Instructors' Blog

Doubling Down on npm

In the beginning, there were no package managers for JavaScript. When developers needed third-party code, they would use a search engine to find websites that published code. They would “Right click” and “Save as…” or copy-and-paste raw text. Those were dark days.

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TXJS Node Workshop

Node.js logo in the state of Texas

We’re thrilled to announce a new workshop on July 23rd, the day prior to TXJS! Austin’s very own Bocouper Kassandra Perch aka Nodebotanist will be providing a full day workshop introducing server programming with Node.js.

This workshop is particularly useful for front-end developers who are looking to expand their skills to include backend or full-stack development. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a high-level familiarity with Node.js development and foundational knowledge they can build on independently.

You can buy tickets here. If you purchased Roost Austin tickets and were refunded, then attendance is free: we’ve emailed you a separate sign-up link.

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On Cancelling Roost Austin

In February, we excitedly announced the 4th running of Roost. We picked Austin, Texas as our spot—home to innovative people, tech-forward companies, and some of the best BBQ on earth. We partnered with TXJS to create a unique educational and social experience. And given the response to our instructor blogs, feedback from past attendees, and streamlined curriculum, we just knew it would be our best Roost yet.

But with just over a month left before the event, that thoughtfulness in planning our curriculum hasn’t translated to event attendance in this case. At previous Roosts, we were able to provide high-quality conference training to packed theaters of 150-300 attendees. After much deliberation, we decided we did not want to move ahead when we would not be able to offer the same quality of experience to attendees of Roost Austin. It could be that people didn’t know about our event in time. It could be that we didn’t hit the mark on communicating how valuable Roost is for working developers and their teams, or how it has helped previous attendees, some of whom were returning to experience Roost again.

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Why Backbone.js?

As front-end application development matures, more and more people find themselves reaching for a special-purpose library to structure their codebase. The web abounds with choices – look no further than TodoMVC.com for proof of that. While pluralism serves the open source ecosystem well, any given application should only commit to a single framework. During Roost, we build a web application from the ground up. This forced us to make the same (sometimes very personal) decision while designing the content. We chose Backbone.js; in this post, I’d like to discuss why.

JavaScript framework logos

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Roost set to roost at the Alamo Drafthouse

Interior of Alamo Drafthouse theatre where Roost will be held

Drawing at least partial inspiration from recent 29-hour Avengers movie mega-marathons, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be hosting Roost Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse, specifically the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar! The Drafthouse has long been one of Austin’s favorite places to catch dinner and a movie (at the same time), and has a home in our hearts as the 2011 and 2012 venue for TXJS.

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Announcing the Roost 2015 Instructors!

The next Roost is coming up fast — it’s less than three months away — so, on behalf of my fellow instructors, I wanted to take a moment to introduce the team that’ll be teaching in Austin this July!

Who are we?

We are four web developers and educators hailing from Bocoup, and we can’t wait to make the trip to Texas to meet all of you.

We work at Bocoup not only as educators, but also as consultants, which means we spend time teaching while also learning and honing our web development skills on leading-edge client projects. This helps us bring you the best in class when it comes to all things web dev, from workflows to the latest tools and standards. At Roost, we want to share that knowledge with you!

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