Udacity Full Stack Web Developer Nanodegree Program Review

Introduction

The program is a mini degree, which is new (since five years approximately). It focuses on specific skills over a period that could be up to several months and varies according to your progress speed. It can be added to your resume in the education or certificates section, according to Udacity. Full Stack Web Developer Nanodegree program will be reviewed in this blog based on our experience from October to December 2020.

Cost

There are two payment plans:

First: Paying the full amount once for the four months - it costs 5396 SAR, which means 1349 SAR per month.

Second: Pay the amount monthly - it costs 1499 SAR per month.

For us, More Than Learner, we preferred the second plan since we were completely free. We estimated that we could finish the program in two months, and the cost was definitely lower. If you are not entirely free or want to end the program with the estimated time from Udacity and with less pressure, we recommend that you choose the first plan.

other options:

1. You can follow the offers, and sometimes the value of the program reaches between 300 and 400 SAR.
2. You can register in the program through the MISK partnership with Udacity. You must pay some amount of money at the beginning of the program, and it is refundable if you successfully passed the program. For more information, please visit the MISK website.

Content

The content is in English, consisting of short videos (from seconds to 10 minutes) and written texts and questions (MCQ / writing / practical question and then answer) depends on the content and concept explained. Each lesson differs in duration from another.

Lessons and projects

First, you must know and have a background on how to write code in Python or any Object-Oriented language. SQL commands such as SELECT, INSERT, and others (it is okay will be reviewed during the lessons). Front-end languages ​​like HTML, CSS, and JS. How to organize JSON files. How to use Git and GitHub.

The focus will not be on building the front-end in this program, but the focus will be on what happens behind these interfaces, the back-end. In the exercises and projects, the interfaces will be given, and you need to write the back-end or the API. Every concept will be anchored throughout the project. It is better to read the syllabus for more information.

First concept:

build and design database for SQL web application. It includes deeper concepts like migration and others.

Project: consisted of interfaces prepared for you to write database code and the back-end, and this was the longest and most in-depth project.

Second concept:

Create and deploy a database-backed web API (Application Programming Interface or RESTful API) and write test cases for the API.

Project: you will be given a database to build a RESTful API for react project. This is similar to the first project but with more endpoints. Also, you expected to write documentation and test cases for the API.

Third concept:

Secure and manage user authentication and role-based access control (RBAC) for an application back-end. Implement concepts such as encrypting passwords before saving them in the database and how to use Auth0. Lessons on this concept are comprehensive and very high quality.

Project: the interface is an ionic project. You are expected to secure the app by role-based access control. The project is useful since in college it was not implemented practically, just explained as a concept.

Fourth Concept:

Deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes (Amazon).

Project: following the instructions (videos and written text) to publish an application on Amazon EKS.

Final project: apply the concepts in the first, second, and third project in one project. Then publish the application on Heroku.

Of course, each project is reviewed by reviewers, and comments are given to you on your work, and they verify that you have completed all project requirements, which is often done within less than 8 hours.

Career services

LinkedIn:

The service includes videos and written texts on how to improve your profile on LinkedIn. You will be given a list of things to be sure to accomplish before giving your account link to a reviewer to review it.

GitHub:

The same steps as LinkedIn

The best thing of career services is that it is available even after your subscription on Udacity ends. It includes more services such as resume review and 1:1 coaching sessions.

CAUTION: If you drop the career requirements (LinkedIn and GitHub), then when you subscribe to any Nanodegree in the future, you must purchase it separately.

Pros

1. Developing a website using the Flask framework from A up to Z and many new concepts that can be applied to any programming language in the future if you understand the mentioned concepts and abstract them.
2. For us, More Than Learner, we have a background in developing a web app in Flask and database commands, but this program contributed to transfer our knowledge to another level in several ways, and even if the concept was repeated, it gives another way to apply it from what we learned and practiced in the university and beyond.
3. Get your projects reviewed by specialized people or have sufficient knowledge to give you feedback.
4. Instant conversations that make you feel excited and share knowledge with your peers from Udacity students in general or projects.
5. Career services are excellent. If you subscribe to a service to evaluate your profile on LinkedIn or GitHub or even your resume, it will cost you more, while in Udacity, it is included with the subscription cost.
6. Evaluate the reviewer who has reviewed your project and write notes for him to follow during the review.
7. Class reminder via e-mail.
8. Improve your skills in solving problems and finding solutions.
9. If you encounter a problem and do not encounter a solution, you can visit the knowledge hub and search for previous questions or ask a new question.

Cons

Generally:

1. If you are a Windows user, some configuration instructions are not mentioned for Windows users, which take time to find out which commands are equivalent to the commands mentioned in a Mac. All instructions are directed towards Mac users. Often if you use git bash, some commands could be run directly on Windows.
2. Some videos contain old information and have a correction or update of the information at the bottom of the video as a written text. For few exercises, when answering, an incorrect answer appears, despite that the answers are correct.

Personally:

1. We encountered a reviewer who told one of us that the project is not working and must review it and make sure that it works before submitting it back. Although he was completely wrong and the project was submitted again without modification, the project was accepted successfully with a mention of what happened during the evaluation of the reviewer. Udacity always makes sure that everything is of high quality.
2. At the end of the program, your identity must be confirmed for the certificate to be issued. Your face is compared with your photo in one of the official documents issued by a government agency (national identity card, driving license, or passport). The Saudi national identity card was not recognized as an official document despite many attempts repeatedly. One of us used the driving license, and the identity was confirmed automatically, and the other contacted the technical support, and the identity was manually proven after a day approximately.

Conclusion

In general, we More Than Learner recommend this program whether you like to take it alone or with a colleague or group. This program will open new doors for you, Insha'Allah. Keep learning.