Today is the Sunday following the 5th week of Tech Elevator’s Spring 2017 coding bootcamp.
This week we started learning about databases. Databases are a fundamental piece of the IT puzzle; they allow us to store and change information in safe, secure, and efficient ways. Databases are created and changed using a computer language called SQL, which stands for Structured Query Language, and is pronounced like the word ‘sequel.’ Most database environments use SQL, and universal SQL Standards are set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
The term ‘database’ sounds intimidating when you first hear about it. I imagined typing long commands into a black window and navigating through complex folder systems. But I was surprised to learn how simple the database concepts are. A database is basically a collection of tables which contain data; characters, strings, numbers, and so on. Each table has columns and rows, similar to a spreadsheet, and columns can be specified as ‘keys,’ which allow you to access specific rows in the table. The tricky part of database design is deciding how to break the data into tables so it can function efficiently, with a focus on not duplicating data; this process is called normalization. The SQL coding exercises take some time, but they are easy to understand.
The coursework this week got a little lighter, which is intended to free up time for coding practice, career preparation, and side projects. Each night’s homework only took an hour or so, and the database concepts are fairly straightforward. The database portion of the bootcamp is only 2 weeks long, so next Thursday we’ll begin another Mini Capstone, combining our object-oriented C# and database skills.
I’m still considering what to do in my spare time to maximize the bootcamp experience. I’ve previously discussed creating a Google Chrome extension, or a web application for a local business owner, but haven’t committed to anything specific. This week I caught up with an old friend who’s starting a mobile oil change business; users request an oil change, and he services the vehicle wherever it’s parked. I’m thinking about creating a mobile app which allows the user to request and pay for the service.
As the bootcamp progresses, I’ve grown a better understanding of how side projects add to a developer’s value. Of course I want to do things I’m interested in, but I also want to learn cutting-edge skills that are in high demand. Creating a mobile app for my friend could be a great option. It would give me real-world experience in agile development, and I could write the app using a JavaScript framework called AngularJS and a tool called Ionic. Developers who know AngularJS are in high demand, and I would be thrilled to be able to create mobile applications. While this could be a perfect project, the time commitment is daunting. I would ideally have a working version by the end of the bootcamp, which is about two months away. This is not a lot of time to put a mobile app together, especially since I’ll be doing it in my spare time while completing the bootcamp coursework.
I’ll keep you updated on my side projects. Next week we’re learning how to connect our SQL Server databases to C# programs. As always, if you have any questions, find me at joeosterfeld@gmail.com.