CST 438 - Week 8 Learning Journal - Course Overview

 

Throughout this course, I learned that software engineering involves much more than just writing code. It also requires planning, testing, teamwork, documentation, and thinking about how software will be maintained and improved over time. The five most important things I learned were working with REST APIs, developing a frontend with React, system testing, using Git in a team environment, and deploying an application to AWS.

1. REST APIs and Backend Development

One of the most important things I learned was how REST APIs allow the frontend and backend of an application to communicate. Before this course, I understood the general idea of a backend, but working with REST APIs helped me better understand how an application is divided into different components. I learned how HTTP requests such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE can be used to retrieve and modify data.

2. React and Frontend Development

Another important skill I learned was developing a frontend using React. React showed me how a user interface can be separated into reusable components instead of building everything as one large page. I also gained experience connecting the React frontend to the REST backend.

3. System Testing

System testing was another major lesson from this course. I learned that getting code to run does not automatically mean that the software is finished or reliable. Testing requires looking at the application as a complete system and making sure its different parts work correctly together. It can also reveal problems that may not be obvious while developing an individual feature.

4. Git and Team Software Development

Learning how to use Git as part of a team project was also extremely valuable. Version control is fairly straightforward when working alone, but it becomes much more important when multiple developers are making changes to the same project. I gained a better understanding of working with branches, combining changes, keeping the project organized, and dealing with the challenges that can happen when different people are working on the same codebase.

5. Deployment to AWS

Deploying to AWS was one of the most useful parts of the course because it showed me what happens after an application has been developed and tested. Running an application locally is very different from making it available through a cloud environment. Deployment introduced additional considerations about configuration, infrastructure, and making sure the application works outside of the development environment. 

Topics I Would Add or Remove

I would not completely remove any of the major topics from the course because I think REST APIs, React, testing, Git, documentation, and deployment all contribute to understanding the software development process. However, I would like to see more time spent on deployment and DevOps. Deploying to AWS was useful, but cloud deployment can involve many different tools and configurations, so additional examples or practice would make that part of the course easier to understand.

I would also like to see a topic on CI/CD added to the course. Since we already used Git, system testing, and AWS, learning how automated testing and deployment can be connected through a CI/CD pipeline would be a natural next step. It would demonstrate how professional teams can automatically test changes before they are deployed.

Overall, the biggest lesson I took from this course is that software engineering is not simply about producing code that works. Good software also has to be testable, maintainable, understandable by other developers, and capable of changing over time. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CST 349 - Week 4 Learning Journal

 Part One: Set your Educational Goals My primary educational goal in CS program is to develop a string and practical mastery of core CS concepts, including algorithms, programming languages, software engineering, and systems. I envision myself confidently solving algorithmic problems, understanding complex system architectures, and applying discrete mathematics to real-world challenges. I want to graduate with a skill set that allows me to design efficient software solutions, analyze problems from multiple perspectives, and communicate technical ideas clearly. I hope to excel on the capstone projects, future internships and collaborative environments by applying the knowledge I have gained. Beyond the CS program, I plan to continue to learn through a masters program and certificate programs. I also plan to continue learning in emerging areas such as AI, ML, and cybersecurity.  Part Two: Set your Career Goals A mathematical engineer / data engineer job after graduation in Sprin...
Read more

CST 349 - Week 5 Learning Journal

Part One: Support and Comment on Teammates' Goals https://rrh-cst349.blogspot.com/2025/09/week-4.html?sc=1759766413145#c3682610505999987379 https://annies-cs-journey.blogspot.com/2025/09/week-4-my-csumb-journey.html?sc=1759766670451#c6148798155532794758 Part 2: Possible Capstone Ideas Idea 1: Data Pipeline for Real-Time Analytics on Public Data Description: Build an end-to-end engineering pipeline that ingests, cleans and processes real-time data (ex: stock market, or sports stats). Store the data in a structured format, then build an API for real-time analytics.  Idea 2: Machine Learning-Data Cleaning Assistant Description: Create a tool that detects and corrects anomalies, duplicates or missing values in datasets using both statistical rules and machine learning models. (Ex: applying clusters to detect outliers to fill missing values). Package the tool into a library or web interface.  Idea 3: Graph Analytics Platform for Network Data Description: Build a platform to analyze...
Read more

CST349 Week 2 - Learning Journal

Image
Reflecting Learning Strategy:      Top 3  Strengths:           - Keeping notes organized: I have structured my notes in a format that is clear for me and easy to                        understand.           - Time management/awareness: Since working a full time job and being a full time student, I have                   learned to manage my time effectively and in a way that has not hindered my education or work.           - Re-reading and understanding main/key points: I have learned that the most effective way to learn                   for me while reading is summarizing key points/topic/ideas in my own words.       Top 3 Weaknees          - Test-taking: ...
Read more