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Shane F
400 PointsDoes the Full Stack JavaScript Developer track teach HTML and CSS as well?
I noticed that this video mentions HTML but I haven't been taught that yet.
6 Answers
Jonathan Fernandes
Courses Plus Student 22,784 PointsShane,
I think Treehouse is enough of a credential.
The truth is, I don't have the typical freelance experience that I think most people do. I don't look for odd jobs, I pick them. I am very picky and charge enough to be able to be so picky. I take my time to build a project well and the result is that I am able to charge a fair number for the work I do and everybody is happy. I don't advertise because my projects do the work for me.
As far as job offers, the truth is this, I have never applied for them because I never needed to. By the time I had built up a substantial portfolio, the work just kept coming in so I decided to stick to freelancing. But I will say this: I have two friends who both studied Computer Science with a focus on software development and they have both mentioned how impressed they were with the knowledge I have built up. One of them works at Amazon and basically walked away and said that he is shocked I know so much, and he encouraged me to ditch my job and apply to a web development company.
The big takeaway I got from my conversations with them is this: build a portfolio and be able to talk about why and how you built each one and I think you will do just fine.
Jonathan Fernandes
Courses Plus Student 22,784 PointsThey touch upon it enough for you to be able to use it well. Although, Treehouse offers plenty other side ventures should you desire to dive in either subject further.
Is there something specific you are worried about learning/not learning?
Shane F
400 PointsI am going through the Full Stack JavaScript Developer track on the $25/month subscription to potentially prepare for the Full Stack Javascript Techdegree.
Have you done the Techdegree program? If so, did you get a job from doing so or do you personally know anyone who has? I'm trying to make sure it's worth it before I spend the $199/month.
Thank you!
Jonathan Fernandes
Courses Plus Student 22,784 PointsShane,
I think that all depends on you. I think treehouse is a great tool but a tool is only as good as the person wielding it. The case example I can give you is my brother and I. We both were interested in full-stack and both decided to pursue this route. I am now a freelance developer and he is still working at a call center. The difference for us is the time we spent on it. I would spend every night on treehouse and then practice like crazy on the weekends.
Did the track walk you through how to build a todo-list application? Turn around and apply what you have learned to another idea and build something else. I remember finishing that app through their videos and being like "hmmm... I hate carrying my checkbook around. I bet I can build a 'checkbook app' to save the pocket space." And wouldn't you know it, I did. I stumbled and practiced till I could do it in my sleep.
Not sure how something works? Ask on the community board or get some contacts on treehouse and ask them directly (I personally friended two guys, Zach and Chris that knew their stuff so they helped me out a lot).
In fact, once I learned that, it gave me the ability to learn other things just by studying the docs and practicing. Take vue.js for example. Very new (in programming years) and amazing framework for the frontend that I think does way better than angular.js or react (which you should be learning angular on the track). They don't really have any courses currently on vue.js on treehouse yet I use the framework all the time now and their web framework, nuxt, as well. Treehouse didn't teach me vue.js, but I learned how to use the docs and practice with treehouse.
Here is what I would challenge you to do. Do the fullstack track and build three personal applications. A simple one, a mediocre one and a complex one. See if you can bring it all together. Then do a project pro-bono for some local organization (who doesn't really have the money so they won't mind you volunteering). Build a solid functioning application and get their feedback. Then after all that, then I would consider the techdegree track.
What do you think? Too long of an answer, right? Hahahahahaha.
I hope that helps!
Ruben Ponce
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 12,035 PointsI also noticed this also. However looking at the fullstack track, there wasn’t any HTML or CSS basics courses. So now I’m doing the front-end track with plans to do the fullstack track after, and my god it’s truly amazing how creativity and how much thought goes into websites. When you apply JavaScript it just gets crazier because now you can write scripts to interact literally change the front end. Also, I stopped after arrays because it was getting very hard lol!
Shane F
400 PointsHi Jonathan,
Thanks for the response. You mentioned you were a freelance developer. That means you basically look for odd jobs that you do on your own, right? Why did you choose to be a freelancer? Did you get any job offers when you applied for developer positions, or was Treehouse not enough of a credential?
Thanks.
Sabina Costin
587 PointsJonathan Fernandes HI! I am unsure if you are sticking around on this site, but I am very thankful for your advises and long detailed answers. I am a woman trying to learn JS and become a full stack developer one day. Seems fun so far - your answer definitely keeps me going and gives encouragement that success comes with perseverance!