Overview

This 10-week Full Stack Engineering program is an accelerated introduction to modern web development. You will learn how the web works, how to build interactive frontends, how to design and implement backends, and how to connect them into a full stack system.

We use JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Node.js/Express, Prisma, and a relational database. Mastery of these tools is valuable, but our focus is understanding how the layers interact so you can quickly adapt to new technologies.

Prerequisites

Prior coding experience is recommended (loops, functions, conditionals). Students should also be comfortable with:

• Using the terminal
• Installing and configuring software
• Following technical documentation

Weeks 1–2 are especially demanding. If you struggle, consider pausing to review fundamentals before continuing.

Course Format

The course combines lectures, labs, discussions, and projects:

• Labs: Weekly hands-on assignments tied to the lecture.
• Projects: A portfolio site (Weeks 1–4) and a full-stack capstone (Weeks 5–10).

Weekly Schedule

Week 1 – Git, HTML, CSS, UNIX

Git workflow; HTML5 semantics; CSS basics; responsive layout with flexbox.

Lab: Build & deploy a personal homepage.

Week 2 – JavaScript Basics

ES6 syntax, variables, functions, DOM, events, DevTools.

Lab: Add interactivity to the homepage (buttons, forms, small widgets).

Week 3 – TypeScript Basics

Types, interfaces, narrowing, catching errors early.

Lab: Rebuild Week 2 features with TypeScript; push to GitHub.

Week 4 – React Foundations

Components, JSX, props, state, component structure.

Lab: Convert homepage into a React app with 3+ components.

Week 5 – React Advanced: Forms + Consuming Public APIs

Controlled inputs, form handling, fetching from public APIs (e.g., Pokémon, weather).

Lab: Integrate one public API into your React app.

Week 6 – Styling with Tailwind + UI Libraries

Tailwind CSS fundamentals; component libraries (Material UI or shadcn); responsive design.

Lab: Restyle your app; use 3+ UI components; ensure mobile friendliness.

Week 7 – Backend I: Node + Express

Request/response, routing, middleware, JSON APIs.

Lab: Create a simple API (e.g., /hello, /users) and test with Postman.

Week 8 – Backend II: Databases + Prisma

Relational modeling, CRUD, Prisma ORM, connecting server to DB.

Lab: Persist data (e.g., user profiles) via Prisma & a relational database.

Week 9 – Backend III: Authentication + Full-Stack Integration

JWT or NextAuth; protected routes; wiring React frontend to Express backend.

Lab: Add signup/login; restrict access to protected pages.

Week 10 – Deployment + Testing

Deploy (Vercel/Render); environment variables; CI/CD with GitHub Actions; basic Jest tests.

Capstone: Deploy your full app with auth, CRUD, DB persistence, and tests; present in class.

Assignments

Weekly labs, weekly homework, and two projects:

• Portfolio Site: Weeks 1–4 (personal site moving from static → React)
• Full-Stack Capstone: Weeks 5–10 (React + TypeScript + Tailwind, Node/Express, Prisma, DB, Auth, Tests, Deployment)

Citizenship & Collaboration

Collaboration is encouraged; copying is prohibited. Discuss concepts and designs freely, but write your own code. AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.) are not allowed for labs, homework, or projects.

A Parting Note

This course moves quickly. Treat each week seriously, practice consistently, and don’t fall behind. The goal is to think like an engineer: break problems down, test ideas, and ship working software.