Which JavaScript Bootcamp is Best?

Bootcamp courses teach students practical skills in an intensive, accelerated format. JavaScript bootcamps quickly train students to write useful scripts for various purposes. Depending on the focus of a JavaScript bootcamp, the skills taught could be intended for a specific product or career. Products made with JavaScript might be websites, full websites, or mobile applications. Careers that use JavaScript include web design, web development, and software development. Most JavaScript bootcamps teach the language’s fundamental terms, syntax, and coding techniques, then diverge when teaching advanced techniques, additional tools like libraries and frameworks, and methods for working within specific host environments (e.g. web browsers, mobile devices, or other smart devices). A few JavaScript bootcamps teach advanced techniques and tools for students already fluent in basic JavaScript, like the React library for web application development.

To provide this fast, focused training, bootcamps are taught by live instructors, either in person or online. Most in-person bootcamps are held in private classrooms — which usually provide computers and software for technical subjects like JavaScript — but some bootcamps are held at public sites or a client company’s offices. Online courses are presented through streaming video on either a commercial platform like Zoom or a school’s website.

Both formats require students to attend classes on a fixed schedule, which gives students structure and motivation that helps them keep pace with course objectives. The fastest bootcamps require full-time study, usually scheduled on consecutive weekdays for six to eight hours per day. Completing a full-time JavaScript bootcamp typically requires four to six weeks. For students who cannot spare as much time per day, due to work or other requirements, part-time bootcamps reduce the time commitment to four or fewer hours per day, often on two or three alternating days per week. A part-time JavaScript bootcamp may run for two to three months or longer. 

What are the Most Important Criteria to Evaluate in JavaScript Bootcamps?

Once a student has confirmed that a bootcamp is the best course format for their needs, their choice between different JavaScript bootcamps should be guided by several criteria. The first decision is where and how they will attend classes: are they able to attend an in-person course in their area, and if so, do they prefer that format? Or, would an online course be necessary or more convenient? Second, can they meet the scheduling requirements of each bootcamp? What days are they available, and how many hours can they manage per day for study? Here, a student should consider the full-time versus part-time scheduling options offered by each school. 

For each school that meets a student’s required options for class format and scheduling, they should then compare the content and quality of that school’s JavaScript courses. They should consider course content relative to educational goals: does the course match what they want to learn? This decision covers both the individual topics within the course and its overall teaching goals. For example, if a student is seeking career training, does the bootcamp train toward that career, and does it provide career guidance and support? Evaluating quality includes both the specific information available for a course as well as the professionalism and reputation of the school itself. Reviews from graduating students can be helpful here, especially if they have found success as a result of their studies. 

Finally, students should consider the cost of each bootcamp, especially if they have a limited budget. For a fair evaluation, consider courses’ costs alongside their content and quality. The most expensive bootcamps are not always the best, especially if they include more material than a student needs. However, less expensive courses may limit their content or have other drawbacks, such as lower-quality instruction or a more distant classroom site. Also, consider whether a school offers financing or an installment payment plan, and if so, how payments are scheduled. A longer course could spread out its billing and give students more time to pay.

What are the Top JavaScript Bootcamps?

Noble Desktop’s JavaScript Programming Bootcamp, offered in-person in New York City and live online, teaches JavaScript with an emphasis on web development. Students enrolling in this bootcamp should already be familiar with web design or front end web development and have experience coding in HTML and CSS. The course lasts several weeks for full-time students but prepares its participants to use JavaScript in professional settings. The bootcamp’s instructor will first introduce JavaScript’s core features, syntax, and programming techniques, followed by lessons on more complex topics like asynchronous programming and object-oriented programming. The course also covers features added to newer JavaScript releases and several commonly used JavaScript libraries. Students will complete several practical projects that help them practice their skills and build a starting portfolio. Finally, the instructor will discuss interview preparation and career planning for jobs that use JavaScript. Each student can also 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 retake this course once for free, for up to a year afterward.

Another technical school based in New York City and offering live online courses, General Assembly offers an accelerated JavaScript Development Short Course with both full-time and part-time scheduling options. The school recommends that students have a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS as used in front end web development before taking this course. This abbreviated and accelerated JavaScript course is similar to a bootcamp, quickly teaching the language’s fundamental features, syntax, and techniques. The course also includes lessons on the jQuery library, object-oriented programming, and application programming interfaces (APIs). In addition to teaching these specific resources, the course’s lessons prepare students to learn advanced tools and techniques in later classes. This short course also discusses career options and prepares students to use JavaScript in related fields like web development, user experience (UX) design, and software engineering. This course concludes with a comprehensive capstone project and awards a JavaScript Development certificate upon completion.

Practical Programming teaches coding and data science through classes covering multiple programming languages. Their courses are presented live online or in person at sites in Chicago and New York City. Practical Programming’s JavaScript Programming Bootcamp teaches JavaScript with a focus on web development. The bootcamp requires prior experience with HTML and CSS equivalent to an introductory web development class. Over several weeks, students progress from JavaScript’s fundamental concepts, syntax, and coding techniques through more complex intermediate techniques like asynchronous scripting and object-oriented programming. Students also learn to use APIs (application programming interfaces) and several JavaScript libraries. The last part of the course includes several projects for practice and portfolio development, preparation for the coding questions commonly encountered in job interviews, and a discussion of JavaScript-related careers. Upon completion, students receive a verified digital certificate and may retake the class once for free for up to one year.

Enrolling in a JavaScript Bootcamp Part-Time or Full-Time

Bootcamps present a large volume of information in a relatively short span. A bootcamp’s live instruction, lesson structure, and supplemental materials help students progress more quickly, but students must stay focused and motivated to keep up with the course’s pace. Choosing the right type of course schedule helps students better match their bootcamp’s timing to their needs and avoid problems that could interfere with their studies.

For students who can make their studies their primary daily activity, a full-time schedule provides the fastest, most focused progress. On a full-time schedule, students attend class for six to eight hours per day, every weekday — possibly with occasional skipped days — until the bootcamp’s lessons are complete. Most career-focused JavaScript bootcamps take from four to six weeks to finish on a full-time schedule. This intensive schedule can be demanding, especially when considering the additional time required outside of classes for reading, practice exercises, and coding projects. Some students simply cannot focus long enough to complete yet more work after a long class; others have difficulty staying attentive through long class sessions. Some students cannot be available for so many hours or days each week, due to other responsibilities. For these reasons, students might prefer or require part-time study. However, for those without such limitations, full-time study may be preferable, and not only because it is faster. Regular, extended study keeps class material fresher in mind, helps students recognize the connections between topics, and avoids many distractions that might intrude between lessons.

Bootcamps are often offered part-time, primarily to accommodate working students or those with other responsibilities such as childcare. On a part-time schedule, each class session lasts only four or fewer hours, often in the evenings, and classes may alternate days, being held on only two or three days each week. Career-focused JavaScript bootcamps on a part-time schedule can last two to three months or more. This longer time frame means that students must wait longer before they graduate, which is longer until they are ready for a related career. This longer wait is an unavoidable tradeoff for students who cannot accommodate a full-time schedule. Still, students who are already working can usually afford this longer wait. Being able to keep one’s current job also lessens the pressure to seek a position immediately after graduation. Certain students find that the extended, widely-spaced schedule of a part-time class helps them learn better. Students who lose focus during long classes may learn more over multiple shorter sessions. More time between classes gives students more time to complete assignments and review information between lessons. Students on a part-time schedule are more likely to start each class session fully prepared and gain more benefits from class time. For bootcamps that allow installment payments, a longer schedule also allows more time to spread out expenses. 

Enrolling in a JavaScript Bootcamp In-Person or Online

Students living near a technical school or other career training center may be able to attend a bootcamp in person, meeting the instructor at a classroom site, which is often a computer lab with pre-installed software. The first advantage of in-person classes is face-to-face interaction with the instructor and other students. Even the best video conferencing site and Internet connection can limit communication, compared to face-to-face teaching and conversation. Sometimes, online classes do suffer from poor audio, Internet slowdowns, or other technical problems. Meeting in person, the instructor can check each student’s work directly, rather than interpreting their descriptions or waiting for them to share their screen. As a second advantage, some students also find that being present in a physical classroom holds their attention better. Third, attending a coding bootcamp in person also gives students the easiest access to any computer hardware and software they will need plus the printed materials provided by the school. The main problem with in-person JavaScript study, for many students, is that there is no suitable school within a manageable distance, either due to travel time or the difficulties of transportation. Also, even when there are schools within reach, requiring in-person study still limits a student’s course selection to just the classes and instructors offered by those schools.

Live online study provides students with a greater range of options, particularly for technical subjects like JavaScript. Online classes are presented over streaming video on platforms like Zoom or directly from school websites. By eliminating the need for physical attendance and travel, online study saves time and money and allows students to choose a course that better fits their requirements and schedule. Online students do need their own computer and a reliable Internet connection, but for a JavaScript bootcamp, these resources would be needed anyway for at-home assignments. Further, most JavaScript resources are available online for low cost or free. As another consideration, many students find coding as easy to learn from on-screen examples as from a classroom lecture. Still, for other students, video conferencing does interfere with their learning style, whether due to technical limitations, sensory difficulties, or a greater chance of distractions. Such difficulties can multiply and limit a student’s progress, especially in an accelerated course like a bootcamp, making online study a less desirable option.

Do You Want to Start a New Career Using Your JavaScript Training?

While all JavaScript bootcamps teach skills useful for work in related fields like web design, web development, software development, and data science, not all bootcamps explicitly prepare students for employment. A few general-purpose JavaScript bootcamps only aim to provide students with a solid foundation for more advanced studies. Other JavaScript bootcamps are organized around particular products built with JavaScript, such as web components or mobile games. Note that these general or product-focused bootcamps may still provide some career guidance and support, as bootcamps are generally oriented toward teaching professional-quality skills. Such guidance may include discussions about the workflow of JavaScript development, the types of careers that use JavaScript, and methods for improving scripts’ efficiency and security for real-world use. Most bootcamps also provide a certificate of completion, a credential that verifies each graduate’s new skills.

Many JavaScript bootcamps are explicitly career-focused, and many of these are organized around a specific career path such as front end web development or software development. When deciding between bootcamp programs, a student should first consider whether their primary goal is to be ready for employment, and if so, what type of career they want to pursue. Then, look for a bootcamp that provides the best support for that career goal. Career-focused bootcamps add several topics and services to prepare students for work. Within their lessons, they focus on the tools and techniques specific to their focused career, possibly excluding unrelated material. Tools include JavaScript libraries and development environments, while career-specific techniques include interface programming and interactions with specific host frameworks (i.e. web browsers, mobile devices, or other devices). Some career-based bootcamps include lessons on collaborative coding and related tools like Git. Career-focused bootcamps also tailor their course projects to appropriate products for their field and help students assemble these projects into a portfolio for employers’ reference. These bootcamps also provide students with examples of common interview questions and help them find accurate answers. Certain career training centers go even further, helping students find and evaluate potential employers and guiding them through the application process. A few bootcamp programs even include private, 1-on-1 sessions with the course instructor or another advisor, so that students can ask questions, discuss their career goals, and improve their educational and career planning.

Which JavaScript Bootcamp is Best For Me?

Even within the limited category of live bootcamp courses, there are many options for students to consider. First, bootcamps differ in quality and reputation. Potential students should check reviews and discuss schools with knowledgeable advisors to help them focus on the best providers. Just as important, though, they should consider each bootcamp’s topical focus, venue, schedule, and length to choose the bootcamp that best fits their needs.

The next consideration when choosing a bootcamp is to make sure it matches one’s goals. For a JavaScript bootcamp, a student should decide whether they need general training, training specific to a particular project type, or career-focused training for a particular job. Then, they should read course descriptions to check whether each bootcamp matches their intended goal. While it is not necessarily a problem if a bootcamp covers more material than required, a longer bootcamp will take more time and will likely cost more. A bootcamp’s focus will also affect the course’s projects and any additional services it includes.

At the same time, a student should check whether each bootcamp is offered in-person, online, or both. If they prefer to interact directly with an instructor and other students, or if video meetings interfere with their learning experience, they should look for an in-person bootcamp. If the expense and timing of travel are more of a concern, or if they prefer to study from home, an online bootcamp is a better choice. Of course, if they have no school location within reach, online study will be their only option. In that case, they should consider which programs best offset the drawbacks of online study through features like additional reference materials and individual meetings with an instructor.

When comparing the scheduling of bootcamp programs, students should make sure they are comparing programs of equivalent type and length. Generally, the duration of a bootcamp will depend on the amount of material covered. Shorter JavaScript bootcamps usually present only enough material to give students a working knowledge of the language, omitting any extra techniques and tools. Bootcamps with different focuses may also be relatively shorter or longer. The other consideration for a bootcamp’s length is whether it is scheduled full-time or part-time. For the fastest completion, look for full-time study. Students might also prefer full-time scheduling if they want to focus exclusively on their studies, avoiding distractions. However, if a student has other commitments like work or family, or if they have difficulty studying for extended periods, a part-time bootcamp is a better choice. Choosing either full-time or part-time study could limit one’s options for bootcamp providers, depending on what each school offers. Also, students should make sure that they will be available for all or almost all class dates. If they might need to miss a few classes, they should check whether the course allows access to class recordings.

Hopefully, at least one JavaScript bootcamp fits all of a student’s criteria, including their available budget. If not, they should consider what options are negotiable. For example, some students find that though they would prefer an in-person bootcamp, no suitable courses are available in their area. In the worst case, they might need to look for an alternative type of course, perhaps starting with an introductory class and adding other classes later as available. However, with the variety and regular scheduling available for online JavaScript bootcamps, students should be able to find at least one acceptable course. Ideally, each student will be able to select the best out of many good options.