Bootcamp challenges and how I have adapted in the last few weeks

NGIRIMANA Schadrack
Nov 6 · 3 min read

Adaptability is one of the core values that a software engineer should have. During bootcamp, I have worked on challenges and I am going to share my experience on how I have adapted on them.

During Bootcamp, I have a full-stack challenge which means that it composed of frontend and backend challenges, working on this challenge is not easy but it is not impossible. “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” — Bernice Johnson Reagon. as this quote says working on challenges is more important because it helps to discover new skills.

The first challenge in my bootcamp was about user interface and user experience. This challenge is not is because end-users do not like the same things this means that a designer of the user interface has to design interface which will be userfriendly to the end-user. As I have the challenge of making the user interface, I have made research on the characteristics of a good user interface and try to search how I can apply them to my challenge. Not that but also I have searched for feedback from different people and try to implement them. After getting in bootcamp, I also received feedback from my LFAs and I implemented them. This challenge required me to apply some creativity as well as more time to make a good user interface with more user experience.

The second challenge was about making API(Application Programming Interface) using nodeJs and express where we store data in the data structure. This challenge was not easy because I haven’t experienced in making APIs but also it was not impossible. To work on this challenge required me to do more research and more self-learning where I have learned a course about nodejs from udemy to be able to work on this challenge. Sometimes, I have reached to topics that are more complicated. When this happened, I tried to spend more time on it and when I failed to understand them by myself, I searched help from peoples who are more experienced in making APIs. Not only making API but also I was supposed to write the test for those APIs where we have to use mocha and chai. When I got to bootcamp, I have had tests for my APIs but my LFA gave me feedback on using async and await. I have not ever used this method in testing APIs, I have tried to search for articles about it and videos but finally, I knew it and apply it in my test. Working on this challenge helped me to learn new skills.

The third challenge was about integrating the PostgreSQL database where I was supposed to replace data structure storage by persisting database storage. This challenge was more challenging I haven’t used the PostgreSQL database before applying to the Andela Fellowship. To work on this challenge required me to study SQL queries used to interact with the database. After studying SQL queries, I started learning how to integrate PostgreSQL with nodeJs application and finally, I have started working on this challenge. The time of writing this story, I have done all the required endpoint for this challenge.

Briefly, working on these challenges was requiring me to have the adaptability as a value. Not only adaptability but also self-learning and persistence was required to learn new things. The most helpful learning resources were udemy, youtube, code mentor and w3schools.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade