The Roadmap
Seven stations. Click any stop for skills, free resources, common mistakes, and realistic time estimates. Nodes pulse when the quiz recommends them.
Your Progress
Saved in your browser. Mark stages complete from their detail panels.
Take the quiz to find your starting point.
Self-Assessment Quiz
Ten questions across the roadmap topics. Your weakest topic becomes your recommended starting station on the map.
Worked Example: Maya, 6 hrs/week
Maya is a career switcher studying six hours a week. Here is her computed timeline per stage, using the midpoint of each stage's hour estimate.
| Stage | Est. hours | Weeks at 6 hrs/wk | Cumulative |
|---|
FAQ
Straight answers to the questions every beginner asks.
Do I need a CS degree?
No. Many working developers are self-taught or bootcamp graduates. What matters in interviews is demonstrable skill: real projects, clean Git history, and the ability to reason about data structures and systems. A degree helps with some large-company filters but is not a requirement.
How long until I am job-ready?
At 6 to 10 hours per week, most focused learners reach a junior-ready level in 12 to 20 months. Full-time study can compress that to 6 to 9 months. The timeline table above shows a realistic pace for a part-time learner.
Which language should I start with?
Python or JavaScript. Both have gentle syntax, huge communities, and cover every branch of the roadmap. Pick one and stay with it through the first three stages.
Frontend, backend, or DevOps?
Frontend suits visual thinkers who enjoy immediate feedback. Backend suits people who like data, logic, and systems. DevOps suits those drawn to automation and infrastructure. You only choose after mastering the shared fundamentals, so you can defer this decision.