How Long Do React Courses Take?

When choosing a React class, it’s important to keep in mind how long that course will take. Course lengths can vary widely and require varying amounts of your daily time. You’ll want to choose a course that helps you optimize your time while providing you with the most value, both financially and logistically. Below, you’ll learn about different class types, what they entail, and how long they take. By the end of this article, you should be armed with the knowledge to choose the class that works best for you. 

Lengths of Classes

You can typically expect to learn React within one to six months, depending on your prior experience. If you’re a complete beginner, you’ll need to spend more time learning the prerequisites before you learn React, which could involve taking additional courses or a longer more comprehensive bootcamp or certificate. Familiarity with JavaScript speeds up the process because it’s the programming language used to code React and can allow you to choose a shorter class focused solely on React.

Introductory classes

The shortest classes you’ll find will be introductory level courses. These classes can typically be completed in just a day or two. You’ll learn what React is, how it’s used, and the fundamental techniques and tools associated with it. These classes are often held live, either in-person or online, allowing you to chat with your instructor and receive feedback in real time. It’s important to keep in mind that these classes won’t cover advanced subjects, so if you want to learn more than just the basics, an introductory class may not be the best option for you.

Advanced Courses

Advanced courses will teach higher level, more challenging topics while still being relatively short. Because you’ll have the basics established, advanced level courses can easily be completed either live or on-demand. Self-paced courses allow you to spend as much time as you need mastering the materials, which can be especially helpful while learning advanced techniques. Much like introductory classes, these are often just a few days long, allowing you to improve your skills in a short amount of time. These classes tend to focus on specific tools or skills though, so you could miss out on the more in-depth knowledge of an immersive program. 

React Bootcamps 

React Bootcamps, certificate programs, and professional development classes combine several benefits from the above options. They are immersive and encompass a wide variety of skills, from beginner to advanced. While they do take more time to complete, they also better prepare you for a career in React with a more in-depth curriculum, the opportunity to create a portfolio, individual mentorship, and the ability to network with established professionals. Held live online or in-person, bootcamps are led by expert instructors that can provide in-the-moment feedback and industry insights you wouldn’t find elsewhere. 

Programming Degrees

If you’re willing to invest even more time and money, an undergraduate or graduate degree in marketing may be a good fit. These can vary in length from two to four years and consist of hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of coursework. These programs require you to apply and get accepted, and have prerequisites involving SAT and ACT scores, foreign language requirements, and a minimum acceptable GPA. College is substantially more expensive than other training options, too, costing between $27,000 and $100,000 per year. Of course, scholarships and financial aid are available, and community colleges can help make a degree more affordable. 

On-demand classes

If your schedule is complicated or you prefer to learn at your own pace, on-demand classes offer the most flexibility and freedom. All lessons are prerecorded and there’s no due dates or class times to worry about. You can skip any lessons you’ve already mastered or spend more time on more difficult subjects. It’s important to remember that with more freedom comes less accountability. On-demand classes can work for independent learners who can keep themselves on task and motivated, but may not be the best fit for those who find motivation through accountability. Without the right level of motivation, you can easily fall behind or lose interest in completing the training altogether. 

Part-time or Full-time?

When choosing a React class, you’ll need to decide if full time or part time is better for you. Are you between jobs or able to take vacation time to complete a full-time training course? Or are you only free in the evenings and need a class that can accommodate your schedule? For most students, a part-time course will be the best option, allowing you to master a new skill set without interfering with your day job. These courses can take longer, as your hours of class time will be spread over more days or weeks, but they also offer you more time to master React. Full-time courses, while requiring a larger commitment of time up front, can often be completed in half the time of part-time courses. This means you can begin your new career or advance your current one much quicker. Choosing which option is right for you will come down to your schedule and how quickly you wish to gain mastery. 

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. You'll start with learning how to compose components, the foundations of React, and then move on 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 towards 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 to meet the growing demand for developing and maintaining web applications. This course will teach you 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 leave this course with a portfolio of working web applications to show to potential employers. 

Finally, Noble’s Software Engineering Certificate covers HTML & CSS, JavaScript, and React, and back end development with Python, Django, and Node.js. You’ll learn HTML to mark up web pages and CSS for styling; the fundamentals of JavaScript; Git for version control; and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, and reorder web page content, as well as make it adapt to different size screens. 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 to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. You'll then progress to object-oriented programming, working with APIs, and querying databases with SQL. By the end of this course, you’ll have a portfolio of projects, a polished resume, and a professional LinkedIn profile; be prepared for common interview questions; and be armed with tips for applying to jobs.