Welcome to the Piscine.

You must apply to join the Piscine. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you will be invited to join the next run of this module.

EMBED APPLICATION FORM HERE

You will receive an email within two weeks of your application. If you are accepted, you will receive an enrollment email. If you are not accepted, you will receive an email explaining why.

If you have been accepted, please now continue…

Welcome to the Piscine.

Your goal is to build two group projects and one solo project over the next 22 days. For each project, your goal is to:

• 🎯 Build a complete project that meets the requirements, including tests.
• 🎯 Build a complete understanding of all the code in your project, because you will be asked to explain it.

Our goal is to find people who are ready to train in the Software Development Course. This means we are looking for people ready to begin working as a professional software engineer within the next 16 weeks. This is why we are looking at your ability to:

• 🎯 Work in a team to build working software with tests.
• 🎯 Write simple code independently.
• 🎯 Explain your work to others in English.

These are the core goals of the Piscine.

Trainees, we expect you to:

• Work in groups and individually, in class and during the week.
• Show up on time and participate in all activities, including helping others.
• Complete the projects in the way they are specified.
• Do your best.

Trainees, you can expect:

• Your team to work with you to complete the projects.
• A fair assessment, explained clearly.
• Help from volunteers and other candidates with your code and blockers.

We expect everyone to:

• Follow the Code of Conduct.
• Help each other.
• Do the prep.

Check your understanding.

Before you join the Piscine, you should have a secure understanding of a limited subset of programming concepts at a junior level. The projects, activities, and interviews are designed for people who have a working knowledge of the following foundational concepts:

JavaScript fundamentals

• Variables: let, const
• Primitive data types: String, Number, Boolean, undefined, null
• Data structures: Array, Object
• Navigating Objects: Object.entries, Object.fromEntries, Object.keys, Object.values
• Navigating Arrays: Array.includes, Array.slice
• Operators: =, ==, ===, !=, !==, >, <, >=, <=, &&, ||, !, %, +, -, *, /
• Control structures: if, else, else if, switch, case, break, continue, return
• Functions: function, =>, scope, callbacks, and extracting a function
• Loops: for, for of
• Higher order functions that take callbacks: Array.map, Array.filter, Array.find, Array.findIndex

JavaScript in the browser

• Asynchronous programming: Promise, async/await
• Web APIs: fetch, addEventListener, setTimeout, document
• Manipulating the DOM with Web APIs: Finding elements, Creating elements, Adding elements to the DOM, Removing elements from the DOM, Changing elements currently in the DOM

JavaScript Testing

• Assertions in Jest: describe, it, expect, to, toEqual, toBe, not
• Error handling: try, catch, throw

Git

• Git commands: status, clone, add, commit, push, pull, merge, branch, checkout

🧭 Make sure you have everything you need to come to class and do your work. Everyone at CYF has barriers to education, and we can help with some things. If you cannot come to class because you can’t afford:

🧒 Childcare

then go to 🧭 signposts/childcare

💻 A computer or broadband

then go to 🧭 signposts/equipment

🚌 Bus or train tickets

then go to 🧭 signpost/transport

🥪 Food

will be provided

Double-check you have everything you need to start the Piscine.

• You have applied to the Piscine and received an enrollment email
• You have a suitable laptop and internet access
• You have organised childcare if you need it
• You have signed the Code of Conduct
• You have signed the trainee agreement
• You know how to get to class
• You have read and understood the success criteria

If you need help with any of these, ask in Slack or go to the Signposts website.

Now go read over the day plans, backlogs, success criteria and complete the quiz. You can do it! 🚀