My experience at IT Academy’s Java bootcamp

In 2023 I had the opportunity to take part in IT Academy’s Java bootcamp, an experience that marked a before and after in my path as a developer. I arrived with basic programming knowledge but a strong desire to learn in a structured way alongside people with the same goal: becoming tech professionals.

The bootcamp was intensive, combining theory with lots of practice. From the start, we worked on core Java concepts like object‑oriented programming, data structures, exception handling, and SOLID principles. We gradually moved on to more advanced topics like Spring Boot, JPA/Hibernate, and REST APIs, always backed by real projects to reinforce learning.

One of the most enriching parts was teamwork. I learned to collaborate using Git and GitHub, organize tasks with agile methods like Scrum, and communicate clearly in a development environment. This gave me a realistic idea of what day‑to‑day work is like in a tech company.

At the end of the bootcamp, we built a final group project: a complete application using Java and Spring Boot on the backend, with a database connection and cloud deployment. It was a huge challenge and one of the most motivating experiences I’ve had.

Looking back, I can say the bootcamp gave me not only the technical knowledge to grow as a developer, but also the confidence to keep learning new technologies and face bigger challenges. That year was key to making the leap to the world of frontend and full‑stack development, where I continue to specialize today.