The Do’s & Don’ts of Using GenAI as a Bootcamp Student

Table of Contents

• Learning to Code in the Age of Generative AI
• 6 Do’s & Don’ts of Using Generative AI as a Coding Bootcamper
• How Hack Reactor Students Use GenAI

Generative AI is fundamental to the modern engineering workflow. We talked with Zubair Desai from Hack Reactor about the do’s and don’ts of using generative AI as a software development bootcamp students, and what it means to learn how to code in the age of AI. Plus, find out how you’ll use generative AI like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT in the software engineering bootcamps at Hack Reactor. 

Meet the Expert: Zubair Desai, Curriculum & Instruction Manager at Hack Reactor

• Zubair was always interested in software engineering! After getting a degree in computer information systems and business, he later enrolled in the first Hack Reactor cohort in San Francisco to become a software engineer.
• Zubair is passionate about preparing the next generation of software engineers through Hack Reactor's coding bootcamps! 

Learning to Code in the Age of Generative AI

Zubair, is generative AI a replacement for learning how to code?

Far from it! Anytime the economy is growing and companies are scaling and trying to be more productive, the first place they look is software. The next thing they need is software engineers. Now, with new technologies like AI, the expectation for software engineers has increased. The nice thing about AI is that instead of replacing software engineers, it eases the tedious aspects of software engineering, so you get to work on more interesting problems.

How are today’s software engineers using generative AI on the job? 

Software engineers generally use AI tools like GitHub Copilot (often built into the workflow), which is made available in their editor where they'll be writing code. Copilot can make suggestions to them or help them write things faster. A software engineer just has to type it out and the AI will autocomplete it for them. 

I've also heard of software engineers, as well as co-founders, talking about using generative AI to help them architect and design larger systems. I think that's a less popular approach because using AI to architect things tends to have some issues. However, AI has the potential to get better over time as technology improves.

AI tools are a double-edged sword, though, so you have to be careful with them. When it works, it's great, but oftentimes, it will have something that's just not quite right. That's where having solid foundational experience and skill as a software engineer comes into play; you can take this technology and use it to help you be productive, but also know when it's going to be causing a major issue, which lets you use it with confidence!

6 Do’s & Don’ts of Using Generative AI as a Coding Bootcamper

If you're a bootcamp student trying to learn how to become a coder, don't think that generative AI is going to alleviate the struggle of having to learn new concepts and gain fluency. You still have to put in the work of understanding coding and engineering concepts before enjoying all of the benefits of generative AI. 

Here are Zubair’s 6 do’s and don’ts for using generative AI in a coding bootcamp:

How Hack Reactor Students Use GenAI

We don't want our students to shy away from using generative AI — we just want them to use it the right way:

• Students at Hack Reactor may use generative AI when studying. AI can be a great resource and tool to use when you're trying to validate your knowledge and can help you get in the groove of understanding and memorizing concepts. 
• We ask that students don’t use generative AI when practicing coding so they can gain fluency in certain areas. We believe there are some things you just have to do as a new coder to get the hang of them. We want students to be able to recall the correct syntax, work with others, explain concepts, evaluate ideas and explanations, read documentation, problem solve, debug and troubleshoot, navigate complex code bases, and utilize appropriate data structures and algorithms without relying on genAI.
• GenAI tools will not replace participation and discussion in the Hack Reactor bootcamps. 

Will students from both the Beginner and Immediate Bootcamps learn and use generative AI? 

Yes! The wonderful thing about both of our programs is that the outcome is preparing people to be hired as software engineers. At some point in each program, when you know enough to be considered a full stack engineer, you will get access to GitHub Copilot. 

Will students complete any projects using generative AI?

At the end of the bootcamp, we try to simulate the workplace as much as possible to help students transition from student to software engineer. Part of that involves introducing students to GitHub Copilot, which is part of the modern workflow. Our unit on Copilot includes a project  where students are presented with an unfamiliar code base and they leverage Copilot to help them complete a feature. This exercise relies on a student’s understanding of high-level principles of software engineering and the underlying foundations so they can see the larger picture and then hone in on how they need to write. 

It also forces them to push Copilot to its limits and lean on their deep and growing software engineering knowledge. This project shows them the drawbacks of using generative AI, so they can be productive with it. 

What are some real-life examples of how generative AI has helped recent students while studying at Hack Reactor?

Students are using ChatGPT for interview prep. We do mock interviews with students that include a series of rigorous questions. We've found that the students who take advantage of using ChatGPT to study beforehand have an easier time getting into the interview mindset. They are more conscious about how they're answering the questions after receiving feedback from ChatGPT.

Students are also using OpenAI (which is the company that made and operates ChatGPT). At a certain point in the program, you’ve become a software engineer and you have the ability to tap into APIs that can give you various information, from the weather to the latest soup recipes. We’re seeing students incorporate OpenAI into their projects and create applications that use generative AI to send out information, questions, or prompts. 

Will having an understanding of generative AI tools as a new software engineer improve Hack Reactor graduates’ hireability? 

We stay ahead of the curve when we stay aligned with what is beneficial for the industry and with what people are looking for to be productive. Now that AI is widely used in the industry, employers are assuming that new hires will be competent in using generative AI correctly. That said, employers are still looking for new hires who have a strong foundation in software engineering (including understanding the basics of computer science, data structures, and algorithms) and good research skills. We want our graduates to have those skills so they not only get the job, but thrive in the tech workplace for years to come! 

AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are constantly evolving. How is Hack Reactor keeping the curriculum up-to-date?

The curriculum at Hack Reactor is in constant iteration. When you're becoming a software engineer, there are some things you have to know, like variables, data structures, algorithms, and the foundations of any programming language, and then you add on additional, new technologies. 

When it comes to AI, though, it's not just something you learn as a foundational thing or an additional technology. Learning how to use AI will  help you with all of those aspects. So, adding AI tools to our curriculum has meant teaching students how to integrate AI into their workflow as software engineers and how to use AI effectively as learners. 

What is the benefit of learning at a coding bootcamp versus self-teaching?

If you’re new to tech, it’s important to explore with free, self-study courses to see what works for you. If you're ready to get serious about your learning, it’s time to find a program that resembles the workplace environment you would like to work in. If you want to make a career out of it, it makes sense to join an immersive program like a coding bootcamp. 

At Hack Reactor, we go to great pains to make sure that students pair program, articulate, and break down complex ideas and problems in a way that other people can understand, that their code is readable to other people, and that they're getting code reviewed by our software engineer instructors. By the time our students graduate, they have the software engineer skills and mindset. 

Hack Reactor also includes career support, such as mock interviewing, networking, and coaching. Everyone enters the bootcamp at different points in their journey with their various strengths and weaknesses. Our instructional staff can coach you through it all so you can get to your end goal, which is to get a software engineering job!

Find out more and read Hack Reactor reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with Hack Reactor by Galvanize.