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Read the latest insights from Northcoders on coding and the tech industry.

How to choose which coding language to learn first

Choosing which programming language to learn can be very daunting. There are over 700 languages currently listed by Wiki. Where should you begin? If you take anything away from reading this, it should be one key point; we strongly recommend learning one language in-depth and not two or three casually. What can happen if I choose…

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Coding Bootcamp vs. Self Study: Pros & Cons Explained

If you’re starting to code, you’ll have a few different routes to take with your learning process. Everyone is different, so working out what’s the best option for your journey is important. We’ve outlined some pros and cons of bootcamp vs. self-study to help you make a decision. Self Study Pros Cons Coding Bootcamps Pros…

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5 Resources to Learn to Code for Absolute Beginners

Whether you used to tinker with your MySpace profile or have no idea what the difference is between Python and HTML, one thing’s true: everyone starts somewhere. And the great news is, there are more free (and friendly) ways to get into coding today than ever before. Here are some great places to start… freeCodeCamp…

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The Beginner’s Guide to forEach, map and filter in JavaScript

What even are JavaScript Array Methods? Now that you’re getting started with the basics of JavaScript, at some point soon you’ll likely come across three seemingly magical words in many code examples: .forEach(), .map() and .filter(). When you go to loop through (or iterate through) an array, the first thing you think of is probably a for loop. .forEach(), .map() and .filter() are all just other ways…

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two woman at a computer
two woman at a computer

You CAN Become a Software Engineer Without a Degree. Here’s How

You don’t need to study computer programming at uni to get your foot on the coding career ladder. With the right help, training and support, you could go from absolute beginner to junior engineer in as little as 13 weeks — no qualifications required. Here’s how… For those pursuing a career in software development, the…

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Reduce: Five Unusual Uses

…for the best thing in JavaScript The array method reduce is the best thing in JavaScript, but it’s only existed as a native method of the language since 2009 or so, when the 5th Edition of ECMAScript was released. Before then, people would have relied on their own or other implementations. Even now, there are arguments for going elsewhere…

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React: componentWillMount to be deprecated!

Our React teaching team follow developments in the Facebooks UI-creating library very closely. We update our curriculum every 2 weeks, and recently they came across an update worth sharing with everyone! This is a blog for anyone who builds User Interfaces with React! Some very important features are improving – but it’s important everyone knows…

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JavaScript: The Spread Operator

The spread operator is awesome. It can do SO much — it’s efficient, readable, and can save a whole load of mess. I don’t know how you can not love it! It’s a reasonably new feature of JavaScript that came with ECMA2015 (or ES6, if you prefer, although the former is technically correct!) — or for those unfamiliar with…

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Taking your JavaScript Skills to a Higher (Order) Level – Part 1

Take your JavaScript knowledge to another level, a ‘higher-order’.  I remember reading about Higher Order Functions, watching videos and still not being 100% sure about what they are and what I should understand about them. Maybe it was a case of trying to run before I could walk but it all seemed so mysterious. This…

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A Beginner’s Guide to Test-Driven Development

Test Driven Development (TDD) is an industry best practice, and it’s a method we teach our students from week 1 of the course. Throughout this post, I will be using Mocha as a testing framework, and Chai as an assertion library. If you’re new to programming, you’ll need to ensure you have Node installed on your machine before you read up…

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Is Coding for Me? Signs You Should Learn to Code!

Ever considered learning to code? If you’re bored at work, consider yourself creative, or love learning, this post is for you! You like learning I’ve always enjoyed learning, even when I didn’t necessarily enjoy my schooling. I liked the feeling of approaching a brand new topic, having no idea where to start, and slowly feeling my…

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Writing the Perfect Junior Developer CV

Poor CV? No interview. Great CV? Fast lane to interview. Your CV is your first chance to market yourself, and in many cases, your only chance to make a first impression. Make it count.  In this post, I explain how to write a great Junior Developer CV What are the best practices? 1. Keep it…

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