Full Stack Open

What the course covers

The material is split into parts, numbered from 0:

• Part 0: fundamentals of web apps.
• Parts 1 and 2: introduction to React, then communicating with a server.
• Parts 3 and 4: programming a server with Node.js and Express, a MongoDB database, then testing the backend and user administration with tokens.
• Part 5: testing React apps, including end-to-end tests.
• Parts 6 and 7: advanced state management, React Router, custom hooks, styling and build tooling.
• Part 8: GraphQL.
• Part 9: TypeScript.
• Part 10: React Native.
• Part 11: CI/CD with GitHub Actions.
• Part 12: containers.
• Part 13: using relational databases.

Parts 0 to 8 and 13 were written by Matti Luukkainen; other parts were written by industry developers and other contributors. The course is updated continuously.

Why the quality is unusually high

It is a real university course: the content matches the full stack course at the University of Helsinki's computer science department. The exercises build real applications and are hard enough that finishing a part means something. The scope is also broader than most bootcamp material. The later parts on testing, TypeScript, CI/CD and containers are where it pulls ahead of nearly everything else available free.

Certificates and credits

Everything is free. After completing enough exercises you can download a certificate from the submission system. The core course is worth 5 to 14 ECTS credits depending on how much you complete, and additional parts and a project carry their own credits. Getting official credits involves registration steps described on the course site. For employers, the projects you build usually matter more than the certificate.

Before you start and how long it takes

It assumes you can already program, ideally in JavaScript, and are comfortable with Git and the command line. Each part is substantial, and most people need three to six months part time for the core parts 0 to 7.

How to get the most from it

• Submit exercises through the course's submission system. The structure keeps you honest.
• Build the exercises in your own repository, committing as you go; it becomes your portfolio.
• After part 7, build a project of your own using the same stack before moving to the optional parts.
• Use the course's Discord for help.

Common questions

Is it suitable for complete beginners? No. Learn programming basics first, for example through freeCodeCamp or The Odin Project Foundations, then come here.

Is MongoDB still relevant? Parts 3 and 4 use MongoDB, and part 13 covers relational databases with PostgreSQL. Do both.

Full Stack Open or The Odin Project? The Odin Project starts from zero and is broader on HTML and CSS. Full Stack Open is faster and deeper on React, testing and deployment.

Best for: developers who already know some programming and want a rigorous, current, free full stack curriculum.