Showerthought: Should you learn HTML and CSS first or just jump into JavaScript with a framework like React?

I visited a coding bootcamp open house in Denver last month and half the instructors said start with HTML and CSS for 3 months, while the other half said just learn React basics in 6 weeks and figure out the rest later which side is right for a total beginner?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth_ramirez8d ago

Jump into React right away, you'll learn HTML and CSS naturally while building real projects. Most bootcamps waste months on basic styling that you can pick up in a week when you actually need it. Getting comfortable with a framework first makes you way more marketable and you can fill in the gaps as you go.

spencer_perry778d ago

The whole debate reminds me of learning to cook. Some people learn knife skills and prep for months before making a real meal, others just follow a recipe for tacos and figure out how to chop onions as they go. @elizabeth_ramirez has a point about React making you hireable faster, but skipping HTML and CSS basics can backfire when you hit a weird layout bug and have no idea why your divs won't line up. For a total beginner I'd say spend 4-6 weeks on plain HTML and CSS, then jump into React with training wheels on.