[ Get Started With Web Development: Self-Taught vs. Bootcamps vs. Getting a CS Degree ]

3. Relevance Starting with the self-taught route, you’ll notice that you’ll only have to learn the most useful targeted material to get you ready for the market. The only issue is that most beginners never know where to begin, which is why they end up confused when it comes to deciding what to do. If I were to prepare a course outline for my younger self with all the information I currently possess, I’d go with the most targeted approach. I’d be clinical about what to learn amidst the chaos. Bootcamps are best when it comes to this attribute because they are a controlled environment. Yes, they may teach you a little bit of what you will not use, but they will ensure structure. In a Bootcamp, you get to dive in and get your hands dirty with modern technology and proper direction in case you ever get lost in the noise. A CS degree is by far the most bloated way of learning a particular discipline. I know software developers out there who say there are some things they wished they never wasted their time with because they have never used them anywhere in their career. I am in no way bashing the CS degree route, but in comparison to the other two, you will have to learn some units that you are never going to apply in your career.