Front End Fundamentals
Learn the fundamentals of modern websites (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) in this introductory course designed for novices taking their first steps into the world of software development.
“Full Stack” means...
You’ll learn how to build for both the front-end and back-end of modern websites and web applications – first with JavaScript then with TypeScript – so that you’re ready for whatever the next step in your career throws your way.
Your Admissions Process
Leave your prior accolades at the door. All we care about is you.
Schedule a consult
Have questions? Can't believe what you're reading? Want to make sure we're the "real deal"? Understandable. Just schedule a call with us – we love meeting future students!
Start Catalyst Prep
We'll teach you whether you're a high school dropout or Summa Cum Laude valedictorian – you still have to purchase and complete our prep course before you can enroll.
Pick your start date
While you work through Catalyst Prep, we'll work through the finer details (instructor meet 'n' greet, paperwork, payment) so you're ready to roll on your start date.
Online done right.
This ain’t your momma’s online college course. We focus on your personal results and success instead of catering to cohorts.
Your time. Your pace.
Full-time. Part-time. Somewhere in between? You choose. We’ll be here for you, because what works for one doesn’t work for everyone.
On-the-job training, pre-job.
You’ll learn the same tools and techniques that are used in software jobs today. Not used-to-use tech from 20 years ago.
Personalized coaching.
From lab reviews to 1:1 sessions, our Catalyst student-to-instructor relationship is unmatched. Enroll in a course, find a lifelong coach.
Average? Anything but.
Let's both agree to not settle for average anymore.
Course Overview
Here's exactly what to expect from us – and what we expect from you:
Course Overview
Covalence's Front End Fundamentals course builds up your foundation to master the three basic pillars of modern web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
These three technologies are omnipresent – no matter which library or framework you choose, you'll still need to understand "The Big Three".
If you're just getting started and want to learn a bit more about the way the websites are built and work, or if you're curious about making an eventual career change, this course is a great place to start.
After training thousands of software developers since 2015, we've found that most people want a little help along the way – in one form or another. So with all of our courses, you'll also have access to community-based support in our Discord server, and you can connect with us in Gravity (our learning management system, too). If you decide this is a stepping stone to a much larger decision in your life, take the next step by starting your personal admissions process for our Catalyst program, where we can provide a much more immersive, personalized experience as you learn everything you need to know to break into the technical workforce.
JavaScript, from front to back.
We focus on your fluency in JavaScript first, then introduce TypeScript, to make sure you have a solid foundation in one language.
Lectures. Labs. Repeat.
You’ll have several activities and labs to complete in order to prove your mastery of this material. It’s challenging but fun – get ready to work!
Foundations, not frameworks.
Modern web development changes daily. No one can keep up with everything, but we can build up your foundational knowledge base so you’re prepared for anything.
Novice? No matter.
We curate our curriculum with beginners in mind. Everything builds on top of previous topics, so you can go from module one to done.
Instructors
Our instructors love teaching, and our students love our instructors. We’re in this for the long haul – all you gotta do is meet us halfway.
Loitered around long enough until he got this job. Does a bit of everything as the resident Jack of all Trades.
Coffee connoisseur, D&D enthusiast, and SSBM expert. Consistently achieves 16 frames GALINT.
Curriculum
No mysteries here. This is exactly what you’ll learn in this course.
Getting Started
Module 1 provides all the necessary onboarding info you’ll need to quickly set up all the programs and processes we use while you’re enrolled at Covalence.
Intro to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Module 2 builds the foundations for front-end web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We'll work through simple concept labs to build your first website, style it with CSS, and add some basic functionality with JavaScript.
Intro to Bootstrap, the Document Object Model (DOM), and jQuery
Module 3 expands the foundations you set in Module 2, starting with one of the most popular CSS frameworks (Bootstrap) to allow your websites to look better than raw HTML, and then we expand our JavaScript knowledge with your first introduction to the manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) natively and with jQuery, which is your first foray into JavaScript libraries.
Advanced JavaScript Techniques
With the basics out of the way, Module 4 is where the rubber meets the road with more advanced JavaScript techniques. You'll learn all about async functions, scope, promises, closures, spread operators, template literals, and more – everything you need to know to really understand and use modern JavaScript, not just copy and paste it from Stack Overflow.
Still skeptical?
Don't take our word for it. Take theirs:
Starting Covalence was something I was nervous about at first. I had no coding experience whatsoever before Covalence and was somewhat blindly jumping in. The pre-work had me hooked from the beginning. Tic tac toe was a huge challenge early on, but learning how to find solutions and think critically really gave me a rewarding feeling. After that, things with the program got harder on paper, but easier on the mind. Once you have the confidence in yourself, and the team at Covalence behind your back, it is hard to not succeed. The job hunting process was made much easier by the final project at Covalence. Having a full stack application to show off made landing interviews easy work.
I really enjoyed my time at Covalence. The videos were very well done, and the labs did a good job of assessing my knowledge of the material. I can’t say enough good things about the instructors. They let me know (literally every day) they were available for any questions I had. They made sure I knew the fundamentals and were positive and encouraging when I was having difficulty with some concept. They were instrumental in helping me set expectations for implementing features in projects, completing projects, and all throughout the job search experience. I felt I was well prepared for searching for jobs, and was hired within a few months.
Becoming a developer was something I had wanted to do for quite some time, but was unsure of how to get there. Having already gotten a degree in accounting, I didn't feel like going back to college was the right choice for me at this time, both for financial reasons and the time investment required. Luckily, a friend recommended Covalence to me and it sounded like the right option. Overall, I would definitely recommend the program to someone who is looking for a way to transition into the software engineering world, especially if they already have a passion for it. I'm not sure I would have ever gotten to this point on my own and for that I am very grateful for Covalence.
Covalence was, in a word: Awesome. It was the most empowering feeling to look back on what I had a accomplished over the past 3 months. Coding is hard, it just is. It takes work, especially if you’re like me and had never read a line of code before. I was constantly at the edge of my abilities. But, now that I’ve been through it, I have a much stronger mental resolve. My long-term goal is to be an iOS engineer and, thanks to everyone at Covalence, I know that what I want isn’t out of reach.
Covalence has been an invaluable and well-rounded learning experience for me. I consider myself tech-savvy, but not a gadget geek by any means, and Covalence had a great mix of easy-to-follow video lectures and labs, while also challenging me to find my own answers as I progressed through the curriculum. It became evident that this was their intention: you can’t always have the answers provided to you, so you as the developer need to go out and find them sometimes. I felt like I wasn’t simply being taught to be a developer, I was learning on my own how to be a developer.
Covalence's Catalyst program is one of the best investments I've made in my education and career. That may be a bold statement, but I'll explain why in just a moment. As someone who spent over 6 years in the mechanical engineering industry followed by a season in entrepreneurship, Covalence made the most sense for me after a post-pandemic career change.
If you do not have software experience and you want to learn how to code, this is the program for you! If you have experience and want to continue your learning, this program is for you. The full time program is a lot of work...you have to put in the time and the effort to learn. The content and course work builds upon itself seamlessly, and the instructors are there for you every step of the way.
Joining Covalence to learn how to code is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was in retail/food service for 10+ years before deciding to learn how to code, and Covalence was exactly what I needed. The way they have their courses set up build perfectly to teach you what you need to know. The people they have teaching and meeting up with you are super helpful and knowledgeable. I would absolutely recommend Covalence to anyone interested in coding!
Covalence was one of the best choices I've made for my career. They provided training and insight into cutting edge tools for web-based software development. The instruction was excellent, and I could tell they really care about their students. They also have a vibrant online community on Discord, where instructors, fellow students, and alumni can help each other solve problems and learn, or even just chat. I was very impressed, and their Catalyst course was critical in helping me land my first job in web development. I can't recommend Covalence highly enough.
FAQs
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers, even if they aren’t listed here. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, just reach out. We’re happy to help.
Our Front End Fundamentals is available as a standalone course for $39, but the best way to access it is by through Covalence+, our all-access membership to learn front-end web development (and much more), plus engage with our community and our AI teaching assistant, Higgs, for instant help, quizzes, and personalized lab reviews.
Start for free by creating an account, take a look around, purchase the course, and interact with us. We're not like most educational providers, but come to a conclusion for yourself based on how we teach, interact, and support our students. We’ll be ready when you’re ready.
We’re big fans of the “buy it for life” principle. Technical, career-changing education is our craft, and we're proud of it. You should have access to a course as long as we’re supporting it and you paid for it.
If you aren’t happy with your standalone course purchase for any reason, just let us know within 30 days and we’ll give you a full refund. It’s that easy. All we ask is you provide some feedback so we can improve our services for future students. (Note: immersive programs have their own unique refund policies.)
Our Front End Fundamentals course is what we consider "introductory" content. By itself, it won't be what you need to make a career change; however, it is one of the most important building blocks that you need to set early in that journey.
No. We only issue certificates to students that successfully pass the final assessment at the end of the Catalyst Full Stack Program.
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