Big Nerd Ranch is a mobile app development and design firm and training company that has led one-week intensive bootcamps since 2001. Hosted at their Atlanta, Georgia campus, courses focus on mobile development in iOS and Android as well as front-end web development, Python, full stack and React. Students are taught how to learn in order to stay ahead in the tech world. Students learn how to create digital products that stand out, and are able to connect with instructors and classmates in order to continue coding with confidence.
Course instructors are full-time developers, designers, and consultants who have real-world experience in building custom iOS, Android, and Web applications for clients. In addition to the bootcamps, instructors also teach at companies throughout the world, including Facebook, Spotify, Airbnb and more as part of their corporate training program. Students live and learn at the ranch during these courses and distractions are limited, as meals and accommodations are provided.
This 5-day class explores advanced iOS development topics and will teach you how to maximize the performance of your new and existing iOS applications. Prepare your brain for an influx of Swift and iOS programming knowledge.
Unlike some (many?) school-based courses what you'll get with Big Nerd Ranch is instruction informed and taught by people that also develop real-world apps, both independently and for larger companies as clients. In my class there were both people brand new to iPhone/mobile development, some very fresh to programming in general, and others with many years of software development experience, and the instructors went out of their way to ensure students at every level got what they needed. ...
Unlike some (many?) school-based courses what you'll get with Big Nerd Ranch is instruction informed and taught by people that also develop real-world apps, both independently and for larger companies as clients. In my class there were both people brand new to iPhone/mobile development, some very fresh to programming in general, and others with many years of software development experience, and the instructors went out of their way to ensure students at every level got what they needed. I enjoyed their in-person boot camp a bit more than their programming books (at least the most recent Swift book from BNR).
I had a little bit of experience with Cocoa, but just didn't quite "get it". After a week at the Big Nerd Ranch's Cocoa Bootcamp, I came back with a solid understanding of Cocoa, a much broader range of skills that I went in with, and a confidence that I could now fully embrace my indie software development career (going on 10 years now)!
This training really helped me to cover the basics of iOS development. Before starting, I already had quite a couple years of software development experience, which made things a bit more manageable for me, but still... It was very intensive, started right after breakfast and often continued till well after dinner. I'm not sure I've ever been so tired in my entire life, but it was totally worth it. The teachers were great, I could never have accomplished this in the same amount of time on ...
This training really helped me to cover the basics of iOS development. Before starting, I already had quite a couple years of software development experience, which made things a bit more manageable for me, but still... It was very intensive, started right after breakfast and often continued till well after dinner. I'm not sure I've ever been so tired in my entire life, but it was totally worth it. The teachers were great, I could never have accomplished this in the same amount of time on my own, even though the Big Nerd Ranch guides are also very good. I took this training pre-Swift, and ARC was just introduced, so it's a while ago, but they made sure that the newest technologies were covered in the training. Teachers used good real life examples, they were very aproachable, and helpful. It's a good mix between classical instruction and doing excercises. Never regretted taking this course!
Not only was the Asilomar an amazing experience, but the instructor and curriculum were outstanding. If you really want to fastrack your development skills with very indepth coverage, I highly suggest Big Nerd Ranch courses.
The location, the focus, the course content, the food, the instructor, the pacing. My brain was exhausted at the end of the week, but I had absorbed enough that I felt like I could actually write apps. I still had to figure out things on my own, they just can't teach EVERYTHING in a week, but they came close enough. I now have an app in the App Store and another two apps internally at my business.
Big Nerd Ranch took me from zero to hero in 7 intense days of brain bulging education. I took it home and was able to build on everything I learned to work towards my first app release.
Amazing people in amazing locations really enhance the learning experience past anything you expect going in. Just super.
I attended the iOS 7 day class with Objective-C.
I have been to literally dozens of training classes over the years and 90% of the bore me.
This was the best training class I have been to by far for the following reasons.
1. Immersion - If you can find the time, please try to. Being dedicated helps focus and results. There are a lot of online courses available and they are really good. This experience is world...
I attended the iOS 7 day class with Objective-C.
I have been to literally dozens of training classes over the years and 90% of the bore me.
This was the best training class I have been to by far for the following reasons.
1. Immersion - If you can find the time, please try to. Being dedicated helps focus and results. There are a lot of online courses available and they are really good. This experience is world-class.
2. Instructors - My instructor was world-class. I was looking for industry expert which is what I got
3. Teaches you how to learn - Many classes and online sites tell you how to do things. BNR does some of that but more importantly they teach you how to use the Apple docs properly and find the correct answers yourself instead of relying on search engines
4. Classmates - You will find that all your classmates are very motivated because they also are dedicating the time. I love learning from others and since you eat and train together all day you get to learn a lot from many different angles.
(Please note my class was iOS with Objective-C but that was not an option in the drop-down list)
Without a doubt, I highly recommend BNR's iOS Essentials with Swift course. As an experienced developer that was looking for a springboard into iOS / Swift, this course was great. During the course of the program, we were exposed to important topics on iOS and Swift and were encouraged to think outside of the box and ask questions beyond the course material. At the end of the course, I had not only a large portfolio of working code examples, but also experience and knowledge beyond what...
Without a doubt, I highly recommend BNR's iOS Essentials with Swift course. As an experienced developer that was looking for a springboard into iOS / Swift, this course was great. During the course of the program, we were exposed to important topics on iOS and Swift and were encouraged to think outside of the box and ask questions beyond the course material. At the end of the course, I had not only a large portfolio of working code examples, but also experience and knowledge beyond what could be found in just the book.
Location and ammenities were great as well.
Helpful hints: 1) Make sure to be fully focused on the training while there. Do your best to avoid work emails, etc, unless required. 2) Have a project or idea to play around with during office hours in the evening. This is a great way to expand on the knowledge you have learned on a daily basis and will allow you to ask questions beyond what is covered in class, and the instructors will be helpful in answering your questions.
I've attended the Android course as well, and it was great. Really looking forward to the Kotlin course in May!
I could not have asked for a more rewarding experience.
Very fast paced course. I was initially concerned that I would not retain much of what was covered. However, it has proven invaluable to the advancement of my iOS skills.
I had the wonderful opportunity to be in the first group of students for iPhone programming bootcamp, what is known now as iOS Essentials. Joe Conway and staff were great instructors, and the material helped me understand where Apple was going with app development.
How much does Big Nerd Ranch cost?
Big Nerd Ranch costs around $5,200. On the lower end, some Big Nerd Ranch courses like Front-End Essentials cost $4,200.
What courses does Big Nerd Ranch teach?
Big Nerd Ranch offers courses like Accelerated iOS with Swift, Advanced Android, Advanced iOS, Android Essentials and 2 more.
Where does Big Nerd Ranch have campuses?
Big Nerd Ranch has an in-person campus in Atlanta.
Is Big Nerd Ranch worth it?
Big Nerd Ranch hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 52 Big Nerd Ranch alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Big Nerd Ranch on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Big Nerd Ranch legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 52 Big Nerd Ranch alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Big Nerd Ranch and rate their overall experience a 4.82 out of 5.
Does Big Nerd Ranch offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like Big Nerd Ranch offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.
Can I read Big Nerd Ranch reviews?
You can read 52 reviews of Big Nerd Ranch on Course Report! Big Nerd Ranch alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Big Nerd Ranch and rate their overall experience a 4.82 out of 5.
Is Big Nerd Ranch accredited?
While bootcamps must be approved to operate, accreditation is relatively rare. Big Nerd Ranch doesn't yet share information about their accreditation status.
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