Educative Highlights: December 2022 Edition
Tags: programming, community
Published: 2023-01-23 18:59:56

Last month, we added a bevy of fun and exciting courses, Skill Paths, and projects to the Educative library! Whether you’re looking to learn web development, data science, cloud development, or even how to ace an interview with object-oriented design principles, there's something new here for just about everyone. 

As developers, learning new skills and keeping old ones sharp is one of the best investments you can make in your career. That's why today, we'll highlight the most popular courses and pathways that Educative learners explored in December 2022. 

Let's dive right in!

**We'll cover**:
* [Web Development: CSS, JavaScript, Django, and Vue](#web-development)
   * [Style web pages using CSS](#learn-css)
   * [Implement APIs using JavaScript](#javascript-api)
   * [Develop applications with Vue](#vue-applications)
   * [Test your knowledge of Django](#django)
* [Android App Development: Ionic, React, Angular, and Java](#android-app-development)
* [Data Science: Big Data, Linear Algebra, SQL, Python Pandas, and Scikit-learn](#data-science)
   * [Master Big Data](#big-data)
   * [Learn Linear Algebra for Data Science with Python](#linear-algebra-with-python)
   * [Test your knowledge of SQL, R, and Python](#sql-r-python)
* [Software Testing, Security, and Debugging: Bash, Selenium, and JavaEE](#software-testing-security-debugging)
* [Cloud Development: AWS, Azure, and Kubernetes](#cloud-development)
* [Grokking Interviews: Object-Oriented Design](#interview-object-oriented-design)
* [Programming Languages: C and C#](#c-and-c-sharp)
* [Keep the learning going in 2023](#next)

<a name="web-development"></a>

## Web Development: CSS, JavaScript, Django, and Vue

Web development is easily one of the most popular programming skill sets in the *world*. Learning how to use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and web development frameworks like Django and Vue can allow you to create interactive, responsive websites and web applications. 

<a name="learn-css"></a>

### Learn how to style web pages using CSS

#### **Skill Path**: [Web Styling - CSS](https://www.educative.io/path/web-page-styling-css?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This Skill Path is designed to take you from the very basics of CSS to more advanced skills used by front-end web developers to create gorgeous, visually aesthetic designs. 

You will learn how to create mobile-responsive websites using the modern CSS layout and CSS theming. Then, you'll learn all about a popular CSS framework, Tailwind, before learning how to optimize CSS code using SAAS. 

You'll get **57 hours** of content spread across 335 lessons, 359 playgrounds, 34 challenges, and 782 code snippets. By the end, you'll be a CSS expert, ready to tackle the most challenging interview questions. 

<a name="javascript-api"></a>

### Implement APIs using JavaScript

APIs are used ubiquitously for back-end web development these days and will continue to be an essential skill for anyone looking to break into web development. Each of these courses takes about **4 hours** to complete, so you can learn all about API architecture, authorization methods, design, and integration if you have a free afternoon or weekend. 

#### **Courses** 

* [Managing Channel and Video Data with the Twitch API in JavaScript](https://www.educative.io/courses/channel-and-video-data-with-the-twitch-api-in-javascript?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Integrate the Spotify API in JavaScript](https://www.educative.io/courses/integrate-the-spotify-api-in-javascript?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Using OpenAI API for Natural Language Processing in JavaScript](https://www.educative.io/courses/using-openai-api-for-natural-language-processing-in-javascript?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Integrate The Movie Database (TMDB) API in JavaScript](https://www.educative.io/courses/integrate-the-movie-database-api-in-javascript?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

#### **Implement APIs using Python**: Eventbrite and Avalara
If you're more comfortable using Python, then these two courses will be perfect for you. 
* [Exploring the Eventbrite APIs with Python](https://www.educative.io/courses/exploring-the-eventbrite-api-with-python?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Calculating Sales Tax Using Avalara's AvaTax API in Python](https://www.educative.io/courses/calculating-sales-tax-using-avalara-avatax-api-in-python?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

<a name="vue-applications"></a>

### Develop applications with Vue

#### **Course**: [Vue - The Road to Enterprise](https://www.educative.io/courses/vue-the-road-to-enterprise?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This **40-hour** course is the perfect challenge to handle for those with intermediate front-end web development skills. If you're looking to add a flexible and in-demand JavaScript framework to your skill set, then Vue is an excellent choice. 

You'll cover a wide range of best practices, patterns, guides, and concepts used to develop large-scale, enterprise-level web applications. 

<a name="django"></a>

### Test your knowledge of Django

#### **Skill Assessment**: [Web Development Using Django](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/5443207412580352/5465187142598656/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

Just how well do you know Django? You'll get **20 minutes and three attempts** to test your understanding of essential Django concepts like:
* MVC architecture
* Static and dynamic routes
* Template inheritance
* URL mappings
* Filters 
* PostgreSQL

...and more!  


<a name="android-app-development"></a>

## Android App Development: Ionic, Angular, React, and Java

Android app development is a rapidly growing field, so it's no wonder we saw so much interest in these Skill Paths once they were released. 

### **Skill Paths**
* [Android Development with Java](https://www.educative.io/path/android-development-with-java?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Android Development with Ionic and React](https://www.educative.io/path/android-development-with-ionic-and-react?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Android Development with Ionic and Angular](https://www.educative.io/path/android-development-with-ionic-and-angular?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

Each of these Skill Paths takes approximately **40 to 50 hours** to complete and will teach you how to build fully functional mobile applications through hands-on experience. 

<a name="data-science"></a>

## Data Science: Big Data, Linear Algebra, SQL, Python, Pandas, and Scikit-learn

We've progressed deep into the Information Age, and consequently, data science is becoming increasingly important for businesses and organizations to manage and interpret large volumes of data. If you're looking to break into the world of data science, this is the section for you! 

<a name="big-data"></a>

### Master Big Data

#### **Skill Path**: [Become a Big Data Professional](https://www.educative.io/path/become-a-big-data-professional?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This entire Skill Path only takes **26 hours** to complete! 

In that short amount of time, you'll cover the basics of big data, how to build scalable data pipelines, the fundamentals of Apache Spark, and how to create big data template applications using Java.

<a name="linear-algebra-with-python"></a>

### Learn linear algebra using Python

#### **Course**: [Linear Algebra for Data Science using Python](https://www.educative.io/courses/linear-algebra-for-data-science-using-python?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This **10-hour course comes with a mini-project**: Learning to Find Discriminative Null Space for Face Recognition.

You'll develop the skills to apply linear algebra concepts to real-world problems through coding exercises in Python. 

You'll gain a better understanding of concepts such as:
* Vector space
* Spans
* Subspaces
* Fields
* Eigenspaces
* Diagonalization
* Singular value decomposition (SVD)

...and more!  

<a name="sql-r-python"></a>

### Test your knowledge of SQL, R, and Python

If you want to identify gaps in your knowledge when it comes to SQL, R, Pandas, and Scikit-learn, then give these Skill Assessments a try. 

You'll have **20 to 30 minutes and three attempts** to get the highest SkillScore possible. 

* [Structured Query Language (SQL)](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/4580610826043392/4741495620108288/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [R Programming](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/6715294078992384/5047238168674304/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Python Pandas](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/5378929254989824/6080668136374272/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Scikit-learn](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/5015853869563904/5096850896191488/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

<a name="software-testing-security-debugging"></a>

## Software Testing, Security, and Debugging

Software testing, debugging, and optimizing apps are all essential skills to have in the software development field. So, we added three Skill Paths and one course to help you master Bash (Bourne Again Shell), Selenium, test automation, and JakartaEE. 

### **Skill Paths**
* [Bash Programming](https://www.educative.io/path/bash-programming?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Mastering Selenium](https://www.educative.io/path/mastering-selenium?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [Test Automation](https://www.educative.io/path/test-automation?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

**Bash** is the most widely used Linux shell, and understanding how an OS works is one of the most critical skills a software engineer can learn. The **Bash Programming Skill Path** is jam-packed with **45 hours** of interactive content that will teach you how to use it to automate daily computer tasks!

**Selenium** is often used to automate functional testing across multiple modern browsers, which makes it a popular choice among web testers. **Mastering Selenium** is a **40-hour** Skill Path in which you perform multiple test cases using React, Node.js, and Java. You'll also learn how to design a framework with Selenium and Java to run tests within Azure DevOps. 

**Test Automation** is a **14-hour** Skill Path where you will design your own test automation framework for web-based and mobile applications. You'll also learn how to automate performance testing using Gatling, Puppeteer, and Lighthouse.

### **Course**: [JakartaEE Security Workshop](https://www.educative.io/courses/jakarta-ee-security-workshop?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

The **JakartaEE Security Workshop** takes approximately **9 hours** to complete, and in that time, you'll work with essential security concepts such as authentication and authorization. 

The focus of this course is on **information security**, so you'll develop skills like encoding, encryption, and hashing. In addition, you'll get hands-on experience integrating OAuth2 and OpenID Connect into Java applications. 

<a name="cloud-development"></a>

## Cloud Development: AWS with Terraform and Kubernetes with Azure

The cloud has transformed the way organizations store and manage data, applications, and services. If you're eager to learn the ins and outs of cloud development, then you're in luck! December gifted us with two fantastic resources for learning.

### **Skill Path**: [Become an AWS and Terraform Expert](https://www.educative.io/path/become-an-aws-and-terraform-expert?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This **30-hour** Skill Path goes over the different services provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS), a cloud computing web service provided by Amazon. 

You'll learn the basics of Hybrid Cloud Deployment, get familiar with the features of Hashicorp's Terraform, and learn all about Infrastructure as Code (IaC). 

By the end, you will be prepared to take the HashiCorp Terraform Associate certification exam. 

### **Course**: [Running Kubernetes Cluster using Azure Kubernetes Service](https://www.educative.io/courses/running-kubernetes-cluster-using-azure-kubernetes-service?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This **10-hour** course will introduce you to using Docker and its components. You'll come away with a working knowledge of containers, images, and Dockerfile, as well as Kubernetes!

<a name="interview-object-oriented-design"></a> 

## Interview Skills: Object-Oriented Design

### **Course**: [Grokking the Low-Level Design Interview Using OOD Principles](https://www.educative.io/courses/grokking-the-low-level-design-interview-using-ood-principles?utm_campaign=coding-interview&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

This course will take approximately **40 hours** to complete and will teach the essential object-oriented design principles and patterns in use today. 

You'll be given an extensive set of **real-world problems used in technical interviews** at companies like Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. 

In addition, you will learn how to implement the code portion of each problem in multiple programming languages (Java, C++, C#, Python, and JavaScript). 

By the end of this course, you should have a strong understanding of OOD concepts and how to apply them.

<a name="c-and-c-sharp"></a>

## Assess your knowledge of C and C#

If you want to know where you stand when it comes to programming in C or C#, then set aside 20 minutes to take our Skill Assessments. 

### **Skill Assessments**
* [C Programming](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/6544544523091968/6440741136236544/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)
* [C# Programming](https://www.educative.io/collection/page/10370001/6100410544947200/6744595656605696/assessment?utm_campaign=&utm_source=medium&utm_medium=text&utm_content=&utm_term=&eid=5082902844932096)

Our Skill Assessments are useful tools for gauging your understanding of different programming languages and concepts. This can be a great place to start if you're unsure of what you need to start studying! 

<a name="next"></a>

## Keep the learning going in 2023

That wraps up our highlights of the most popular offerings we released in December. We're proud to have helped over 1.6 million individuals start their Educative journey this past year, and we can't wait to see what the future holds. 

If you're excited to start learning more, check out the [full catalog of courses, Skill Paths, and Projects](https://www.educative.io/explore?eid=5082902844932096)! We're always adding new and updated content, so be sure to check it out.

*Happy learning!*

### Continue learning about coding interviews on Educative
* [Top 20 Python interview questions and answers for beginners](https://www.educative.io/blog/python3-interview-questions-and-answers?eid=5082902844932096)
* [How to answer my favorite System Design question: Design Spotify](https://www.educative.io/blog/favorite-system-design-question?eid=5082902844932096)
* [7 of the most important LeetCode patterns for coding interviews](https://www.educative.io/blog/coding-interview-leetcode-patterns?eid=5082902844932096)

### Start a discussion
What was your favorite Educative resource from December? Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!