The Route: 7 Stages
A subway map for your skills. Tap any stage to see what to learn, free resource types, common mistakes, and a realistic time estimate. Use arrow keys to move between stations.
Your Progress
Worked Example: Maya, 6 hrs/week
Maya is a career switcher studying evenings and weekends. At 6 focused hours per week, here is her computed timeline per stage.
| Stage | Est. hours | Weeks at 6 h/wk |
|---|
Find Your Starting Point
Ten quick questions across the roadmap topics. Your weakest stage becomes your recommended start, highlighted on the map.
FAQ
Do I need a CS degree?
No. Many working developers are self-taught or bootcamp graduates. What matters is demonstrable skill: real projects, a portfolio, and the fundamentals covered in stages 1 through 5 of this map.
How long until I am job-ready?
Most consistent learners take 9 to 18 months part-time. Maya's 6 hours/week plan above lands around the middle of that range. More weekly hours compress the timeline roughly proportionally.
Frontend, backend, or DevOps: which branch should I pick?
Pick frontend if you enjoy visual, immediate feedback; backend if you like data, logic, and systems; DevOps if you like automation and infrastructure. You can switch later since the first five stages are shared.
Which programming language first?
Python or JavaScript. Both have huge beginner communities, and every concept in Stage 1 transfers to any other language you learn afterward.