The Benefits of a Coding Boot Camp

This blog discusses various web development topics, all from the perspective of a self-taught developer.


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There's an H1 on the homepage that reads "Who Needs Boot Camp?"

It's a slightly provocative question to have as a homepage title. But with only a few words to play with, I felt the question provides the context for much of this site's content. I didn't go to a coding boost camp, I have managed to learn lots of web development and I'll be reflecting on my approaches and learning journey throughout.

That doesn't mean I think a coding boot camp is a bad option though, so I wanted to outline my thoughts on what makes a coding bootcamp an enticing prospect to so many.

What Even Is A Boot Camp?

No, not that.

A popular AI language model, which is rapidly replacing Google as my go-to for most things, described a boot camp as:

"An intensive, short-term training program designed to teach individuals the skills and knowledge needed to become proficient software developers. These boot camps typically focus on practical, hands-on learning and aim to prepare students for entry-level positions in the software development industry in a condensed timeframe, often spanning a few months. Boot camps cover a range of programming languages, development tools, and best practices, providing a fast track for individuals seeking to transition into a career in software development."

They can be quite expensive, sometimes over $20k, and you either cram them into intense evenings of learning, or you're not in work while in attendance. But lots of people swear by them. Why? There are a few likely reasons:

A Learning Structure Designed For Retention

Tutorial hell is when you spend an exorbitant amount of time watching videos and not practicing. When you get around to implementing things, the newly learned skills you thought you had vanish.

There's a way to learn, and there's a way to remember what you've learned. Try it, fail or succeed, try it more than once, and try it in a slightly new way. That's how to remember something new. Explaining something to someone, even if you've only just learned it, helps you retain that information.

Both of those things are easy to NOT do when learning by yourself. Boot camps are designed so that you retain the knowledge.

A Community

Your instructor(s) will know their stuff. Or they're hustlers. They will tell you the latest things to learn and why. Your fellow boot campers will have their own opinions. Both will be on hand to keep you motivated, keep you from being lazy by avoiding practicing, and will be there for help and advice.

If you learn by yourself, a bunch of Discord server pals isn't quite the same. A support community is probably a big plus of boot camps.

Job Entries

How to apply, what to apply to, when to apply, how to prepare, and maybe even putting in a good word for you. I'm guessing a bit here, but helping you to land that first job is a service often cited in boot camp marketing.

What About A Computer Science Degree?

Being a software engineer is typically preceded by getting a degree in computer science. It's the conventional path into the industry.

It's said that a computer science degree provides a strong foundation in the theoretical and practical aspects of computing. It equips graduates with a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, algorithms, and data structures that they can then apply to their web development roles (or at least the interview).

Additionally, computer science programs often cover a wide range of programming languages and technologies, once again making that interview easier.

So yes if you can afford it, if you're passionate about the subject, choosing a degree in computer science remains a great option.

The Self-Taught Approach

If you look at the number of web developer educators on YouTube, or their popularity in terms of views, comments, and the price some of these programmes charge, it's clear that self-learning web developers are many in number.

Access to lots of largely free learning material, to search engines, developer forums and most recently AI language models, has made this approach a perfectly good one... in theory.

You're somewhat on your own though. You need to be your own marker, your schedule setter, and your own coach when your confidence is down.

Learning ineffectively, wasting time on the wrong subjects, or acquiring incorrect knowledge can be pitfalls for self-taught developers.