r/learnjavascript • u/[deleted] • May 03 '20
[RECOMMENDATION] Fullstackopen.com Will Knock Tutorial Hell Out Of You
I'm currently in part 4 of the course and so far, i've built a few basic web apps with React, Node, and MongoDB.
I started learning to code in late 2017 and up until yesterday, i didn't know how to deploy a node app to heroku or do unit tests or integrarion tests. But that's just a few things i've learned so far and i plan to continue next weekend.
So, if like me, you know basic or intermediate JavaScript, you know basic git and GitHub, but you've been stuck in tutorial hell or you're clueless about:
Connecting a React App to a Node backend
Database administration
Testing
Graphql
Typescript, or;
ACTUALLY BUILDING SOMETHING FROM WHAT YOU'VE LEARNT
I think that course will do you some good.
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u/jarg77 May 04 '20
Wished it used sql instead of mongo
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May 04 '20
You could always do it on your own with SQL.
Node's mysl driver is pretty straightforward.
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u/letsbefrds May 04 '20
Take this as a step out of tutorial hell by changing one part of the application.
Just use Sequelize + postgreSQL if you want to get your feet wet with SQL database it can do simple relationships. The documents are alright it might not be the fastest compared to knex but you slowly move forward.
You don't have to write SQL queries you can still do model.findOne there's so many tutorials and a huge community to ask for help.
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u/Gibbo3771 May 04 '20
Just use Sequelize + postgreSQL if you want to get your feet wet with SQL database it can do simple relationships.
Depends on how much you SQL you want to learn but a beginner may want to start learning SQL syntax, as it can really help with debugging down the line. I know too many people that are using frameworks like Sequelize or Ruby on Rails that literally do not understand SQL at all.
For simple relationships and getting started, I would just straight up use the Node database driver and write raw queries. Then if you want to learn about migrations and query building, use Knex.
If you want to start moving closer to an ORM then I would use Objection JS with Knex.
Also a big one for me is that Sequelize claims it has out of the box Typescript support but this is then stated:
As Sequelize heavily relies on runtime property assignments, TypeScript won't be very useful out of the box. A decent amount of manual type declarations are needed to make models workable.
Knex and ObjectionsJs has much better Typescript support, with full type inference.
Not saying Sequelize is bad, it's not, I just think for beginners started with a bit of raw SQL and easing into an ORM is going to be better for skill development.
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u/rook218 May 04 '20
SQL is surprisingly easy to learn compared to the rest of the full stack technologies. It intimidated me for about a year before I picked it up and it's super super simple.
There are tons of free bootcamps, even on YouTube that can help you get the basics down enough to fly on your own.
But yes I agree, Mongo and other nosql databases are worse than sql databases in 99% of cases. I wish that these "zero-to-hero" bootcamps offered what's practical and in use by the industry, rather than the new shiny thing.
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u/Head-Gap-1717 Jun 20 '23
the one on PostgreSQL via free code camp + code ally was super good... literally just a couple hours spread over a few days (less than a week) and you have a super good grasp of how it works.
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u/Cayenne999 May 04 '20
Codecademy has sql on their web dev route. But anyway, you could totally learn it else where and connect it to your stack later.
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May 04 '20
Thanks for this! I Didn’t realize it, but this is exactly what I needed to get better intermediate experience. I’m self taught, have a web dev job, but it’s not very challenging/ growth-oriented. This will help supplement that. Really appreciate you taking the time to share it.
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May 04 '20
I'm glad i you found the course helpful.
I've been going around in loops for a while, doing the same things over and over until i discovered fullstack open a few weeks ago.
My first thought was, How did i not discover this course earlier?
In the past two weeks, fullstackopen has helped me get past that feedback loop from help.
Meanwhile. Congrats on your dev job. I hear it's tough to enter the industry when you're self-taught.
Can you please share some tips about how you succeeded in getting the job?
I'm currently working in a completely different industry.
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u/drdaydreamv2 May 04 '20
is it not in english??
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May 04 '20
It's in English, Finish, and one other language, i think. https://www.fullstackopen.com/en takes you to the English version
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u/commette May 04 '20
I'm working through this right now! I'm glad to see MERN plus Hooks, for some reason i was having trouble finding walk throughs what i wanted but this is a good basis
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May 04 '20
The best part is, if you get stuck and ask for help via the course's telegram channel, the admins and other members help you resolve the problem.
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u/Sensualities May 29 '20
I’m almost done with Part 7 now (which is the end of the main course) and I have to say it’s the best resource I’ve come across and I’ve spent over 150 hours in this within the past month or so and it’s great
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May 29 '20
Same here!
I just completed exercise 7.13 I plan to complete the rest of part tomorrow. This course is one of the best things that's happened to me this year.
I read somewhere that there's a full stack project at the end of the course but i can't seem to find enough info about it.
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u/Sensualities May 30 '20
yeah so the full stack project is actually a bit more general. I also thought it was a big project or something that you were supposed to team up with and build but the instructions are actually something along the lines of "build a full stack react application" or something along those lines and it should take at least 50-100 hours or something like that I think. So it's kind of hit and miss. I just completed 7.14 actually and am going to try to add the functionality tomorrow and then spend a good chunk of time styling it up a bit then hosting it on a heroku server and putting it in my portfolio and seeing if I can manage to land an internship haha
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Jun 09 '20
hi, I'm doing part 2 right now. Does it make you do projects in the future parts that will look good on your portfolio?
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Jun 09 '20
Yes and no.
Yes because, from what i've seen so far, the course makes you build apps that perform operations similar to the ones in real apps using some of the latest technologies. For instance, the most notable apps i've built are a (fullstack) phonebook, blog, and basic weather app weather app using React, Node, MongoDB and Redux. I've just completed part 8-a where i built a GraphQL server for a book library.
My point is, the course lays the foundation for you to build useful stuff that would look good on your portfolio. My current side project is a student management fullstack web app. I wouldn't have started it if i hadn't learnt what i did from fullstackopen.
And... No because the course don't focus too much on design. It's primary focus is basic to intermediate functionality. So, if you want to go far, i recommend you go the extra mile by reading the official docs of whatever technology fullstackopen introduces. It does help. I do that in in free time.
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Jun 09 '20
hi, I'm doing part 2 right now. Does it make you do projects in the future parts that will look good on your portfolio?
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u/Sensualities Jun 09 '20
it has one major project which is at the end of part 7. You make a blog application, where the user can signup, login, create blogs, view the list of users who have made blogs, and you can view the title of their blogs. You can also add comments to blog posts, and upvote them as well. It's actually pretty in-depth i'd say.
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u/kingslayer_008 May 04 '20
I know that having a strong portfolio is big plus more than any certificate, but still I would like to know the worth of the certificate from this.
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May 04 '20
Honestly, i don't know and i don't care too much. I'm taking the self-taught route and i think any responsible employer would appreciate the time dedicated to studying a course that took over 200 hours of your time.
Moreover, i'm in it for the experience.
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u/kingslayer_008 May 04 '20
I am learning too, but I am in the middle of TOP. I will start this course after I complete my todolist project there, after which they have a section related to frameworks. Considering this teaches react and node, I can use both curriculums. I was asking about certificate just because if it's worth, it will be a plus :)
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u/peanutbutterwnutella May 04 '20
haha i’ve done the same path. as soon as the framework section showed up I left TOP for Full Stack Open and i’m much happier
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u/kingslayer_008 May 04 '20
Is it as good as TOP?
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u/peanutbutterwnutella May 05 '20
TOP, to be honest, and in my point of view, is just a resource that points to other resources.
it depends. i think TOP is great for those who have no programming experience (although I think CS foundations are better if you’re beginning). but at least for me, it was really really slow placed.
Full Stack Open, however, is really fast paced: it shows you how to do it and that’s it. there are exercises but no projects (and I think that’s better because I have some projects of my own and I can follow along).
the only issue with FSO is that you have to constantly research if how you code is considered good practice—FSO doesn’t teach design patterns; for instance, when they teach you React in part 2, they show you how React works, but not how the components should be structured (by the way, this is an awesome resource for that). if you feel your code doesn’t make sense or that there is a better way to structure it, it’s most likely true.
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u/kingslayer_008 May 06 '20
Agree. I like TOP because of how it structured it's projects based on the topics it made us learn before each particular project.
Coming to it's downside, it provides too much reading material on the web from different resources, which obviously takes our time as we have to read all those lengthy articles before we start doing project.
Full Stack Open, however, is really fast paced: it shows you how to do it and that’s it. there are exercises but no projects (and I think that’s better because I have some projects of my own and I can follow along).
So it has no projects? hmm. I thought it had projects. Anyways, looks like for projects I just have to follow TOP I guess. I s**k at project ideas :(
Thanks for that link between.
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May 04 '20
[deleted]
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u/noisyislazy May 04 '20
I agree that certificates are pretty useless (even though I still have one on my resume). In this case it’s a cool format though because it requires you to make submissions, which personally keeps me motivated and helps me learn the material. This course is offered by the University of Helsinki, it’s the same as their on-campus full stack course in the CS program
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u/kingslayer_008 May 04 '20
Certificates from online courses (that aren’t offered by a college or university) are worthless
But the OPs resource is related to University of Helsinki ? That's the reason why I asked for it's worth. I know online course certificates are worthless.
I just read from their website we need to submit all the projects to gain the certificate, so I will definitely try to complete that. I think it's worth it.
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May 04 '20
[deleted]
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u/kingslayer_008 May 04 '20
I didn't consider this as normal online course based on your own comment where you specifically mentioned:
(that aren’t offered by a college or university)
as this is offered by a University before you edited it to "full paid program...". Looks like you are the one who made up your mind and edited your own comment. Why to be rude anyways?
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May 06 '20
I love this course, is there a place to discuss the exercises? I am on a part where im not exactly sure what they're asking for in the question. Should mention I'm not going through the course for the uni credits or anything like that just self learning.
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May 06 '20
I'm self-learning too. The course's official Telegram channel is https://t.me/fullstackcourse
That's where i ask for help when i get stuck.
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u/enimrack Jun 13 '20
If anyone wants to go through this course together send me a pm! I'd love to have a buddy(s) to go work through it and hold each other accountable.
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Jun 16 '20
Hey,
I ran out of gas at part 8. I work during the day and learn to code at night so, it's kind of hard keeping up.
I'm down to team up with anyone that's in part 8 or help anyone that's having issues with part 7 and below.
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Aug 18 '22
Thanks for recommending this, I completely forgot about it. I studied JavaScript and basic React for about 12 months before I stopped for 2 months due to some personal issues, but I'm back at it from today onwards.
I will try this course, thanks for vouching!
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u/sahandsn Oct 09 '22
hey everyone,
I am finishing CS50x but besides that I am completely new to programming. I want to learn full-stack web applications and I am looking for my next course. I am torn between CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript and Full stack open.
does any one know which one is more rigorous and more in-depth?
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May 04 '20
[deleted]
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May 04 '20
If you understand or are willing to do a bit of research about the following:
Fuctions
Array methods/properties
Object methods/properties
Callbacks
Asynchronous code execution.
The course usually recommends you check MDN docs if you need to understand any JS construct or function.
However, i prefer using https://www.javascript.info instead because it's way more learner-friendly and to the point.
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May 04 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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May 04 '20
The way it goes both deep and wide is amazing. From the outset, the way it explains the workings of the internet got me hooked.
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u/amine23 May 04 '20
I'm doing part 6 right now, and it's been a blast. This course is criminally underrated.