Curriculum

HackYourFuture Belgium

Here you can find an overview of the HackYourFuture program and a short listing of the contents and deliverables/learning goals of the different modules. The headers of the different modules link to the actual repositories that are used by teachers to post assignments/reading materials etc. Be aware that some of the modules make use of more than one repository.

As a HYF student, check out here for some extra info about how our program works and what it requires.

When do we run our trainings?

Sundays Classes

Classes take place every Sunday from 12.00 to approximately 16/16.30.

What do you learn at HYF?

HTML/CSS

HTML is the standard markup language for creating Web pages. CSS is a language that describes the style of an HTML document. This module will introduce the basic concepts of HTML5 and CSS. We spend time getting you familiar with your text editor and handy developer tools. After this we will focus on responsive web development. Making responsive websites is an important part of front-end programming. You will learn how to make your websites responsive by using media queries using a “mobile first” approach. Last but not least we will spend time practicing some soft skills that we think are important for becoming a good developer. These include: give and receive feedback to your fellow trainees, presenting and explaining your work.

Module goals

• Basic understanding of HTML5 and CSS (DOM, semantic elements)
• Know how to organize your files
• Know your way around your text editor
• Feel comfortable working with the console
• Properly indent your code
• Properly naming classes, id's
• Responsive mobile first development
• Know "good" and "bad" practices when it comes to HTML
• Get an understanding of what good resources are on the web
• Give receive/feedback from/on fellow trainees
• Presenting and explaining your work to others

GIT1

GIT is a software for tracking changes in any set of files. It's usually used for coordinating work among developers collaboratively working on the same source code during software development. The command line (CLI, shell) is the interface between you (the user) and the operating system which interprets your commands and allows the computer to respond to your command. In this module trainees get familiar with the command line and learn what GIT is and what problem it solves.

Module goals

• Have an understanding of what GIT is and what problem it solves.
• Understand what a commit is and how it represents a certain unit of work
• Know how to create a new repository using clone and init
• Know how to add / remove files to that new repository
• Know how to commit and push files in that new repository.
• Have an understanding of branches and how they can be used.
• Know how to navigate between branches and what git commands to use for them.
• Basic CLI commands to navigate around the filesystem

JavaScript1

In this repo you can find a very nice overview of some of the fundamental JavaScript concepts

Module goals

• What is JavaScript and what can you use it for
• Basic Data Types
  • Strings
  • Numbers
  • Array
• Values
• Operators
• Variables
• Naming conventions
• Loops (for and while)
• Functions
• Closures
• Scopes
• Advanced Data types
  • Objects
• String and Array Manipulations
• Basic DOM manipulations
• Code commenting

JavaScript2

Module goals

• JSON
• Code debugging using the browser
• Functions + JSON/Arrays
• Code flow (order of execution)
• (Capturing user input)
• Structuring code files
• Events
• Callbacks and Promises
• XHTTP Requests
• API calls
• Async VS Sync
• Polling

JavaScript3

Module goals

• (re)writing data structures (in JSON)
• Map, reduce filter
• Closures
• Promises
• Test Driven Development

Database

What is a database? A place to store “things”. Could be as simple as a phone book (physical) or as complex as storing all the inventory for Amazon.com. Why use databases? Easier than having data all over the place. Puts the problem of collecting, storing, sorting and searching data in a single place. There are two primary types of database systems - relational and NoSQL. Relational databases have tables that relate to one another and can be “joined” ACID vs BASE

Module goals By the end of this module, trainees should have a familiarity with and basic understanding of the following:

• Entities
• The relational model
• The Structured Query Language (SQL)
• The construction of a database system
• MySQL as an example of a relational database system
• Non-relational data and NoSQL
• MongoDB as an example of a NoSQL database

NODE.js

Node.js is a server-side platform built on Google Chrome's JavaScript Engine (V8 Engine). For almost any web application, it is essential to have a backend. The backend is a place where we, the developers, can store our data, communicate with users and let the users communicate with us, do smart things like calculations, data processing etc.

There are many languages for this. We might've heard of Java, C, C++, Go, Python, Ruby, PHP and many more.

There are two reasons why we at HYF choose Node.JS over others:

1. You already know JavaScript, so it's easier to get started than other languages
2. Node.js is great for making web APIs because it is asynchronous by nature and thus allows for high input/output. By this we mean that it allows many users to make very light requests at the same time.

Module goals

• What is Node.js?
• Using Node Package Manager (NPM)
• Using require to include modules
• Using http to handle http requests and respond
• Using fs to read from and write to files.
• Using process to read arguments from the CLI
• Using express to make a RESTful API

React

The React Module is split into 2 modules.

React 1

Module goals

By the end of this module, trainees should have a familiarity with and basic understanding of the following:

• React Components
• State and Lifecycle
• Forms and Managing State
• API Integration

React 2

Module goals

By the end of this module, trainees should have a familiarity with and basic understanding of the following:

• SPA and routing using React Router
• Redux

GIT2

Module goals

• To become comfortable using branches, handling merge conflicts, and using pull requests.
• To be ready to use git to collaborate with other trainees on the Final Project.

[Final Project]

In this module trainees work together in a team on a predefined project. The goal of this module is to combine all your acquired skills from the last modules into a project, often in collaboration with a real-world organization and real-world challenge to solve. In this project, scoping, requirement analysis, and project management are core themes while building your first full-stack project! 💪

Module goals

• Working on a full-stack skeleton (provided by us), using different technologies you’ve been exposed to during the HackYourFuture program.
• Fill the gaps that you have left in the previous modules. Did you miss a Node assignment? Make sure to pick up an extra issue related to Node.js.
• Show that you can work, communicate, and function in a team.
• Get familiar working with agile methodologies.

[Career Training]

The goal of this series of sessions is to optimally prepare the trainees for the job hunt in Belgiums's IT industry and to shape a better understanding of why quality code and solid code projects are the most valuable assets they have.

Module Goals

• Understand where to look for suitable jobs and internships.
• Understand what you should do in order to be an attractive candidate on the job market.
• Understand what HYF can do to support you on your job hunt.
• Know how to assemble an effective CV.
• Know how to make your Linkedin page attractive to recruiters.
• Know how to make your GitHub page attractive to recruiters.
• Learn how to perform well in a technical interview.

_This document uses content from the HackYourFuture Denmark curriculum, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.