How Long Does it Take to Learn Developer Tools?

Like many aspiring Web Developers and Software Engineers, you might want to learn developer tools but worry that it will take too much time. Each tool will take a different amount of time to learn, but most are fairly accessible to new users. In addition, very few individuals will only learn one of these tools, which will impact the amount of time it takes to gain the skills a student desires. Of course, this depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn how you can learn developer tools and find resources to help speed the process along.

What Are Developer Tools?

Becoming a professional computer programmer takes a lot of training and effort. You’ll need to learn a wide range of programming languages that each serve a niche function in the development process. However, those looking to parlay their development skills into a long-term career will also need to learn how to use standard tools and libraries associated with computer programming to optimize their workflow and ensure that their code is easy to read, edit, and compile. Whether you are learning to use Visual Studio Code to compile your code, Git to archive it, or specific programming libraries like React and Node.js to expand the scope of your projects, learning developer tools is vital to being an efficient and effective computer programmer.

“Developer tools” is a broad category of skills that covers efficiency tools like Git, Emmet, and Visual Studio Code along with programming libraries like React and Django. These categories of tools are designed to help make programming easier and more efficient. Developers are more or less required to know Git since it is a crucial archiving program that is useful for all stages of the development process. Libraries such as the JavaScript framework Node.js serve more specific functions (in the case of Node.js, letting applications read JavaScript code outside of a web browser). Students must decide which set of tools will provide the largest return on investment, but learning a collection of different developer tools will significantly improve your job opportunities and code quality.

Read more about what developer tools are and why you should learn them.

What Can You Do with Developer Tools?

Developer tools are primarily used to make the coding and programming process more efficient and optimized for specific tasks. As a result, most of the things you can do with developer tools are focused on improving the things you can do with programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. For example, Git won’t do much on its own, but when paired with other programming languages, it becomes a powerful tool for documentation and collaboration between multiple developers. Visual Studio Code will help developers compile and debug code far faster than they might otherwise have been able to, helping them work on more complex projects thanks to automating the basic elements of the process.

On the other hand, learning to use advanced programming frameworks and libraries will vastly expand the things you can do as a programmer. For example, learning Node.js will allow you to develop software applications that read JavaScript code without accessing a web browser. This is a necessary technical skill for building streaming service software and is a vital component of Internet of Things technologies, making everything from digital assistants to smart cars possible. Similarly, learning the MERN stack will let users build full-stack frameworks for web applications using only their knowledge of JavaScript.

Average Time It Takes to Learn Developer Tools

The time it takes to learn developer tools will mostly depend on how many tools you are looking to learn and how you go about learning those tools. Students with prior programming knowledge can learn these tools rather quickly. In contrast, it will take significantly longer for students to pair their developer tools training with web development or other programming training.

Other Factors

A few factors will generally impact the time it takes to learn developer tools. These factors include the training course's structure, the skills taught, and a student’s learning goals.

Course Structure and Prior Programming Knowledge

The most significant factor in determining how long it will take to learn developer tools is how the training regimen is constructed. People with significant prior programming knowledge won’t need to enroll in a course that teaches skills like HTML and CSS, allowing them to learn the tools much faster. Those who need fundamental training or are learning the skills as part of a career development program will spend more time on their training. This is especially true for programming frameworks like Node.js that require advanced knowledge of a specific programming language.

Number of Tools

Very rarely will students learn a single developer tool since they are all very helpful for students working as developers. As a result, students tend to enroll in courses that teach multiple programs and developer tools simultaneously. Understandably, this will make learning take longer for these students compared to students who only want to learn a single tool like Git.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost

It is challenging to discuss the difficulty associated with developer tools because each tool and library has a different difficulty level. For example, learning a distributed version control tool like Git will be relatively easy, since its features are lightweight and highly accessible. Learning a full-stack framework like the JavaScript MERN stack will be more difficult because it is a collection of advanced programming libraries. Aspiring web developers are encouraged to explore their options, though none of the tools are so complex as to be out of reach to intermediate developers, especially those receiving professional skills training.

There are essentially two types of prerequisites for learning developer tools. There are technically no prerequisites for programming efficiency tools like Git or Visual Studio Code, but learning them won’t accomplish anything if you don’t know how to program code. It doesn’t really matter what specific languages you learn, since Git is equally helpful for HTML, CSS, and Python users, but you will need background knowledge of computer programming. For frameworks and libraries such as React and Node.js that are built on top of existing programming languages, those languages are rigid prerequisites for learning the framework. For example, those who want to learn Node.js will have to learn JavaScript, which means they will have to learn HTML and CSS.

Most development tools are open-source, allowing students to use them without paying. This also means that they tend to have vibrant communities that are constantly expanding what the tools can do in terms of optimizing programmers’ efficiency. Some of these tools may have slight fees for certain premium features (for instance, users hosting massive amounts of data on GitHub may have to pay a small fee, though individuals are unlikely ever to come close to this). Still, for most users, developer tools are entirely free to use.

Read about how difficult it is to learn developer tools.

Watch a Free Developer Tools Online Course

Those who aren’t ready to dive into a paid web development training course may want to explore options for free online tutorial courses. These classes will introduce students to the essential elements of web development and guide them through discovering the many different tools they can learn to use. These courses all tend to be pretty cursory, so anyone hoping to use tools like Visual Studio Code or frameworks like React will need additional professional training. Still, these courses are a great way to become more comfortable with foundational skills in professional web development.

Noble Desktop offers a wide array of free online web development courses, including an Intro to Web Development class which provides viewers with an overview of every significant aspect of web development, including the most common tools utilized in the process. It delivers a high-level look at all the different aspects of web development they can expect to cover in a comprehensive course, including programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, tools such as Git and Visual Studio Code, and libraries such as React. These training resources are a great place for future web development students to get their bearings, and since experienced Noble instructors teach them, they are a great way to prepare for enrolling in a more immersive training program.

Some may also wish to look at free training options through service providers like Coursera or Udemy. These providers offer various introductory training courses. People interested in a specific tool or programming language may visit the website where those tools can be acquired, as many organizations that maintain those tools provide users with free lessons on how to use them.

Read about more free developer tools videos and online tutorials.

Learn Developer Tools with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Those who want to optimize their web development skills may consider enrolling in a web development training program offered through Noble Desktop. These classes will teach students how to use these tools to become more efficient and productive programmers. Enrolling in a course through Noble Desktop means you receive expert instruction in real-time, regardless of whether you are taking a course online or in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus. In either case, class sizes are kept small, and students can interact directly with their instructors, making it easy to ensure they don’t fall behind in their lessons. All students can retake their courses within one calendar year, giving them extra opportunities to train with these development tools. Plus, students who study in-person can take advantage of Noble’s state-of-the-art computer lab.

For those looking to master the crucial tools that web developers use to streamline their work, Noble offers a Front-end Tools and Portfolio course that covers all of the most common web development tools professionals utilize in their daily work. This includes Git and GitHub for documenting and sharing code, Emmet for programming efficiency and shortcutting, and Visual Studio Code for compiling and editing code. These tools will significantly accelerate a student’s ability to bring projects to completion and are invaluable professional tools. This class assumes knowledge of HTML and CSS, so you must find other means of training if you need to cover those skills.

If you want a more complete web development training regimen that includes many of these tools and frameworks, you may want to enroll in Noble’s Front-end Web Development Certificate program or its Full Stack Web Development Certificate program. These career-focused courses provide training in every step of the development process, from basic coding skills with HTML and CSS to advanced JavaScript training. Along the way, you will learn the tools and techniques, as well as the specific programming libraries, that you need to start a new career in professional web development. These courses are career-focused training options. In addition to receiving practical training in tools like Git and Visual Studio Code that make professional programmers more efficient, you will also receive professional training such as one-on-one career mentorship and dedicated portfolio-building seminars. They are an ideal place to learn every element of web development and embark on a new career path in this ever-changing industry.

Key Insights

• Developer tools are a collection of programming libraries and third-party software applications that make digital development easier and more efficient.
• Individual tools typically take little time to learn, assuming the student has programming experience and understands the prerequisite skills required for each tool.
• Students who want to learn multiple tools or enroll in career-development courses to learn these tools alongside advanced programming skills will take longer than those focusing on fewer tools.
• Students looking to learn these skills efficiently should consider enrolling in professional developer tools courses through Noble Desktop, available both in-person and live online.