There are many things to consider when choosing the right React class for you. Your time and money are valuable resources, so it’s best to ensure you’re investing both wisely. React training courses and certificates can be expensive and time-consuming, although these two factors will vary from class to class. Plus, there are so many ways to study React, from free tutorials to associate certificates and college degrees to bootcamps, and each will have varying benefits and challenges.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. This article will help you weigh the pros and cons so you can decide which class is your best fit. Regardless of which option you choose, learning React is absolutely worth the effort as it can open up alternative career paths, allowing you to earn more money and find professional fulfillment in a range of industries.
Are You Brand New to React?
If you’re brand new to React, there are many things you will want to consider. What is it specifically that you want to learn? Do you learn better in-person or virtually? Live or on-demand? Introductory classes can be attended live online, on-demand, or in-person and typically cover all the fundamental theories and techniques of React. They’re designed for those with limited or no knowledge of React, so they’re perfect for newbies.
If you’re still trying to decide if React is what you want to study, free resources may be a better route. YouTube videos, online tutorials, blogs, and discussion boards can be a great place to gain a general understanding of React so you can decide if it’s the right subject for you. While these resources will save you money, they aren’t intended for robust learning, so if you are confident you want to learn React, an introductory course is a better choice.
How Much Are You Willing to Pay?
The financial cost of education is one of the most important factors to consider. You’ll want to make sure that the price is within your budget, but you’ll also want to ensure that the cost of the course is justified by the knowledge and skills you will gain. While attending a professional development class is a great way to advance your career and increase your earnings, you might not want to (or be able to) pay any price to further your React skills. You may find that enrolling in the most expensive training option does not provide enough benefits.
Overall, the cost of a React course depends on the depth of knowledge, course length, and whether it is live or on-demand. Typically, immersive courses are the most expensive. A college marketing degree can cost tens of thousands of dollars and take four years to complete, but will provide in-depth learning. Alternatively, a bootcamp or on-demand training course will cost significantly less but will only provide entry-level skills.
How Quickly Do You Need to Learn New Skills?
You’ll want to choose a course that helps you optimize your time, providing you with the most value both financially and logistically. If you’re looking to launch your career as soon as possible, a bootcamp or quick course may be a good option. If you have more time to commit to learning and want to master advanced subjects, a longer course such as a certificate or degree may be the best option.
If you just need to learn the basics quickly, that is an important consideration.
Do You Want to Become a React Professional?
If you want to become a React professional, you need to consider how much the curriculum covers, if career services or mentorship are provided, and if portfolio development is included. Certificates require significantly more time than introductory courses or free resources, but they offer a broader range of knowledge, valuable credibility, and networking opportunities. These programs can often be attended full-time or part-time and are focused on professional development and technical training.
While they may be longer than other options, they are also shorter than an undergraduate or graduate degree. The content will focus more on professional skills than on introductory material or advanced theory, so you won’t receive the immersive theoretical background provided by a marketing program. You also won’t spend 2 to 6 years pursuing a degree or be burdened with substantial student loan debt. These programs are the fastest options available for students whose goal is immediate professional development and employment.
How Much Technical Training Do You Need?
If you have a foundation in programming or web development, transitioning to React will be relatively straightforward, as you’ll already be familiar with some of the technical aspects. For those starting from scratch or in unrelated fields, it may take additional hands-on experience and continuous education to become proficient. The technical side of React includes writing in HTML and CSS, using JSX to create applications, and understanding the variables and scoping in JavaScript. These essential technical elements are typically covered in more in-depth courses such as bootcamps, certifications, or degrees.
Do You Prefer In-Person or Online Training?
This may be the most important question you need to ask yourself. Online training is ideal for those who prefer a solitary learning environment with minimal distractions. They allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home, providing more flexibility. Additionally, if you live in an area with limited (or no) in-person options, online classes provide more opportunities.
If you thrive in a collaborative classroom environment, look into in-person classes. You’ll be able to work with other students, make new friends, and receive feedback and input from your instructor in the moment. These classes also offer a higher level of accountability and are a great choice for those who struggle to stay motivated or on task. They are, of course, less flexible than online classes, but often their advantages outweigh this disadvantage.
Learn React Skills with Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop offers in-depth courses both live online and in-person at their New York office. Their React Development Bootcamp covers everything from the basics of React and Node.js to advanced components and server deployment techniques. You’ll start by learning how to compose components and the foundations of React, then progress to building dynamic, fully functioning web applications and deploying them using AWS (Amazon Web Services). This Noble Desktop course (and many others) boasts small class sizes, one free retake, and setup assistance. If you’re interested in pursuing further education, this course counts toward three of Noble’s certificate programs: Full-Stack Web Development, Software Engineering, and JavaScript Development.
Want to take your skills to the next level? Noble Desktop’s JavaScript Development Certificate is a longer professional training program that will teach you how to build web apps with JavaScript, one of the most popular programming languages in the world. You’ll learn to master React and Node.js, create APIs with Express.js, and work with databases with MongoDB. This course also covers additional topics like Browser Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) built into web browsers, third-party APIs, and third-party frameworks and libraries. If you’re a new developer or an existing one coming from a different background, learning JavaScript will up your game to web application development.
Similarly, the Full-Stack Web Development Certificate helps you develop the skills and knowledge needed to meet the growing demand for developing and maintaining web applications. This course will teach you how to use programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to program memorable, interactive web pages. You’ll also use the MERN tech stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js) to add databases, APIs, AWS and other server environments, and interactivity for those web applications. Focused on a series of projects, you’ll complete this course with a portfolio of working web applications to present to potential employers.
Finally, Noble’s Software Engineering Certificate covers HTML and CSS, JavaScript, React, and back-end development with Python, Django, and Node.js. You’ll learn HTML to mark up web pages, CSS for styling, the fundamentals of JavaScript, Git for version control, and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, and reorder webpage content, as well as adapt it to different screen sizes. The second part of the course will cover JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. You’ll also build your very own desktop application using React and deploy it using the AWS (Amazon Web Services) cloud environment. Finally, you'll master the lexical syntax of Python and quickly move on to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. You'll then progress to object-oriented programming, work with APIs, and query databases using SQL. By the end of this course, you’ll have a portfolio of projects, a polished resume, and a professional LinkedIn profile. You will also be prepared for common interview questions and equipped with tips for applying to jobs.