Coding Bootcamp: Foundations to Core

Become a software engineer from scratch. Land a job or get your money back.

  • No experience required. Learn full-stack development online in just 10 months studying part-time

  • Program includes foundational units to build your HTML, CSS, and Javascript skills, before starting the core Career Track curriculum

  • Hands-on, project-based curriculum designed in partnership with coding legend Colt Steele

  • 1-on-1 mentorship, coaching and career services

  • NEW! AI for Engineers learning units

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Abdel Kareem

Software Engineering Graduate

From Emergency Medical Tech

To Software Engineer @ Bread Financial

Coding Bootcamp: Foundations to Core

Become a software engineer from scratch. Land a job or get your money back.

  • No experience required. Learn full-stack development online in just 10 months studying part-time

  • Program includes foundational units to build your HTML, CSS, and Javascript skills, before starting the core Career Track curriculum

  • Hands-on, project-based curriculum designed in partnership with coding legend Colt Steele

  • 1-on-1 mentorship, coaching and career services

  • NEW! AI for Engineers learning units

Apply now to get started

Finish your free application in just 3 quick steps

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Our coding graduates get jobs with leading tech companies

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Go from beginner to job-ready in as little as 10 months

This coding bootcamp was built to give beginners a pathway to a software engineering career. You’ll start with the Foundations curriculum — learning the skills you need through coursework and hands-on coding projects. Then you’ll transition to the core Career Track curriculum. All at no extra cost.

By the end of Coding Foundations you will:

  • Develop introductory software engineering basics in CSS, HTML, and Javascript

  • Develop a software engineering mindset and foundation

  • Work through small, hands-on exercises

  • Complete two coding projects using your new skills. You'll build your own digital resume using HTML and CSS, before tackling a series of Javascript exercises based on The Story of Caesar’s Traditional Secret Party.

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An online coding bootcamp that's built different

Feel confident on your journey from beginner to software engineer. You'll graduate with the skills, portfolio and career support to get a job or receive a full refund.

Hands-on experience

With our remote, on-demand curriculum, become a front-end developer while you work.

1-on-1 mentorship

Regular meetings to discuss your curriculum, project, or career-specific questions.

Personal career coach

Find the right job with an optimized resume, built out network and mock interviews

Developed with coding legend, Colt Steele

Springboard partnered with one of Udemy's top-rated software engineering instructors to create this coding bootcamp. Colt's classes have over 1.5 million students worldwide, and his graduates work at companies like Google, Salesforce, and Square.

Meet Colt Steele

Hi! I'm Colt. I'm a developer with a serious love for teaching. I've spent the last several years teaching people to program through in-person bootcamps and through my popular online courses. I've helped hundreds of thousands of students become web developers and change their lives.

What you’ll learn

Over 10 months, you’ll learn the core skills to succeed as a software engineer from scratch. Starting in the foundations curriculum, you'll cover software engineering basics in CSS, HTML, and Javascript. Once you complete the two hands-on coding projects, you’ll start the Career Track curriculum and unlock technical units that cover front-end, back-end, and full-stack development. Plus, you’ll learn to collaborate with generative AI to code smarter and faster.

Topic 1: HTML

In this opening unit, you’ll learn how to build well-designed web pages using HTML. You’ll also start the first foundations project, building your digital resume using HTML.

  • Learn HTML basics, such as adding text elements and links to a web page

  • Understand how to add more robust HTML pages with the use of tables and forms

  • Submit your first coding exercises

Topic 2: CSS

Using CSS will give your webpages a polished, professional look while also allowing your webpage to be accessed on a variety of devices. In this unit, you’ll practice multiple style elements with CSS and put these new skills into practice by finalizing your digital resume as part of the first foundations project.

  • Build an understanding of CSS and how it can be used to build webpages

  • Become comfortable using elements, class, and ID selectors to find and style elements on a page

  • Become familiar with common styling rules for backgrounds, font sizes, and colors

Topic 3: JavaScript

Javascript is considered the “programming language of the web” and makes your webpage interactive when you, for example, click on a button or submit a form. In this unit, you’ll learn the ins and outs of JavaScript and complete your second project, a series of Javascript exercises based on The Story of Caesar’s Traditional Secret Party. 

  • Build an understanding of JavaScript and how it functions within a browser

  • Learn how to use variables and conditional logic to store information and create complex programs

  • Become comfortable using data types to model real-world applications

  • Learn how to utilize iteration and functions to reduce code duplication

Topic 4: Exercises and Quizzes (Foundations)

There are no end-to-end projects in Foundations, but you will encounter several hands-on exercises and quizzes to strengthen your learnings. 

  • HTML Fundamentals

  • CSS Intro (optional)

  • CSS Diner

  • CSS Box Model (optional)

  • CSS Mocks

  • Variables and Data Types Exercise

  • Boolean Logic 

  • Array 

  • Objects

  • Numbers Quiz

  • Variables Quiz

  • Strings Quiz

Topic 5: AI for Engineers: Prompt Engineering

Since the arrival of OpenAI’s GPT-3, there has been an increased awareness of the crucial role prompts play in shaping language model outputs. In this unit, you’ll gain an understanding of how language models like GPT-3 and GPT-4 work through interactive exercises, videos, and quizzes.

  • Learn techniques and best practices for crafting effective prompts to achieve desired outcomes from language models like Chat-GPT

  • Leverage prompts to assist with the process of efficient coding

Topic 6: Web Fundamentals

In this unit, you’ll develop an understanding of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. You’ll familiarize yourself with the industry's most commonly used languages and technologies.

  • Review and expand on the web development fundamentals you’ll need to succeed in any full-stack career

  • Learn how to use Chrome's native debugger to find and fix problems in your code

  • Learn about how timers work in JavaScript

Topic 7: DOM Manipulation

JavaScript, known as “the programming language of the web,” will provide the backbone of the web development stack. In this unit, you’ll learn more intermediate skills, such as leveraging JavaScript to build sophisticated, event-driven applications using the DOM. 

  • Explore how JavaScript interacts with HTML

  • Learn about the DOM (Document Object Model) and how to use it to find and modify HTML on a webpage

  • Learn about Event-Driven Programming, for instance, how JavaScript and HTML interact when you click on a button

Topic 8: Developer Fundamentals

Before starting with any web development, you’ll need to build a solid foundation. In this unit, you’ll learn essential tools of the trade.

  • Learn how to use the command line in your computer’s terminal

  • Learn how to use Git and GitHub for version control

  • Push JavaScript Timers exercise to GitHub through the command line

Topic 9: Testing with Jasmine

In this unit, you’ll learn one of the most fundamental skills that any developer needs to know: testing.

  • Learn how to write unit tests in a JavaScript testing library called Jasmine

  • Understand the benefits of testing and testing best practices

  • Submit a hands-on exercise on testing in Jasmine

Topic 10: Advanced Array Methods

This unit focuses on practical manipulations of the array data structure. You’ll use these skills in later units to refactor the code on some of your earlier projects. 

  • Learn and get comfortable with advanced array methods

  • Dive deeper into callback functions and higher order functions, introduced in Web Fundamentals

  • Learn methods like sum, find, index, and reduce

Topic 11: ES2015

In this unit, you’ll learn the version of JavaScript used by most workplaces, ECMAScript 2015 or ES2015 for short. The changes let developers write less code to achieve the same functionality.

  • Familiarize yourself with the new features of ES2015

  • Gain context for why these features were added

  • Prepare yourself for reading, understanding, and writing code on modern codebases

  • Gain a more in-depth understanding of JavaScript

Topic 12: Fruit Search Project

In this project, you’ll create a small predictive text search app for fruit using DOM Manipulation, advanced array methods, and the features of the ES2015 update in the previous unit. 

  • Plan and help code a Connect Four Game in JavaScript

  • Prepare for your code review

  • Participate in a live code review

Topic 13: Object-Oriented Programming

In object-oriented programming, data is structured into classes, and coded procedures manipulate the data into objects. In this unit, you’ll learn the ins and outs of object-oriented programming and work on projects that involve refactoring and creating an object-oriented class to model a car.

  • Learn how to use this keyword

  • Explore how ES2015 implements classes

  • Refactor or rewrite code

Topic 14: jQuery and Twitter Bootstrap

The two most popular libraries in web development are jQuery and Bootstrap. In this unit, you’ll learn jQuery and then have the option to work through a Twitter Bootstrap subunit. The unit will also provide exercises on each to reinforce your learning. 

  • Learn how to use the JavaScript jQuery library for DOM manipulation

  • Learn how to use the CSS Twitter Bootstrap library for powerful styling

Topic 15: How the Web Works and AJAX

JavaScript can also be used to fetch external data with a series of technologies known as AJAX, which you’ll explore in this unit. You’ll first learn the protocols of how the web works and then move on to one of the tougher topics in JavaScript, asynchronous code.

  • Gain a conceptual understanding of how the internet works, including learning about the protocols that power the web

  • Learn how to access other people’s publicly available data through APIs

  • Learn how JavaScript can be used to request and receive data 

  • Learn about AJAX and how to write asynchronous code

Topic 16: Python Fundamentals

This unit will introduce you to back-end development through learning Python. You’ll get comfortable with the language just like you did with JavaScript and recognize key differences and similarities between Python and JavaScript.

  • Get up and running with your second programming language: Python

  • Learn how Python differs from JavaScript

  • Learn about back-end programming

  • Work on a small number of Python exercises

Topic 17: Flask Fundamentals

You’ll begin building full-stack applications through the popular web framework Flask. Reddit, Netflix, Lyft, and Airbnb all use Flask in their stack. You’ll also learn essential backend concepts like server-side templates, rendering, redirecting, cookies, and sessions.

  • Learn what a framework and web server do

  • Learn how Flask processes HTTP requests and responses

  • Work on exercises to set up Flask and build simple apps

Topic 18: SQL

SQL is foundational towards building any relational database-backed application and has been the standard for over 40 years. In this unit, you’ll get started working with databases and SQL. 

  • Learn SQL, the world standard for database querying language

  • Learn about databases and relational databases

  • Familiarize yourself with Postgres, a Relational Database Management System

Topic 19: SQLAlchemy

This unit will help you build more complex web applications through an ORM called SQLAlchemy, which allows you to use your knowledge of SQL but handle database operations in Python. 

  • Learn how to use SQLAlchemy, an object-relational-mapper (ORM)

  • Use SQLAlchemy to write Python code that executes in a Postgres database

Topic 20: Intermediate Flask

In this unit, you’ll start building production applications in the real world. You’ll also learn how to make HTTP requests from the backend, allowing you to interact with most APIs to fetch and send data to and from external data sources. 

  • Start building JSON APIs 

  • Secure applications with hashed passwords and authentications and authorization

  • Learn about RESTful routing and interacting with APIs from the server side

  • Begin brainstorming topics for your first Capstone project

Topic 21: Twitter Clone (Project)

This unit is built around a project where you’ll create a Twitter clone called Warbler. You’ll work with a large codebase and then add functionality to the clone. 

  • Create a clone of Twitter and add additional functionality

  • Practice reading a large codebase and interacting with elements you may be unfamiliar with

Topic 22: Intermediate Terminal (Optional)

This optional unit will cover common command line keywords that will allow you to find files on your computer’s ecosystem. 

  • Learn more advanced command line keywords like find and grep

  • Learn and understand symbolic links

  • Get a feel for Github workflows used in development and production environments

Topic 23: Node Fundamentals

In this unit, you’ll revisit JavaScript and learn about Node.js and how to use its asynchronous model to build performant applications.

  • Learn about node, a JavaScript technology that allows you to write server-side JavaScript

  • Review asynchronous calls and AJAX

  • Learn Jest, a JavaScript testing library

  • Learn GitHub workflow for collaboration

Topic 24: Express Fundamentals

Many major companies like PayPal, Uber, and IBM use Express in their tech stack, and almost every company where you’d be using Node, you’ll also use Express. In this unit, you’ll learn some of the intricate parts of this framework and use it to build an API.

  • Learn how to build Express web servers and APIs

  • Understand how to refactor routes to handle login in a more intelligent way

Topic 25: Express and Postgress

In this unit, you’ll build a full-stack application with Postgress and Express.

  • Learn how to connect a database to an Express app

  • Learn how to work with asynchronous code, and handle common security exploits

  • Write basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) queries and make your own simple ORM

Topic 26: Intermediate Express

This unit explores more advanced features of Express including authentication and authorization using JSON Web Tokens.

  • Dive into how Express does authentication and authorization with JSON web tokens (JWT)

  • Learn how to implement API validations

Topic 27: ReactJS Fundamentals

Written by Facebook, this framework allows for building robust applications that can scale easily. Once you have a solid grasp on what React is and how to build components and simple applications, you’ll layer on more complexity with a few additional built-in hooks.

  • Be introduced to the concept of components as well as React Forms, Effect and Refs

  • Get an introduction to Trees, how they're implemented, and the various classes

  • Build a Pokedex app and a few other small games

Topic 28: React Router and React History

If you have visited a website that has changing URLs but displays the same page, you know you’re dealing with a React Router.  It is used ubiquitously online and across the corporate world.

  • Familiarize yourself with the React Router library, which allows you to do client-side routing

  • Build simple web applications with React Router

Topic 29: React Jobly (Project)

In this unit, you’ll take your Jobly cumulative project (see Projects below) and create a dynamic front-end React app. You’ll design the app then deploy it using Heroku. 

Topic 30: Data Structures and Algorithms

Not only are Data Structures and Algorithms essential for succeeding in interviews, but they are also an important topic for understanding how to architect applications and make the right tradeoffs regarding performance. 

  • Learn about the most important algorithms and data structures that every aspiring software engineer should know

  • Learn about data structures like stacks, graphs, queues, and linked lists which are ubiquitous in real-world development

Topic 31: Redux (Optional)

Redux is one of the most popular React libraries. Go through this optional unit to learn about its features and debugging capabilities. 

  • Be introduced to the Redux library, which is a more elegant way to share data amongst components than the Context API

  • Learn about the features of Redux, and when you would choose to use it instead of Context

  • Get some hands-on experience building small apps in Redux

Topic 32: TypeScript (Optional)

Typescript, a superset of JavaScript, has become increasingly popular in recent years. Learning TypeScript will make you more competitive in your job search while keeping your coding skills sharp. 

  • Be introduced to TypeScript and how it's used to define elements within programming

  • Learn about the features of TypeScript including object types and union types

Topic 33: Projects

Four main portfolio pieces (two cumulative projects and two Capstone projects) will allow you to apply all the skills you develop while working through the program. You’ll gain hands-on experience with each stage of the development process, from designing your web page or application to coding and testing your code, to final review and putting it into production.


Cumulative Project 1 — Hacker News Clone: Focuses on skills you learned in the front-end development part of the program by having you make a functional clone of Hacker News from your API.


Cumulative Project 2 — Jobly: 

You will take your backend knowledge and build a full-stack application called Jobly, which will be used similarly to LinkedIn — where people can explore and apply for jobs online — but on a smaller scale.


Capstone Project 1:
Create a database-driven website with an external API of your choice. You will submit portions of the project for evaluation three times: several project ideas, a project proposal, and the complete GitHub repo.


Capstone Project 2:
This Capstone is similar to the first project, but with Node/Express/React and more robust features. You’ll again create a database-driven website with an external API of your choice. You will submit portions of the project for evaluation three times: several project ideas, a project proposal, and the complete GitHub repo.

Topic 34: Assessments

Periodically throughout the curriculum, you’ll take assessments that range from having you answer questions about topics you’ve learned to completing a coding project. Assessments include:

  • Meme generator

  • Jeopardy!

  • Foreign Exchange Converter

  • Database DJ

  • Lucky Number (optional)

  • Broken App or Node Express

  • Even More Broken App

  • Mad Libs

  • Snack or Booze

  • Star Wars (optional) 

Topic 35: Career Support

Career units throughout the bootcamp will help you create a tailored job search strategy based on your background and goals. Topics include:

  • Types of industry roles 

  • Job search strategies

  • Building a network and using it to land interviews

  • Creating a high-quality resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter

  • Preparing for technical and non-technical interviews

  • Successful negotiation

NEW! AI for Engineers: Prompt Engineering

Learn to harness the power of AI with this new learning unit, exclusively for Springboard students. Get comfortable speaking the language of ChatGPT and other generative AI language models. Make your code more efficient and build a skill set that puts you ahead of the competition.

An industry-leading coding bootcamp

This online coding bootcamp for beginners launches new careers.

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2022

Best Bootcamp

2022

Best Bootcamp

2022

Develop a unique portfolio

You’ll complete four professional-grade portfolio projects guaranteed to land you interviews. Perfect them with regular feedback from your personal mentor and our team of on-demand coding mentors.

Graduates will gain experience in:

  • Developing full-stack applications with JavaScript and Python

  • Working with the most popular JavaScript tools like React and Node

  • Integrating databases and APIs into back-end applications

  • Creating and manipulating front-end web pages with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS

  • Acing interviews through our mock interview program

Past projects from Springboard students

Juan Guzman

Capstone project: An app that helps you compare credit card rewards

Tim Birkmire

Capstone project: Map-based app to help transgender individuals find public restrooms

A coding bootcamp with a job guarantee

Invest in yourself with confidence with the Springboard Job Guarantee. If you put in the work and don't land a job, we'll give you a refund. Terms apply.


Eligibility for the Springboard Job Guarantee:

  • Successful completion of all mandatory coursework, core projects and career development tasks

  • Fulfill all post-completion job search requirements — regular networking, job applications and interviewing

Springboard coding graduates have achieved life-changing growth. You can too.

+$25,764

Average salary increase of software engineering students who provided pre- and post-course salaries.

December 2023

88.4%

Of job-qualified individuals who reported an offer and received it within 12 months of graduation.

December 2023

2,957

Enrolled students in the Coding bootcamp since 2020.

December 2023

Coding Bootcamp: Foundations to Core vs. Software Engineering Career Track

Get everything in the Software Engineering Career Track plus foundational skill building units in HTML, CSS, and Javascript, all for the same price.

Coding Bootcamp: Foundations to Core

Software Engineering Career Track

Coding experience required

No. Learn the basics of CSS, HTML + more in Foundations

Yes

Course length (part-time)

10 months

9 months

Award winning software engineering curriculum

Yes

Yes

Springboard Job Guarantee*

Yes

Yes

1:1 expert mentorship

Yes

Yes

1:1 career coaching

Yes

Yes

Lifetime access to your Springboard account

Yes

Yes

Upfront tuition with discount**

$9,900

$9,900

*Terms apply | **Total cost varies based on approved interest rate. Financing only available for U.S. residents

Already have coding experience? You'll start the Career Track curriculum

If you've already built your fundamentals in Javascript, HTML, and CSS, you can still apply at the bottom of this page. After speaking with your admission advisor, you'll take a skills survey before being placed in the Software Engineering Career Track curriculum.

Apply to the next cohort

This coding bootcamp is a 10-month program. Most students devote 20-25 hours a week to complete the course.

4 ways to fund your future

Everyone should have the opportunity for growth. That’s why we offer a range of payment options.

What are software developers earning?

These are the average salaries of software engineers in the US.

pricing-chart

Data as of November 2022; cross-referenced with Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Indeed, Payscale, Salary.com, BuiltIn, and Comparably.

How to get started today

Whether you're a beginner or have coding experience, submit the application form at the bottom of this page. It’s fast and free — and we’ll process your application immediately.

Get ready for a phone call. After you apply, an admissions team member will call you to discuss your background and goals.

We’ll send you a skills survey to figure out what you already know. Beginners start with foundational units at no extra cost, before progressing to the core curriculum. Experienced coders start in the core curriculum.

Select a payment plan and start date. There are no additional fees for students taking the foundations units.

Here’s why people just like you choose Springboard for coding

ML Engineer at IQVIA, Diana Xie

The capstone projects were really helpful in applying what we learned, and so were the videos by Colt Steele.

Kristy Chu

B.A. Business Economics

Previous Job : Senior Revenue Accountant

Current Job : Software Engineer at FloQast

Read more

Your questions, answered

Ready to start your coding career? Apply now

Spots are limited, and we accept qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Start your free application. It takes just 5 minutes to complete.

Ready to become a software engineer? Apply now

Spots are limited, and we accept qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.