency in JavaScript, in a reasonable time frame, most students will need a comprehensive course like a bootcamp.

Learn JavaScript with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop’s JavaScript Programming Bootcamp teaches JavaScript with an emphasis on web development. Students should be familiar with web design or front end web development, or at a minimum, have experience coding in HTML and CSS. The class takes several weeks for full-time students but ensures that students are fully prepared to use JavaScript. The instructor first introduces JavaScript’s important features, syntax, and programming techniques. Then, this course addresses several commonly used JavaScript libraries and features added to newer JavaScript releases. The bootcamp course concludes with several practical projects that help students practice and confirm their skills. These projects then form a starting portfolio for job-seekers. The instructor will also discuss interview preparation and career planning for jobs that use JavaScript, and each student can schedule a 1-on-1 mentoring session for further career discussion or questions about difficult topics. The course provides a supplemental workbook and awards a certificate upon completion. Students may also retake this course once for free, for up to a year afterward.

Noble Desktop’s JavaScript Development Certificate program, a complete, career-focused certificate course, includes the JavaScript Programming Bootcamp plus two other bootcamp courses and two additional units, at a discount for the combined program. Like the bootcamp, this program is centered on JavaScript’s use in web development and requests that students come prepared with knowledge of web design or front end web development. Starting with the JavaScript Programming Bootcamp, the certificate program then adds a second, more advanced unit on JavaScript development. This section teaches the Node.js and Express.js libraries used in website building, the MongoDB database management system, and JavaScript coding for website security and user interfaces. The third unit in the program, React Development Bootcamp, teaches the React JS library, which enables the creation of components, blocks of code that can be reused across webpages and websites. Finally, the certificate course includes a unit on career preparation for web development, including the creation of a portfolio, plus a bonus bootcamp on SQL, a data management language used frequently in web development. In addition to receiving several proprietary workbooks and access to class recordings, participants can schedule eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions with an instructor, usable for career preparation or discussion of difficult lessons. This course awards a certificate of completion, and participants can repeat the class once for free for up to a year.