The Fast Track to Learning Coding (with Ruby on Rails)
Become a confident coder and build your own web application with Ruby on Rails in just 12 weeks, part time.
Have you ever thought about building an app or tech startup? Perhaps you see that technology is changing every industry and you want to give yourself an advantage for your career.
Learning web application development will help you understand the full process of designing, developing and launching software. As part of this process, participants will learn about databases, web protocols, user interface design and how to use many valuable tools.
The experiences gained leads to insight into how all technology is made and gives you confidence to embrace the future.
The Coder Express program has been designed for people with no background in IT. Therefore, you do not need any prior experience with programming or other tech skills.
All that is required is a willingness to learn and a readiness for the challenges that come with learning new skills.
On completing the course, participants will understand and be able to explain:
- The concept of Object Oriented Programming
- The value of using a development framework like Ruby on Rails
- The client server model application architecture
- The Model View Controller (MVC) design pattern
- How the web works and protocols like HTTP and SSL
- The value of databases and how they work with applications
- The importance of user experience and interface design
On completing the course, participants will be able to:
- Code simple object oriented programs with the Ruby programming language
- Create a web application using the Ruby on Rails development framework
- Design the components of an application: the user interface (UI), the user experience (UX), the database
- Implement payment processing in an application using Stripe
- Use APIs to interact with online web services
- Use jQuery to improve user experience
This program uses several teaching methods to achieve the learning outcomes.
There are 12 activity-based, face-to-face classes with an experienced coding trainer. Participants will be coding from the very first class.
Individual and team challenges will be set to give participants an opportunity to apply what they have learnt in a practical way.
Participants will be assigned homework assessments to be completed at home between classes.
Some quizzes will be given to reinforce learnings and give participants confidence their knowledge is advancing.
The second module will see the trainer lead participants through the process of designing and developing a web application to learn more advanced topics and skills.
This project will see participants build a social innovation application that helps people put forward ideas that solve local community challenges. Users can then volunteer to become involved in the projects.
Participants will then design, develop and deploy their own project idea over the last four classes. This will bring together all the learnings and new skills to create a web application that the participant is passionate about.
Two weeks after the course, participants will return for a certification event and demonstrate the applications they have built to invited guests.
The 12 classes are grouped into 3 modules.
- Introduction to web application development
- Class project
- Build your own web application
Learn the history and five fundamental concepts of programming Create simple procedural programs with the Ruby language Create simple object-oriented programs with the Ruby language
Homework assessment: Create a simple object-oriented program with Ruby
Rails development environment setup Your first Rails application Model View Controller (MVC) software design pattern Ruby Gems Web protocols Intro to relational databases and database design
“Rails the hard way” Models
Controllers Views Routes
Designing an application (UI, UX, User stories, DB) Enquiry page Sending email from your application Creating delayed jobs Safely store your code on Github
Authentication Sessions Create user profile pages Allow users to upload files SEO friendly pages with Slugs
Create project pages Integrate your app with Google Maps API Use tagging for content Allow upvoting of content Deploy your app to the web with Heroku
Allow users to join projects In-app messaging Design the application for your own project
Set permissions with Authorisation Create an Admin Dashboard Work on your own project
Integrate payment processing Reducing web form spam Work on your own project
Web and app optimisation Application security Work on your own project
Pitching your application Final quiz Work on your own project
Participants should have their own laptop to bring to class and have use of for homework assessments. It can be Windows, Mac or Linux and should be less than 5 years old.
There is no requirement for purchasing software as all tools used in the program are free and open source.
While there are no strict prerequisites or prior coding experience needed for this course, participants are strongly encouraged to learn some basic HTML and CSS prior to attending.
Having these skills will provide participants with a strong foundation to do well in this course.
We recommend the free Codecademy courses but W3Schools are also suitable (and free).
(Open links in a new tab) Codecademy: Intro to HTML and Intro to CSS W3Schools: HTML and CSS
It is expected that participants will do their best to be present and punctual for every class. If not able to attend a class, the trainer should be notified.
The trainer and assistants will be available for support sessions as required. To be arranged directly with the trainer. These are to help participants who may have missed a class or require some extra help to understand the concepts.