LaunchSchool: An online school for Software Engineers

The Slow Path for Studious Learners to a Career in Software Development

Structured Curriculum from First Principles

Our program is about slowly building up mastery of fundamentals, so you understand how higher level abstractions truly work from the bottom up. Our goal isn't to teach you how to use React or Rails, but to show you how to construct accurate mental representations of first principles in order to tackle fundamental engineering problems. Our goal isn't to help you find a job, but help you launch a career. Our goal isn't to teach you to code, but to teach you how to deconstruct and problem solve like an engineer.

By Software Engineers for Future Software Engineers

Launch School was founded by experienced software engineers. We know what it takes to not only break into software, but to build and grow a career as an engineer in the software industry. Our objective is to increase your lifetime earnings by millions of dollars. This is what makes Launch School unique and why we focus on the long-term results of a career. Our curriculum was created by software engineers for future software engineers — you.

The back-end curriculum is so step-by-step and so deftly constructed that it has ushered me through an arc of development that I could never have achieved without the Launch School curriculum.

Mike Johnson

Rather than any concept or mental model, I think the greatest thing that I've learned with the back end, is that I am capable of anything with some discipline, I have managed to get a bachelors degree before, but was never a good student, but with Launch School help I have reinvented myself and know I consider myself an excellent student, with the confidence to learn anything that I want to.

Raphael Costa

I am no longer surprised, but continue to appreciate how professional, courteous, and genuinely helpful the Launch School staff has been throughout my journey here. There is never a question I feel like I can't ask, and interactions with staff have been consistently helpful and focused on assisting in my development as a learner.

Lawton Stephens

I was initially skeptical of the value of PEDAC, but I stuck with it, and can now say it’s one of, if not the, most important lessons that I’ll take with me from LS. It’s improved my ability to systematically work through interview-style coding problems as well as plan new projects.

Scott Graham

Having gone through the courses so far, I can pick up a programming book or stumble across any documentation have the knowledge base to quickly understand what I'm reading. I am able to think about a problem or look at an application and be able to think about the kind of data that may be at play or think through requirements and implementation possibilities--which I find incredibly exciting!

Y Choi

Coming from an academic background I can compare both learning experiences (university vs Launch School), and I'm now a believer in the idea of mastery-based self-paced online learning. This is such a great formula, and a great fit for me. And certainly a big part of the Launch School magic comes from the honesty and care that is felt at every level.

Catherine Emond

"We're one of the oldest and largest coding schools in the world."

Our Learning Goals

The key to unlocking higher level understanding and skills that last a career is focusing on fundamentals. We designed our curriculum with the following learning goals.

Fundamentals first, fundamentals throughout
A focus on learning things that don't change
Learn slowly and deliberately

Learn to be proficient, not just build awareness
Learn to understand problems, not solutions
Learn in a circular fashion

Our students love us, and if you are committed to building a career in software development, you will too

Sienna Wood

Denver

Software Engineer

Experts always return to fundamentals because they are the foundation on which everything else is built. Launch School’s core program embodies this principle by emphasizing mastery of fundamentals through purposeful individual study.

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Steve Kolock

New York

Front-end Developer

I got a different role making significantly more than twice what I had been making as a 'web specialist', putting me firmly in six-figure

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Letladi Sebesho

Johannesburg, South Africa

Full Stack Developer at Co-Foundy

This programme opened possibilities for me that would have taken me years to reach

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Sunny Beatteay

New York City

Software Engineer

From the first glance, it was apparent that Launch School had been founded by industry veterans. I have never encountered a curriculum more in-depth and rigorous

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A Serious Training Curriculum That's Designed to Launch a Career

Core Curriculum

Mastery of Fundamentals

Capstone

Launch Your Career

Complete the Core Curriculum courses and pass their assessments, and you'll have mastered the fundamentals. Participate in our Capstone Program, and you'll launch a career.