After about two months into my Bloc web developer bootcamp I can say that overall, it’s been smooth sailing so far. I have completed two assessments in JavaScript and React.js and passed both them on the first try! I can finally say that I feel comfortable coding in JavaScript, which is a big win for me since I have struggled with it from the beginning. With React I still have a long way to go but I try to keep up with practicing and building small apps because that is the only way it is really going to stick. I have now moved onto the third Bloc module, which is Computer Science Fundamentals and I’m currently learning all about data structures. It’s so nice to be able to take a break from programming languages for a little bit and write in pseudo code! 🙌
As I continue on this journey to becoming a web developer, I want to share what parts I have struggled with so I can help whoever is reading this that might be feeling the same frustration. With that said, this post is going to be about the resources I have used to help me understand different concepts in JavaScript and React. My Bloc classes are solely text-based; there are no live lectures or recorded videos in the material whatsoever. Each module is like a giant textbook with only written examples so if you are someone like me who needs visuals to learn, it can be a real challenge!
Here is a collection of articles and videos that have been invaluable to me:
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Tyler McGinnis Both his blog and videos are incredible and if I wasn’t a fulltime student I would totally take one of his paid classes. He is my go-to for anytime I need a really good explanation. Here are links to some of his free videos/blog posts that have helped me immensely:
- Beginner's Guide to JavaScript Prototype After reading so many articles on what “prototype” means in JavaScript, this is the only one that helped me finally wrap my head around it (includes a great video too).
- Understanding the "This" Keyword Great article and video on the ever so confusing “this” keyword in JS.
- JavaScript Inheritance and the Prototype Chain I can say I finally understand this thanks to this video!
- Imperative vs. Declarative Programming A must read, part of his React Fundamentals course
- Server Rendering with React Everything you need to know about React Router
- React Interview Questions Some common interview qs you should study up on!
JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts by Tony Alicea. This is only the first 3.5 hours of an 11+ hour course on Udemy but it covers SO MUCH. It teaches you all about what goes on in JS under the hood and Tony Alicea is just an awesome teacher.
JavaScript Info Like my Bloc classes, this resource has a whole lot of text to read. But if that is your learning style, this is perfect because it basically covers everything you need to know about JS.
I really enjoyed this Advanced JavaScript video by Jade Allen Cook that covers everything from global namespace to promises. He makes it so easy to understand and follow along.
Scrimba - Learn React for Free If you haven’t heard of Scrimba before, it is amazing. This course by Bob Ziroll is how I was able to comprehend the fundamentals of React. What’s cool about Scrimba is you can click inside the video at any time and code inside the editor. Check it out!
I love the simplicity of this video explaining the differences/similarities of React, Angular and Vue
- State vs. Props This blog post by Lucy Bain will have you understanding the differences of state and props in React in no time!
So there you have it, these are some of my best resources that have helped level me up from complete beginner to amateur with more confidence 😄. It is truly amazing all of the free materials that are out there for us to use but it’s all a matter of finding the ones that keep us engaged and feeling like we’re actually learning something. I hope you get a chance to check these out and hopefully you can benefit from them as much as I have. Happy coding everyone! 🦄
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