Education · 1 of 4

The path

Nobody checks your diploma once you have shipped something. Getting the first job is the hard part, and a portfolio is what does it.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 10 to 12

   Any computer course, plus math. Start building now: a free Apple developer account or Android Studio and a laptop is the whole setup.

2. 2

   Pick a platform and learn it properly

   6 to 12 months

   Swift for iPhone, Kotlin for Android, or a cross-platform tool like React Native or Flutter. Learn one deeply before you spread out.

3. 3

   Degree, bootcamp or self-taught

   0 to 4 years

   A four year computer science degree opens the most doors and is still the safest route. Bootcamps are faster and riskier. Self-taught works but you have to be relentless about it.

4. 4

   Ship real apps

   Alongside everything else

   Two or three finished apps in a store, with real users and real reviews, beat any certificate. Contribute to an open source project too.

5. 5

   Internship, then first job

   3 to 12 months of applying

   Internships are how most large employers hire. Expect technical interviews with live coding problems, and practice those specifically.