Week one of bootcamp is officially in the books! While HTML isn't entirely new territory for me as a self-taught developer, experiencing it in a structured bootcamp setting has been eye-opening. There's something different about learning alongside peers and having instructors guide you through concepts you thought you already knew.
In my last post, I shared why I decided to join this bootcamp despite teaching myself to code. Now, let me walk you through what we've been building and the fresh perspectives I've gained in our first week.
What We Covered
Our first week focused on HTML5 fundamentals, including:
HTML document structure and boilerplate
Semantic HTML elements (header, main, section, footer)
Working with forms and input types
Creating accessible tables
Image optimization with alt text
Best practices for accessibility
Even though I'd worked with HTML before, revisiting these topics in a structured way helped me identify gaps in my knowledge and solidify best practices I'd been fuzzy on.
The Project: Personal Bio Page
Our hands-on project was building a personal bio page using pure HTML5—no CSS, no JavaScript, just semantic markup.
đź”— View Live Project | GitHub Repository
The page includes:
Personal profile section with image
About me biography
Hobbies and interests lists
Skills showcase (ordered list)
Weekly schedule table
Contact form with various input types
Check out the live demo and feel free to explore the code on GitHub to see how everything comes together!
Key Concepts I Reinforced
Semantic HTML Structure
One thing the bootcamp emphasized is using semantic HTML for better accessibility and SEO. Instead of divs everywhere, we structured the page meaningfully using elements like <header>, <main>, <section>, and <footer>. This structure tells browsers and screen readers exactly what each part of the page represents—making it more accessible for everyone.
Forms were a big focus this week. The key learning here: every input needs a properly associated label for accessibility. Using the for attribute on labels that connects to the input's id helps screen readers and improves usability for all users. We also learned about fieldsets and legends to group related form elements logically.
Tables for Structured Data
We used tables to display a weekly schedule, and I learned the importance of using tables only for tabular data, not layout. Using proper table elements like <thead>, <tbody>, <th>, and <td> adds semantic meaning and significantly improves accessibility.
Images and Alt Text
Every image needs descriptive alt text—not just for accessibility but also for SEO and scenarios where images fail to load. This was something I knew but didn't always practice consistently.
Self-Taught vs. Bootcamp: My Observations
Learning HTML in a bootcamp versus on my own has revealed some interesting differences:
Structure matters: Having a curriculum removes the "what should I learn next?" paralysis I often faced when self-teaching.
Filling knowledge gaps: I realized I'd been skipping over important concepts like proper form accessibility and semantic HTML. Self-teaching sometimes means you learn what you need in the moment, not necessarily what you should know.
Community learning: Seeing how my peers approach problems differently has been invaluable. There's always more than one way to solve something, and bootcamp discussions expose you to different thinking patterns.
Accountability: Having deadlines and projects due keeps me consistent. When self-teaching, it's easy to say "I'll do it tomorrow."
What's Next
Before we dive into CSS, we'll be spending more time with HTML. Next week, we're building a complete multi-page website using just HTML—no styling yet. This will help solidify our understanding of HTML structure, navigation between pages, and how to organize a larger project.
I'm excited to work on something more complex and see how all the pieces fit together. Once we've mastered HTML structure with a multi-page site, then we'll move into CSS to bring everything to life with styling and responsive design.
Stay tuned for the next update!
Following along on my bootcamp journey? Drop a comment below with your own experiences—whether you're self-taught, in a bootcamp, or considering one. Let's learn together!
Project Repository: GitHub
Live Demo: View Project
