Bootcamp was completed in three modules. Each module ended with a project week, where we built a web app from scratch using the learned technologies. At the end of project week, we would present our creation to an audience. Here’s what I came up with.
Module 1: Front-End Web Development — HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap
Module 2: Back-End MEAN Stack — MongoDB, Mongoose, Express.js, Handlebars, Angular, Node.js, API’s
Module 3: Full Stack Web Application
Final project week!
In module three we wrap it all together and build a full stack application.
To help foragers find edible weeds, fruits, and other wild flora in and around their city, as well as share their findings with other foragers, I created weedmapper.
I used Illustrator to plan things out before coding:
When searching by location, you see pins on the map, posted by foragers and knowledgeable plant lovers in your community. The pins are clickable and their contents show in list form on the left side as well.
The best week so far. Combined everything we’ve learned up to this point (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MongoDB, Node.js) and paired up with another classmate to build a full-stack web application.
I’ve had this idea for a while now, to make my landscape design life easier. The goal is to be able to search for plants by location, filter by desired plant type (tree, shrub, flowers, etc.) and return a list of most-recommended plants for your specific area or site. Still a work in progress, but fulfilled requirements for this module.
Oh by the way we won “gold medal” for the best project.
Week three means the end of module one, and the creation of project one — coding a game using our newly acquired front-end skills. I’m not much of a gamer, in fact I don’t give a crap about games, but I do like card games alright. And so I replicated one, and further developed my JavaScript skills in the meantime. I introduce you to HackJack.
Module one was ridiculously fast-paced. We learned how to set up the development environment and dug deep into the fundamentals of responsive front-end design with HTML, CSS, Javascript and jQuery.
Good thing there’s free beer on the rooftop every day at 5.
Week one kicked my ass. Sort of. I can’t say I understand Javascript yet, the logic combined with the syntax. I had one of those “I’m too stupid” days on Wednesday as people finished the assignment and trickled out of the room… and I was still stuck on part two. Shanshan tried to explain it to me but by then I had shut down.
HTML/CSS is more instantly gratifying but solving a Javascript problem is overall more satisfying.. maybe becuase I haven’t completed an entire HTML/CSS “clone” project yet… to be satisfied by the final result.
Pair programming… well I have love and I have hate for pair programming. A good exercise nonetheless.
Friday afternoon was exciting, tying it all together into a single application, and understanding (well, being exposed to, but nowhere near understanding) the DOM and the Javascript processes behind Facebook and such.
Saying “bonjour” is much more challenging than “hola” or “buendia” or just hey, hi, good morning. Much easier to sound like a gringa, like a foreigner.
Really fun stuff. Optimistic about the future for a change.
