Codesmith

Dear Prospective Software Engineer,

I was in your shoes for the first half of 2018, looking for a Bootcamp to fast track myself towards a career in software development.

I finally decided on Codesmith (for reasons I will describe below), and got admitted into the program in November. Six life-changing months later, I accepted an offer as a mid-level Software Engineer in July 2019.

A little context first: I have spent my time at Codesmith as a Resident (3 months) and a Teaching Fellow (3 months), experiencing the program both as a participant and a facilitator. This has given me the unique privilege of seeing 5 separate cohorts (over 60 residents) with little to no software engineering experience come into the program and go on to earn 6-figure salaries as Mid-Senior level Software Engineers (check out the CIRR report on Codesmith- https://cirr.org/data, and https://www.codesmith.io/graduate-outcomes). I think there are 4 specific parts of the Codesmith program that leads to these accomplishments:

First, Codesmith sets you up for success before you even join the program. For evidence of this, look no further than the free advanced JavaScript workshops (check out https://codesmith.io/coding-events), free exercises on CSX (https://csx.codesmith.io/) and Bootcamp prep course, CS Prep (https://www.codesmith.io/bootcamp-prep). All of these serve as community-building (you will meet many of your future cohort -mates), and to prepare you for the technical interview to gain acceptance into the program.

The interview itself is quite challenging and might even require more than 1 attempt, but you will be gauged on qualities that are markers for success in the program and in your career as a software engineer (technical communication, problem-solving ability, and approach to tackling unfamiliar concepts). I urge you to attend any of these free JavaScript workshops for an insight into the excellent pedagogy and supportive culture at Codesmith (make sure to stay for drinks afterward on Thursday night! =D).

Second: Pair Programming and working in groups. Almost the entirety of your residency at Codesmith will be spent working with a partner or in a group. There’s been a deliberate decision to make almost every part of the program collaborative, as this reinforces the qualities needed to succeed as a software engineer. How do you prove your expertise when doing interviews for software engineering roles? By technically communicating software engineering and web application concepts, much as you did in your first 6 weeks at Codesmith. When you get hired as a Software Engineer, you will almost definitely be working as a part of a team in an agile environment- much like you will in your last 6 weeks at Codesmith. Your experiences at Codesmith will translate directly to real-world benefits in both applying for engineering jobs, and excelling at them.

Third, the creation of Open Source Developer Tools. In the last half of your program at Codesmith, you will be tasked with creating an Open Source developer tool, going from conception to working product in less than 4 weeks. It is absolutely a difficult endeavor, but the rewards are well worth it.

While most Bootcamps have simple CRUD applications as their capstone projects, building developer tools gives you deep, specific knowledge on key web application concepts. This will also help you gain real-world engineering experience while working in an Agile environment, and is a huge reason why Codesmith grads get placed in Mid-Senior developer roles out of the gate.

Finally, the hiring program and post-program support. I feel like this is Codesmith’s best-kept secret, and is worth the cost of admission alone. Applying for engineering roles requires a different set of skills than being able to carry out the job itself. Most of the program takes care of the latter, and the hiring program tackles the former. You will learn everything from crafting incredibly effective resumes and structuring your applications and outreach messages to acing your interviews, eloquently discussing your software engineering narrative, and the all-important salary negotiations. These are all invaluable skills that will carry you from your first mid-senior engineering gig through the rest of your software engineering career. After the program, you will have bi-weekly check-ins to gauge your job application process leading up to your first job placement.

If you are driven and intrinsically motivated to progress as a Software Engineer, Codesmith will give you all the necessary tools and resources to succeed. But keep in mind, this drive and motivation is essential. The program is undoubtedly tough from admission to graduation, and expecting to be spoon-fed information will only lead to disappointment.

Being persistent and working hard to improve yourself and your peers, however, will lead to success both during your time at Codesmith, and in your career as a Software Engineer- I’ve seen it happen time and time again.

Note: If you’re interested, I highly recommend visiting https://codesmith.io/coding-events for the next Hard Parts. The in-depth JavaScript knowledge you’ll gain from these workshops is invaluable, regardless of whether you choose to attend Codesmith.

I went through Codesmith essentially twice - as a resident and as an engineering fellow after graduating. In both situations, I got so much more out of it than I ever expected to. I not only ended up becoming a software engineer but found a place that truly felt like home.

My first exposure to Codesmith was through JSHP and was immediately impressed by how much detail the instructors went into for core concepts in JS. At the time, I wasn't even looking for a program, just an opportunity to meet other engineers and network. However, the level of commitment Codesmith had for developing the community around the free workshops made me realize it was something different. Additionally, the fact that both Will and Phil were willing to help me even before I considered applying proved how unique of a place Codesmith is. The one key phrase that I kept hearing stood out to me: Developing yourself but never at the expense of somebody else. I was already nervous enough considering switching career fields, but that phrase really provided solace. I eventually applied and got accepted into the program.

Residency: The residency is extremely challenging and back-breaking. There is no other way to say it. However, the feeling that you will get from tackling those challenges trumps everything. While doing the residency, I finally understood why Codesmith was on a different caliber than other programs (i.e. Hack Reactor, Flatiron...etc). A really big portion is the production project where we focus on building developer tools that other engineers use. It might not even be on at technology taught in the program. Ultimately, it boils down to the community. You will face a tremendous amount of doubt, trying to justify why you deserve to be in the program while continuously fighting imposter syndrome and simultaneously digesting overwhelming amounts of information. Even though the curriculum is tough, it's nothing compared to the emotional aspects that come along with it that you'll need to manage. However, as cliche as it sounds, it's the community that will carry you through. You're amidst people who are just as passionate and ambitious as you and that's going to make you work harder. What makes it special though is that everyone is mutually invested in your success are you are in theirs. That reciprocity results in you learning and growing even though you might feel like you aren't. The residency teaches you not only the core curriculum but also what it means to be someone of value personally and professionally. You eventually learn to leverage grit, frustration, mentorship and perseverance as traits that are going to make you invaluable as an engineer. 

Fellowship: I was extremely fortunate to be asked to join the team after graduating as an engineering fellow. As a fellow, you are not only working on Codesmith's platform (i.e CSX), but also mentoring the residents. Doing the fellowship made me realize just how much work went into forming this community. I knew every team member works extremely hard but I didn't realize the amount of dedication it took behind the scenes to make Codesmith what it is. Having to actually represent Codesmith made me realize there were so many things I took for granted. I thought doing the residency was challenging, doing the fellowship took it to a whole other level. However, I am so glad I did as I learned just as much if not even more than the residency. I essentially went through the program again but this time through the lens of an instructor. Having that change in perspective makes you mature extremely fast technically. Beyond the technical growth, working with the team was one of the best parts. It's common to hear that good work culture in a company often translates into strong performance. Working at Codesmith was the epitome of that. As challenging as doing the fellowship was technically and emotionally, knowing the team always had my back made me realize I found a family that valued me for who I was. Not a lot of companies are able to provide that. 

Having gone through essentially a full circle, Codesmith is where you want to be if you want to become a software engineer. However, beyond that, Codesmith is a place that will grow you personally and professionally in ways that that other programs can't

My first exposure to Codesmith was through hardparts on Thursdays. I did not start until a few months later, but when I did, it was not an easy process. To help with this, Codesmith provides everyone with many great resources like CSX to help you grasp the fundamentals of Javascript.

Once you get in, it does not get easier. Being a software developer is not only to test if you make a simple website, but how data structures can make your program faster, how each technology you use affects your program differently, and how to scale efficiently. This is where Codesmith comes in, teaching not only how to make websites, but also other CS fundamentals as if you were pursuing a CS degree in college so we as engineers can make educated decisions ourselves in our own projects/products.

Now you may be wondering what happens after you graduate. Your time with Codesmith does not end. They will continue to support you. They also have a strong community filled with passionate software engineers so you are able to meet other residents besides the ones in your own cohort to see what their experiences were like.

One of the best parts about codesmith, in my mind, that separates it from other bootcamps is the culture of engineering excellence. Technical communication, and engineering empathy (not being a dick) is a big part of the screening process on who they accept into the program, so when I started with my co-hort, I was surrounded by incredibly talented peers to work alongside. That being said, it is incredibly challenging. There is little to no hand-holding, which makes the struggle all the more satisfying when you make it out on the other side, and ultimately is what forged me into the engineer I am now. Can't say enough about this place, the people, and how it has changed my life. 

I first came across Codesmith through their free JavaScript Hard parts meetups (which I highly recommend you go and check out) and the first thing that impressed me early on was the clarity and interactive teaching style of Phil (Lead in NYC) and Will (CEO) on advanced topics such as async & promises, closures, higher-order functions. Going to these meetups helped tremendously in my decision to go to Codesmith as you get a preview of the lectures, people (a lot of the cohort comes from the meetups) and environment. To give a better context to my review, I focused on three things during my decision process for picking a coding bootcamp:

1. The quality of the education- I came to coding with zero background in computer science and made a complete career change, so this was important not only because of the cost of the program, but I needed to be able to digest advanced topics in a short amount of time.
2. Job assistance – I needed a program that can also jumpstart my career in this industry since I left a good job to study and commit to a 13 program and couldn’t afford to not get a job quickly or start on an entry level  (More on this later, but Codesmith has a hiring program that’s included in your time there and is worth the price alone)
3. The community –  I needed to be challenged and be with like-minded and supportive people. There are plenty of group projects and pair-programming so the people surrounding you are important. Also, you are spending every ounce of your time there (Codesmith is 6 days a week, from 9am to 8pm (officially) but most usually stay until 10-11pm+). Additionally, the girl ratio was also a concern for me (In my cohort there was 4 out 16).  

Needless to say Codesmith exceed my expectations and hit all of major concerns. To start with the curriculum, every day for the first hour of the day you have an algorithm problem and the approach lecture for the problem the day before. You spend the first 4 weeks doing 2 day units which consist of lectures, skill-builders (solo-work) and pair-programing unit challenges. Most of your “learning” comes from these pair-programing challenges which encourage you to problem-solve by struggling and talking out things with your partner. (There is a clear focus on technical communication.) There’s also constructive feedback after each session so you’re constantly improving your teamwork and coding skills. An important note: things are not hand-fed to you. This approach makes you a capable of learning new things really quickly but just know that you will go through a confidence rollercoaster during the course of the program (Will even has a chart that he provides the on the first day). The rest of the program consist of the project phase (3 short term ones and your production project, which will take 4-5 weeks).  These are great way to experiment, dive deep, and build your expertise in certain technologies. They are all impressive (check out Codesmith’s website for examples) and a notable experience to talk about when on an interview.

What makes the program so powerful is that the community of the instructors, fellows, the non-technical staff, and the rest of the cohort. Every person is expertly selected to preserve the Codesmith community and culture, and, I’ve never seen a more dedicated and caring workforce. The teaching fellows are there to do the approach lectures and to support you throughout the entire process and they spend hours with you going over material, questions you may have, and even theorizing about a particular approach or current hot topic. There are also periodical check-ins with the staff on how you are doing with the program, and they are always available to you to resolve any issues you may have. A new cohort starts every six weeks, and Juniors and Seniors are in the same space, so you’ll get plenty of opportunity to meet/network/mentor with more developers before and after you.  The small class size, long hours, and plenty of group projects makes it easy to bond with your cohort group. It was only 90 days but it felt like we were together for many years. There’s also a great alumni network that’s available online and in person (there were always a few alumni visiting during my time there).

Towards the end of the program they start the hiring program which has on-going support after graduation and is led by Will and Eric. It’s another thing that sets Codesmith apart from the rest. They give you knowledge and practice on building your resume, how to interview, how to approach the job search, and how to negotiate salary (Listen to Eric on this –  he coaches you what to say and what to expect and it is 100% on point). There are mock interviews, and check-ins, and slack channels that will be your coding and job-search bible. On top of that, there’s always someone on staff (or fellow cohort mates) to guide you throughout the whole process.

You can read about the outcomes report on Codesmith here (https://cirr.org/data) and certainly do your research (got to meetups and info sessions) but I can honestly say that Codesmith changed my life.  Its staff, approach to education, and community are top notch. It was definitely one of the toughest things I’ve done but it was also one of the most rewarding. The hesitation toward joining such an intense program is valid but if you commit yourself to those 90 days, Codesmith will change your life. I am sure it.     

Steer clear of Codesmith if you're not ready to be challenged! Over 12 grueling weeks, you will be primed to tackle algorithmic challenges and pick up new web technologies (React/Redux/SQL/noSQL) at breakneck pace. The fact that each member of my cohort was able to hold his/her own - despite the unrelenting pace of the curriculum - is testament to the dedication of and empowerment fostered by the instructors and teaching staff who give the program its momentum. Career-wise, the support I have received from Codesmith (in addition to the numerous networking opportunities during the course of the program) has been invaluable and will be very encouraging for those seeking opportunities in the software dev market for the first time.

As a side note, consider taking the associated 2-week CSPrep program before tackling the 12-week program head-on; I myself enrolled in it and could not have found a better way to ready myself for the Javascript curriculum that's the cornerstone of the Codesmith program.

I'm writing this review as I finally cleared my background check for my mid-level offer after 1 month of graduating from Codesmith in order to shine light for those who are in my position 4 months ago.

In that sense, I'll speak to what I wish I would have read before making the leap to Codesmith. If you're reading this, you've probably narrowed down your choices to the top bootcamps - Fullstack, HR, App Academy - but maybe you've heard of Codesmith or went to JS the Hard Parts. That was me and I was ready to go to Fullstack until I went to one workshop and immediately changed my mind. 

To me the big 3 differentiators of Codesmith are:

1. Results.

In the end, that's what we care about right? Codesmith has been consistently getting its graduates 6 figure salaries and now they have the audited data to prove it. If you go to CIRR, you can see their average salary way over any bootcamp in NY, and I believe the US. Some bootcamps even started leaving off their results because of how bad it's gotten. As I recently interviewed, I can speak to why - the industry is getting fierce as bootcamps and colleges are churning out more and more grads. While other bootcamps stayed complacent, Codesmith innovated - as the hiring program is phenomenal and is not comparable to anything else offered. Other bootcamps just tell you to make your resume look pretty and give you mock interviews but Codesmith's hiring program seriously prepares you to not only pass the interviews, but to get the interviews - which is the most important part. Coming out of a bootcamp, especially with no experience, you're already going to have a hard time getting interviews but not Codesmith grads. Some people in my cohort had to disable their notifications because they were getting spammed with interview requests by recruiters.

2. Community

Well, now you're probably wondering if Codesmith has such great results, why aren't they as well known as all the others? Well, its because Codesmith doesn't go for guerilla marketing like others. When I was googling coding terms, and even now, I couldn't go 5 minutes without seeing a Fullstack Academy ad. When I finished Hack Reactor Prep, I couldn't go 5 days without seeing an email reminder telling me to sign up for the next cohort. Why? Because those bootcamps were acquired and are incentivized work to increase their bottom line and churn out grads. I didn't want to feel like I was just another face in a sea of students. Codesmith doesn't do guerilla marketing and keeps its cohorts small, having only 2 in person running at each time. One in their senior phase, to mentor the juniors, who are in the beginning phase. That way education quality is upheld, more individual attention can be given, and everyone forms lasting relationships.

3. Project

If you check out the Codesmith projects, you'll realize why grads get only mid level offers or higher. Instead of building some slack/airbnb clone or some random thing no one will ever use, grads are building developer tools that people actually use. Trust me - when your interviewer hears that your project was starred by core team members of the framework you're USING - I promise you they'll be impressed.

In the end, if you work hard enough, you can join the Codesmith family of software engineers, all whose lives have been changed by this experience. I encourage anyone out there learning to code to keep working hard, and come to a Thursday night workshop at Codesmith and see what it really is all about!

As many other have noted, Codesmith’s 12-week course is both an extremely challenging and extremely rewarding journey. The aspect that made it possible was the unbelievable assistance from the community. The unflagging support from both the staff and fellow students make the long hours (10-12 hours day, if not more) manageable — enjoyable even — and it never feels like you’re alone during any part of the marathon.

The structured pace is fast, but at no point did I feel left behind because there is always someone willing to review curriculum material. The onus of mastery falls on the initiative of the student (additional long hours or weekend work), but Codesmith mentors and teachers do an amazing job of making themselves available.

The production project portion of the program forces students to think outside the box and interact with their team in a similar way that they might in the real world. The graphQL migration tool my team built was a crucial learning experience and huge talking point during my job search and interviews.

With so many bootcamp options available, it can be difficult to gauge the flavor of each and whether a course might be right for you. Codesmith’s CS Prep and free CSX course is a great way to get a sense of the culture and curriculum. I would heartily recommend Codesmith to someone looking to level-up in fullstack development and it was one of the best educational/career decisions I’ve ever made.

I came across Codesmith after attending one of their free Javascript the Hard Parts Thursday classes and I was immediately hooked. The instructors such as Will and Phil are outstanding, their ability to break down these giant topics into smaller chunks in a form that anyone can understand is phenomenal. The community is also very inviting and determined in the growth of everyone in the class. After attending several JSHP classes, I decided it was time to enroll in their next cohort and this was one of the best decisions of my life.

To define Codesmith as just a coding boot camp would be an understatement. It is a software engineering residency. The first six weeks of the program are the junior phase where you learn new topics in two-day units. The units consist of about 10% lecture and 90% programming with a partner. I was a little put off by this idea at first, but as the days went on I realized that the best way to learn is to struggle through the material together with less hand-holding as possible. You can still request help from the existing fellows and seniors in the program if you ever get stuck but they are there to help you think and guide you rather than blatantly give you the answer. The topics that are covered are always current with the latest and greatest. During my time we covered algorithms, data structures, DOM Manipulation, React, Node, PostgreSQL, Mongo, and Testing, to name a few. Near the end of the junior phase, you will have an opportunity to work on different projects using the technologies you have learned thus far. In addition to all of these units, we had a number of extra activities like weekly family dinners, circles, hackathons, and Thursday night drinks. This all helped bring the cohorts together and made it feel like we were all part of one team.

The six weeks of the course focus a big production project that you and your group come up with during ideation week of the program and hiring support. During this time you are encouraged to include technologies that you have not learned thus far to include in your project. It was a bit overwhelming at first to apply new technologies to our projects, but the first six weeks taught me a very valuable lesson which is learning how to learn, knowing what to do when you get stuck. Through our research were able to overcome any blocks that we encountered at a much faster pace than I thought we could.

Comparing myself to before I started this program and I realized how much I have grown as an engineer, a mentor, and just overall being okay with not knowing everything but also having the ability to overcome blocks. Now I'm not saying it's easy, there were very long strenuous days and a lot of material to go over, but if you're committed to growing as an empathetic and confident engineer then there is no better place than Codesmith. If you're still on the fence I would recommend attending their JavaScipt the Hard Parts classes and I will promise you will not be disappointed.

Given that one understands the personal commitment required, I reccomend Codesmith wholeheartedly. Five reasons why:

1. There's a hiring day. Nothing compares to sitting down and doing a real interview. Eight companies came by.  A hiring day gives you incomparable experience.

2. I got to work on specific cutting-edge technologies. Of note: testing with Jest and Enzyme. Dockerization. Learning to navigate AWS.

3. The production project. The project ideas come from the students themselves. The teachers approve ideas, but do not supply them. I worked on a testing and mocking tool for gRPCs. I worked at least 13 hours a day, six days a week, for 5 weeks. Usually about 15 hours. I learned a ton, and I'm proud of what I made. We self-learned about RPC systems, protobufs, HTTP2 - all sorts of nonsense. There is no course for these things. Only documentation. Reading it gave me depth and experience. We wanted a professional, responsive UI and our team broke our backs make it clean and fast.

4. The people. I put in an insane amount of time. My teammates matched me hour-for-hour. The level of dedication and commitment is very very high.

5. Sensitivity is valued. There is strong support for underrepresented groups in tech. Codesmith tries very hard to foster a positive environment for its students, and I think it shows. Instructors and staff explicitly make themselves available when students feel uncomfortable or stressed. Staff check in with each student individually on a regular basis.

You get what you put into the program. It is not for everyone. There was laughter, tears. It was usually fun and very hard. An absurd experience, and intense. For me, absolutely worth it. For most, the Codesmith system works. People are getting good jobs coming out of the program.

Some cons - the program is getting too large. Cohorts in LA are much too large, in my opinion. It is too loud and they need more bathrooms. You need a certain amount of self-reliance. The instructors do the best they can, but they can not be there for everyone. The program heavily benefits people who thrive in situations where questions are vague and demand that people seek their own solutions. You are paying 17k to be asked questions - not to be given answers. This seems like poor teaching practice. As someone who has real, formal training in the classroom - I vouch for approach to teaching, with reservations. It fosters creativity, but it is badly frustrating, and it feels awful to fail constantly.

A very high reccomendation with strong reservations.

I was pushed to my limits and beyond. They taught me data structures, React/Redux, Node/Express, SQL and NoSQL databases, and much more. It's crazy how far I've come from no technical experience to now being a fullstack Software Engineer. I'm grateful for the opportunity I was given here and will never forget the experience. 

This is not a typical bootcamp - it's literally a residency. I've gained invaluable skills here and developed a close relationship with each of my classmates in my cohort.

Their hiring program is amazing - they really want you to get the best offer possible - and as with everything else they teach, it's a very in-depth program.