From one to zero: My journey into coding
Tags: beginners, career, webdev, javascript
Published: 2022-07-15 13:47:47


You may have read the title and thought 'Haven't you gone backwards?'

If you're a developer or know the indexing principle of counting from zero instead of one, you'll understand. 

But it also represents something else, finding a new beginning.

Over the years I had a couple of coding experiences. The first was a Python course and the second was a Javascript course, both from Codecademy, each about a year apart.

I enjoyed doing them but upon completion, I was like 

### What next?

sure I can write some programs and know the basic principles but it felt very isolated. I can imagine a lot of people feel this way when self-learning, it's difficult to find a path and achieve something that feels like an achievement. 


It's strange how life works, pretty much a year after I finished the Javascript course I came across Northcoders coding boot camp. Luckily I qualified to apply for the government-funded scholarship and I got a place!


## Northcoders part 1: Pre-course & Fundamentals
The pre-course material was like their own version of code wars aimed at beginners. It's two sections of some basic coding problems and a third which is to make a portfolio webpage. It was great preparation and by the time the course started, I was well prepared for the content.

A typical day is lecture -> katas. This structure really suited me and the support from the tutors throughout was excellent.


### Give me more katas!

![Neo learning kung fu](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/tuipez3clxplk1xq0ysm.jpg)

The coverage through fundamentals was pretty extensive and left me with a strong foundation to build from. 
We covered:
- Nodejs
- Testing
- Higher Order Functions
- Destructing
- Recursion
- Closures
- Async await/promises
- and more! 

One thing that left me a bit confused at times was Javascript's dynamic typing. If a number is a number but Not A Number is also a number then what's not a number?

I wonder if someone slipped something into the water cooler when they decided on this.

![psychedelic waves](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/lpfxqrgw7ysduni2lywe.png)

## Northcoders part 2: Backend development
Creating databases and servers was really interesting, with hindsight I prefer document databases to relational, these were not covered in a practical sense but I was left with a solid knowledge of restful APIs and working with databases.
We covered:
- SQL/Postgres
- more async/await
- The Model View Controller programming pattern
- Hosting
- Git

## Northcoders part 4: Frontend Development
This is where everything came together (almost). Remember when I said 'What next?' well going from basic principles to backend and tying it all up with a quality front end gave me the confidence in my abilities to build web applications by myself. 

We covered:
- The DOM
- Form validation
- Planning React Apps
- React Class Components & Function Components
- React State
- React's useEffect
- Hosting
- and more!

## Northcoders part 4.5: Solo Project
So things were almost tied together, in my mind I knew how I would build a web app but I was still yet to complete one.
In the backend section, we completed an express server and hosted it with Heroku and during the frontend, we completed the integration.

This was where the gaps were filled in and I could connect the dots. The boot camp is more than just a javascript course, its a full blown initiation into modern development.

Time constraints are harsh and during the course (against the advice of Northcoders) I was working two jobs, my WFH day job and at a pub in the evening. I left my full-time 'Day' job midway through frontend as I was reassigned and I knew I wouldn't be able to juggle the workload. It's lucky that I left when I did and not when the course started the extra money really helped keep me afloat to today.

## Northcoders part 5: Group Project

This was an interesting phase of the course, we had been practising pair programming throughout but b coordinating a team of five, coming up with a project idea, spiking technologies and delivering was a new challenge in itself.

Feeling the burnout from over-promising myself to jobs and the course I was relieved when we made it through and delivered a working app. I think others were feeling the same. Northcoders is intensive, and anyone that's thinking about attending should do what they can to be 100% available if they want to progress.

## Part 6: The End of The Beginning

If you made it this far, amazing, I respect your completionist commitment! Northcoders was a great experience and I hope that my commitment will bear fruit soon. I'm open to job opportunities if anyone's hiring. 

Stay tuned for my next post about creating my first npm package! 

Here's a link to my GitHub if you're interested in my work:
https://github.com/Seyaji

Also here's my LinkedIn(shameless plug number two):
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-golding/