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.

Mastering the fundamentals of JavaScript has provided me with opportunities for the future in my pursuit of a career in software development and I cannot thank everyone at Launch School enough. During my time at Launch School I was able to take what I have learned and build a node application for my company that collects actionable agile data from Jira filters and projects and creates a CSV that can be dumped into an existing spreadsheet we have providing our agile coaches with visibility into our teams' performance.

Brendan Vonick

I had many ideas for building web projects but didn't know where to start. After working through the fundamentals, I feel like I have built the necessary mental frameworks to build and launch those projects. What's more important is that now I know how to break down project ideas into database structure design and implementation details.

Genie Guo

After completing only the backend part of the core curriculum, I was offered a Rails testing job, but I turned that down and have since stopped applying for jobs. It was really gratifying to know that after what seems like such a short time, I'm already in a place where I can feel okay turning down a job.

Austin Miller

Throughout the back-end journey that seemingly results in the ability to make a CRUD app, there are numerous awarenesses and competencies suffused in the curriculum that cause a Launch School student to become a well rounded software development student.

Mike Johnson

The community at Launch School is second to none. There are so many people from alumni, staff, and students who want to help you succeed. In the Slack channels I see staff constantly answering questions and trying to be helpful. Whenever I have asked a staff member a question it has always been met with a thoughtful and supportive answer.

Cameron Bibb

I commend the program itself, but particularly the TAs that provide the honest, constructive, helpful feedback that not only helps me grow as a programmer but helps me know that I'm growing.

Ben Zelinski

"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.