How to: Oct 6, 2023
1. VS Code is a powerful code editor used by pretty much every developer on freeCodeCamp's team, and most of the other developers I know, too. But much of its power is non-obvious. So freeCodeCamp published this comprehensive beginner-to-advanced VS Code course. It will help you navigate VS Code's Command Palette, customized themes, keyboard shortcuts, and its library of extensions for React, GitHub, and more. (6 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/increase-your-vs-code-productivity/

2. Arduino is a popular open source hardware project. You can use Arduino microcontrollers to build musical instruments, automate your home, prototype your electronics, or even gather climate data for a farm. This week freeCodeCamp published our Arduino Handbook to help you learn the Arduino programming language and how to leverage its powerful ecosystem of tools. (full-length handbook): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/the-arduino-handbook

3. Learn how to build and deploy your own Ecommerce app using the latest version of the popular Next.js framework. You'll build a fully-functional shop complete with authentication and shopping cart functionality. You can code along at home and use the latest tools for everything: Tailwind CSS, the daisyUI component library, Prisma and MongoDB for data storage, and Vercel for deploying your shop to the cloud. (6 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ecommerce-site-with-next-js-tailwind-daisyui-course

4. freeCodeCamp also published a course on coding your own developer portfolio page using the SvelteKit web development framework and Tailwind CSS. This course will teach you how to build user interfaces quickly without having to micro-manage your CSS. You'll even implement particle effects. Spend an hour of your week getting some exposure to these powerful tools. (1 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-sveltekit-and-tailwind-css-by-building-a-web-portfolio/

5. With all these recent breaches, API security has become a hot topic among developers. So, of course, freeCodeCamp is coming in clutch with this API security course. 20-year industry veteran Dan Barahona dives deep into PCI-DSS (the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). This set of rules governs online transactions. If your app or website does anything related to commerce, these best practices will help keep you and your customers secure. (1 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/api-security-for-pci-compliance/

Quote of the Week: *"Just like with everything else, tools won't give you good results unless you know how, when, and why to apply them. If you go out and you buy the most expensive frying pan on the market, it's still not going to make you a good chef."* — Dr. Christin Wiedemann, Software Engineer and Physicist