Just two years ago I made the decision to change the course of my career and attend Ironhack Bootcamp to become a software engineer. After four years of working in the tech industry as a QA Engineer, becoming a coder felt like an inevitability. I was ready for the challenge, and fortunate that my experience provided me with an arsenal of skills that would help me succeed at bootcamp.
Install Windows on your Mac. Boot Camp is a utility that comes with your Mac and lets you switch between macOS and Windows. Download your copy of Windows 10, then let Boot Camp Assistant walk you through the installation steps.
![Mac For Coding Bootcamp Mac For Coding Bootcamp](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.appcelerator.com.images/windows10_tap.png)
Many of my colleagues were not so lucky. Despite the hours they had already spent studying, the majority seemed technically underprepared for the coursework.
Many were lacking basic computer skills and as a result, struggled to keep up with the intense pace of the class. I ended up spending a significant portion of my time teaching and coaching other students, and it got me thinking about what our program could have done differently to better prepare incoming students. What skills can students learn at home with relative ease so that, during their program, they can focus on developing the skills where bootcamps provide the most value?
Since graduating from Ironhack and joining Truss, I've had the opportunity to interview and speak with many bootcamp grads. I've also been approached by friends and acquaintances for advice. I've found that many people going to bootcamps are looking for advice on how to prepare but don't have access to people in the field. I put together this guide in hopes that it will help others begin their journey with the tools they need to succeed. You may notice this guide is strongly biased towards Mac owners.
You'll find your journey significantly easier if you use one because the majority of developer resources that are useful for beginners are written by and for Mac users. Touch Typing It’s easy to forget that some people still go through life hunting and pecking at keys, but about half of my colleagues at Ironhack had not mastered the basic skill of touch typing. Typing speed won’t necessarily make you a better engineer but it will reduce brainpower required to type, enable you to take better notes and keep up, and save you from the irritation of your colleagues when they pair program with you. This is absolutely crucial when working at the intense pace of a coding bootcamp. If you are not in the 60+ wpm club, it is not too late to improve your typing skills. There are plenty of resources online such as or you can sign up for a class from an organization like.
I’m actually a veteran of the “Learn to Touch Type in an Hour” class that Keytime used to offer through my university and found it shockingly effective. Keyboard Shortcuts Most people know the keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste but experienced engineers use keyboard shortcuts for almost everything a layperson would use a mouse for. The rewards are speed, efficiency, and decreased stress on your wrists. Master ⌘ +Spacebar, ⌘ +Tab, and then look up how to remap ⌘ +Q so you no longer kill your apps by accident. Start with memorizing basic OS shortcuts and then move on to your text editor and/or IDE.