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Kennedy Behrman, Gabriel Ruttner, Caryn McCarthy, and Amy Hua

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Syllabus

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Teaches skills learners can use to build database-backed web APIs and properly secure them
Taught by Kennedy Behrman and three other esteemed instructors
Covers knowledge that is highly relevant to industry
Students use the skills learned to build a database-backed web API with user access control as a Capstone project
Covers the fundamentals of user access control in web APIs
Requires prior knowledge of web development concepts

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Reviews summary

Practical full stack api capstone

According to students, this course offers a highly practical and challenging capstone experience, serving as a crucial bridge from theoretical knowledge to real-world application. Learners particularly appreciate the hands-on approach of building a database-backed web API, with many highlighting its effectiveness in solidifying previously learned full-stack concepts. The course's focus on deployment to platforms like Heroku and Render is frequently praised as a valuable, directly applicable skill. While some found the independent project selection empowering, a few also noted it can be a significant undertaking requiring strong self-direction, suggesting it's best suited for those with a solid foundation and comfort with problem-solving.
Freedom to choose project offers flexibility and challenge.
"I loved the freedom to choose my own app idea, it made the project much more engaging and personal."
"The ability to pick my own project topic made me feel truly in control of my learning path."
"Choosing my own capstone was a double-edged sword; I learned a lot but it also added to the initial complexity."
Strong focus on deploying applications to cloud platforms.
"Learning to deploy to Heroku and Render was a game-changer; it's a skill I immediately used in my own projects."
"The deployment section was incredibly helpful and well-explained, making a usually daunting task much simpler."
"I gained confidence in deploying web APIs, which is essential for any full-stack developer."
Excellent for applying theoretical knowledge to practical projects.
"This course provided the perfect opportunity to bring together all the concepts I've learned into a real, functional application."
"I finally understood how to link all the pieces of full-stack development. The capstone made everything click for me."
"Building a complete API with user control really prepares you for industry projects, which I found incredibly valuable."
Best for learners with existing full-stack foundational skills.
"I felt this course assumed a strong grasp of previous topics, which was good for me, but might be tough for others."
"If you haven't fully absorbed the preceding courses, you might struggle here, as it's truly a culmination."
"This course is not for beginners; ensure your foundational skills are solid before diving into the capstone."
Course requires significant time and independent problem-solving.
"This course is demanding; you really need to be disciplined and comfortable with independent research to succeed."
"I found the self-directed nature challenging, especially when hitting roadblocks without immediate solutions."
"Be prepared to invest a lot of time; the capstone project is substantial and requires dedication beyond the lectures."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Full Stack Capstone with these activities:
Create a comprehensive study guide
Improve your understanding of the course material by creating a comprehensive study guide that summarizes key concepts, formulas, and examples.
Show steps
  • Review lecture notes and readings
  • Identify important concepts and topics
  • Summarize the information in a logical and organized format
Follow tutorials on API security best practices
Strengthen your knowledge of API security by following tutorials that cover best practices for protecting APIs from threats such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Show steps
  • Identify reputable sources for API security tutorials
  • Select tutorials that cover specific security topics relevant to your API project
  • Follow the tutorials to implement security measures in your API
Participate in peer review sessions
Improve your API design and implementation skills by receiving feedback from peers on your work.
Show steps
  • Find a peer group or forum for API development
  • Submit your API project for review
  • Provide feedback on others' projects
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Practice API endpoints
Solidify your understanding of API endpoint design and implementation by practicing writing and testing different types of endpoints.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific scenario or application
  • Design and implement the necessary API endpoints
  • Test the endpoints using a testing framework, such as Postman
Build a sample API documentation page
Enhance your understanding of API documentation by creating a sample page that provides clear and concise information about your project's API endpoints, parameters, and responses.
Show steps
  • Gather all necessary information about the API
  • Choose a documentation format and tool
  • Write detailed documentation for each endpoint
  • Review and refine the documentation
Contribute to an open-source API project
Deepen your understanding of API development by contributing to an open-source project. This will allow you to work on real-world API code and collaborate with other developers.
Show steps
  • Identify open-source API projects that align with your interests
  • Choose a specific issue or feature to contribute to
  • Fork the project and make your changes
  • Submit a pull request for review
Participate in API design competitions
Test your skills against other developers by participating in API design competitions. This will challenge you to think critically about API design patterns and best practices.
Show steps
  • Research and identify relevant API design competitions
  • Develop an innovative API design solution
  • Submit your design for evaluation
Mentor junior API developers
Enhance your understanding of API development concepts by mentoring junior developers. This will help you solidify your knowledge and identify areas where you can continue to grow.
Show steps
  • Identify opportunities to mentor junior developers
  • Share your knowledge and experience
  • Provide guidance and support

Career center

Learners who complete Full Stack Capstone will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Full-Stack Developer
Full Stack Developers are responsible for the entire software development process, from the design and development of the front end to the back end. This course may be particularly useful for those interested in a career as a Full Stack Developer, as it provides hands-on experience in designing and developing both the front end and back end of a web application.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of database systems. They work with developers, system administrators, and other IT professionals to ensure that database systems are reliable, scalable, and secure. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Database Administrator, as it provides hands-on experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining database systems.
Web Developer
Web Developers design and develop websites and web applications. They work with designers, software engineers, and quality assurance specialists to create and maintain websites and web applications. Since this course helps you build a foundation in web development, it may help you stand out in the competitive market for Web Developers by demonstrating your skills in designing and developing robust and secure web applications.
Data Engineer
Data Engineers design, build, and maintain data pipelines that collect, process, and store data. As this course will help you build a foundation in database management, it may be useful as it can help you gain the skills needed to design and build robust and scalable data pipelines.
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analysts design, implement, and maintain security measures to protect computer systems and networks from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. As the course involves securing the APIs you build, it may be useful as it provides a foundational understanding of information security principles and practices.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers design, develop, test, and maintain software systems. As the capstone project in this course has you design and build out all of the API endpoints needed for an application, the skills you will learn from this course may be useful in helping you design and maintain complex software systems. By taking this course, you can learn about and practice designing and developing robust and secure software systems.
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They work with stakeholders to define project goals, develop project plans, and manage project budgets. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Project Manager, as it provides hands-on experience in planning, executing, and closing projects.
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create documentation for software, hardware, and other technical products. They work with engineers, scientists, and other technical experts to create clear and concise documentation that can be used by users to understand how to use and maintain technical products. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Technical Writer, as it provides hands-on experience in creating clear and concise documentation.
User Experience Designer
User Experience Designers design and evaluate user interfaces for software and hardware products. They work with engineers, designers, and other stakeholders to create user interfaces that are easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a User Experience Designer, as it provides hands-on experience in designing and evaluating user interfaces.
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts design, implement, and maintain information systems. They work with users, developers, and other IT professionals to identify and solve business problems using information systems. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Systems Analyst, as it provides hands-on experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining information systems.
Cloud Engineer
Cloud Engineers design, build, and manage cloud computing systems. They work with developers, system administrators, and other IT professionals to ensure that cloud computing systems are reliable, scalable, and secure. The skills you will learn in this course, such as deploying your API to cloud platforms like Heroku and Render, may be useful as this role requires proficiency in cloud computing systems.
DevOps Engineer
DevOps Engineers combine software development (Dev) and information technology operations (Ops) to improve the efficiency and quality of software development and delivery. By taking this course, you may gain a foundational understanding of the DevOps process and how to use it to improve software development and delivery.
Data Scientist
Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. They collect, analyze, and interpret data to identify trends and patterns. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Data Scientist, as it provides hands-on experience in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to solve real-world problems.
Machine Learning Engineer
Machine Learning Engineers design, develop, and deploy machine learning models. They work with data scientists and other IT professionals to create and maintain machine learning models that can be used to solve business problems. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Machine Learning Engineer, as it provides hands-on experience in designing, developing, and deploying machine learning models.
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products and features. They work with engineers, designers, and other stakeholders to define the product vision and roadmap. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Product Manager, as it provides hands-on experience in defining and developing new products and features.

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Full Stack Capstone.
Introduced the concept of domain-driven design, which software development approach that focuses on modeling the domain of the problem being solved. It can help students to write code that is more closely aligned with the business requirements.
Introduces the principles of clean architecture, which design approach that emphasizes separation of concerns and testability. It can help students to write more maintainable and scalable code.
Provides a comprehensive overview of microservices patterns. It covers topics such as service discovery, load balancing, and API gateways. While it's not specifically about full-stack development, it's a valuable resource for understanding the architectural patterns used in modern web applications.
This classic book introduces the principles of RESTful API design and best practices. It's a valuable resource for understanding the architectural concepts behind APIs.
This classic book provides insights into the challenges of software development. It covers topics such as project management, team dynamics, and the importance of communication. It's a valuable resource for students who want to learn more about the human aspects of software development.
Provides a deep dive into the challenges of scaling web applications. It covers topics such as caching, load balancing, and distributed systems. While it's not directly about API development, it's a valuable resource for understanding the scalability implications of APIs.
Provides a fun and easy-to-understand introduction to design patterns. It's a helpful resource for students who want to learn about the fundamental design principles used in software development.
Provides a comprehensive guide to building APIs with Spring Boot, a popular Java framework. While the focus is on Java, the concepts are applicable to other languages and frameworks.

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