Which Web Development Bootcamp is Best?

Web development courses take on different forms, and bootcamps are one iteration. Bootcamps tend to be accelerated courses that focus on teaching in-demand developer skills that will prepare students for an entry-level position in web development once they’ve completed their training. In addition to focusing on job readiness, bootcamps also help you to create and refine a web development portfolio that demonstrates the best of your talent and skill. There are many considerations to make and several class options to choose from, including part-time and full-time scheduling and in-person and live online learning formats. This article will help you make an informed decision when choosing the best web development bootcamp for you.

What are the Most Important Criteria to Evaluate in Web Development Bootcamps?

When selecting a bootcamp, you’ll need to assess certain criteria to ensure that you're choosing the best web development bootcamp for your needs. The most important considerations you want to make should include the schedule, learning format, topic, cost, time commitment, and your learning goals. To choose your learning format you’ll need to take into account your schedule, commuting needs or barriers, and learning style. If you have your sights set on a particular training facility or instructor who is not in your proximity or doesn’t have the resources to commute to class, then a live online course may be best. For those who need a distraction-free learning space and thrive in traditional social educational environments, an in-person class is the way to go. If you thrive in structured environments where you can be held accountable, on-demand classes are going to be tough to get through. If reading on a screen doesn’t connect with you, choose a course that offers printed course materials. 

You need to be clear on your goals for enrolling in a web development bootcamp. Decide whether you want to set out for a career in web development or if you’re more concerned with being able to take on personal projects with confidence. Once you’re clear on your learning goals, you’ll have an idea of how strong and deep of an investment you should make. An in-depth web development training will prepare you for a career, while training that only scratches the surface and gives you basic skills will be far less intense and require additional and more advanced courses if you need to know web development at a professional level. Make sure the timeline addresses your needs. Multiple scheduling options will play a major role in how you progress through the bootcamp. These are the considerations you’ll need to make when choosing a class to give yourself the best outcome possible.

What are the Top Web Development Bootcamps?

You’ll find many reputable training centers that offer high-quality programs for learning web development. Noble Desktop is one of many offering comprehensive education in web development to help you start a career in web development quickly when compared to a computer science college degree program. The Full-Stack Web Development Certificate is a great choice for anyone who wants to be more of a generalist when it comes to web development. But if you just want to get your foot in the door and opt for more training when the time is right, consider a Front End Web Development Certificate. 

Other reputable bootcamps are offered by General Assembly, Devmountain, Epicodus, PDX Code Guild, and Skillspire. These facilities offer web development training that can help you reach your goals. Classes include Web Development Immersive, Full-Time Full-Stack, and Full Stack Developer Evening Bootcamp. Use the Classes Near Me tool to find more web development bootcamps that can get you exactly where you’re trying to go. There are a lot of great options available to you once you’ve decided that web development is the best path for you. 

Enrolling in a Web Development Bootcamp Part-Time or Full-Time

One of the great things about enrolling in a bootcamp is that there are two scheduling options so enrollees can have the choice to dedicate a concentrated chunk of their time to web development training or to slow things down a little and spread the learning out. The main difference between a part-time and full-time web development bootcamp is the schedule. Full-time courses can usually be completed in three to six months because a class is held for six to eight hours a day, five days a week. While part-time courses can last six months to a year, as class is held for a few hours in the evenings two to three nights a week or on the weekends. Which scheduling works best with your schedule and obligations should determine your choice. If you have a full-time job, family obligations, and don’t feel hurried to get started in a web development career, a part-time course will likely be more comfortable. But if you’ve got the time, want to get your career started as quickly as possible, or you’ve recently earned a computer science college degree, then a full-time bootcamp may be more appealing to you. 

Other differences between the two scheduling options include the pace of the course, flexibility, and the curriculum. The pace of full-time bootcamps is fast and intense. You should be prepared to move through the curriculum quickly and seriously study and practice outside of class times to keep up. Missing a class session can cause you to easily fall behind at a full-time bootcamp pace. The schedule is less flexible because a lot more is covered in any one class session than in a part-time program. You’ll complete course modules in a week or two and may only spend one day on any one topic. Part-time courses offer a less intense schedule allowing you more time to digest and practice materials before moving on to the next topic or module. Although the schedule is a set one, it offers more flexibility because class times are more spread out than in full-time bootcamps.

The advantages to a full-time bootcamp include keeping information fresh as you progress through the curriculum, having a shorter time investment, having a more rigid schedule, and entering the workforce more quickly. These advantages are great for students who work well under pressure and have excellent time-management skills. But these advantages can also be disadvantages to others. Those with more personal responsibilities might find the rigid schedule to be a problem and would find a less compact schedule more desirable. Slower learners will also view the accelerated pace to be a disadvantage. 

The advantages to enrolling in a part-time bootcamp include being able to train around your existing schedule whether it be your current job or other personal obligations, having more time to work through course topics and modules, and having more study and practice time. The biggest disadvantage to a part-time bootcamp is that they’re not as short as a full-time program. If you’re trying to enter the workforce as soon as possible, part-time bootcamps aren’t the answer. 

Enrolling in a Web Development Bootcamp In-Person or Online

Live web development bootcamps are going to be the best option for most learners. Whether you choose to attend an in-person class or a live online class, a live instructor is going to give you the most efficient and engaging training. While both options are very similar to one another, there are some small differences between in-person and online bootcamps that you should be aware of before choosing one or the other. In-person classroom education is the traditional way of learning that is widely accepted by most people to be the most efficient and fastest way to learn new skills. It offers a relatively distraction-free learning space with hands-on training, hands-on instructor assistance, real-time feedback, peer-to-peer interaction, and clear social cues. The disadvantages of in-person training include you having to commute to class, which means you’ll have to choose a bootcamp that is proximal to your geographical location. In-person learning tends to be more expensive as you’re also paying the overhead associated with running a physical location. If you’re a social learner who enjoys the highest level of accountability and prefers this learning format, enroll in an in-person bootcamp to get the most from your web development bootcamp experience. 

Live online training, however, is growing in popularity, and it allows you a greater choice in training centers and instructors. Some live online courses are slightly less expensive than in-person classes, while others cost the same. These classes aren’t much different from in-person classes, but students don’t have to commute to class and can attend from wherever they are. Both in-person and online classes allow you to get feedback and support in real-time. Some will even offer career services or internships. Class sessions are usually recorded, allowing you to watch the recording to deepen your understanding, reinforce lessons, and improve your practice work and portfolio work. One of the biggest drawbacks to online learning is that technology sometimes fails, resulting in students missing valuable learning time. Other disadvantages include feeling a little less connected to peers, instructors, and the course material, feeling isolated, and having more distractions. 

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

Developing websites and web applications can be a fun and engaging hobby or a fulfilling career. You could learn web development to run your organization's website or to make a little money on the side. Or you could learn web development to start a lucrative career. Both of these are commendable, but before choosing a web development course, you need to be clear about what your goals are for learning web development. The last thing you want to do is waste your time and money on an intensive course when you aren’t interested in a full-time career in web development. Many classes require a significantly smaller investment to learn the skills that will allow you to improve your personal or amateur projects. If you want to become a professional web developer, then it’s in your best interest to choose a career-focused program.

Some bootcamps offer very little support in terms of beginning a career, while others will offer a free retake, career support services like 1-on-1 mentoring or tutoring sessions, and job fairs. If your goal is to start a new career, then you should consider enrolling in a bootcamp that is going to best help you achieve it. If you’re only interested in being able to complete a passion project or use your web development for your organization and don’t need career services, then it may be of no consequence to you. Some bootcamps dedicate a portion of the curriculum to job readiness. This can include portfolio development, mock interviews, and other career support activities. Other training facilities offer these same services outside of class. This means you’ll have to sacrifice additional time outside of class to receive these supports. But it also means that you’ll be receiving private, personalized 1-on-1 support rather than sharing that time with your classmates with little privacy. 

Which Web Development Bootcamp is Best For Me?

Only you can decide the answer to this question. To choose which web development bootcamp is best for you, you’ll have to assess your learning goals, career goals, schedule, personal obligations, budget, and learning style. Being clear on what you need and how you see your future is going to be key in choosing a web development bootcamp. How much support do you need? Do you prefer online or in-person learning? Are you looking for a new career, or do you only need skills to take on a specific web development project? The answers to these questions are valuable when making your choice. 

If you’re enrolling in a bootcamp to start a new career, you need career-focused training that will give you the best possible outcome for finding an entry-level position once you’ve graduated from the bootcamp. But if you are looking to complete a passion project or simply exploring whether or not web development is right for you, there are other options available that can better serve you. There are free learning resources like online tutorials, free seminars, YouTube channels, and articles that can help you meet your learning goals or help you solve individual web development challenges. Another reason to consider a bootcamp alternative is that you want an in-depth and completely immersive solution to learning web development. If this is you, then enrolling in a computer science college degree program may be a better idea. You’ll learn a much broader range of skills, have access to student and career support, great networking opportunities, and learn more about web development theory than in a bootcamp. 

Noble Desktop offers several web development bootcamps that can help you meet your learning objectives and begin a new career in web development quickly. Classes are offered in-person and live online in both full-time and part-time schedules. If you’re interested in getting started quickly, enroll in their Front End Web Development Certificate program. If you’re interested in a more complete package, a Full-Stack Web Development Certificate best suits your needs. You’ll learn both front end and back end techniques and tools. If you’re already in the world of web development and looking to upskill, consider enrolling in either the Python Developer Certificate or JavaScript Developer Certificate programs. Each of these bootcamps offers 1-on-1 mentoring, a free course retake, expert instructors, and flexible financing options.