Training for Aspiring Web App Developers

An updated version of a popular instructor-led course to help GIS professionals with little to no programming experience acquire requisite skills to build high-performing web apps has been released by Esri Training Services.

The first two lessons in Introduction to Web Development Using ArcGIS API for JavaScript cover basic concepts of HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript to ensure that all attendees have a solid and shared knowledge foundation. The previous version of the course assumed attendees had experience working with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

For attendees who already have that foundation, the first two lessons will be useful in understanding how HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are implemented using ArcGIS API 4.x for JavaScript.

Introduction to Web Development Using ArcGIS API for JavaScript introduces the Smart Mapping functionality available in ArcGIS API 4.x for JavaScript.

The updated course also uses a more structured and highly interactive instructional approach. In each lesson, the instructor presents conceptual material and facilitates group breakout sessions. Attendees brainstorm together to solve application scenarios and complete activities such as code snippet examinations. Based on what they have learned at that point in the course, attendees identify the functionality enabled by the code snippet, explain the elements in the code structure, and together discuss how they might use that functionality in their own web apps.

The instructor then demonstrates the coding workflow for the API functionality highlighted in each lesson’s hands-on exercise. Attendees repeat the workflow steps on their own using CodePen, a popular website that provides an environment for writing, previewing, and sharing code. Code solution files are provided in case attendees get stuck.

The course emphasizes the progressive development of skills through practical application. The goal is to ensure attendees gain confidence and a deep understanding of the framework for developing web applications using ArcGIS API 4.x for JavaScript—not simply to complete rote steps by following detailed exercise instructions.

According to course author and education specialist Jamie Powell, “This course is going to help a beginner, someone who’s never really worked with code, get up and running with ArcGIS API for JavaScript at a high level. It’s not hard. Anyone can do it, with the right instruction.”

ArcGIS API 4.x for JavaScript is a powerful tool for creating modern, cross-browser web applications that feature ArcGIS maps and functionality. By the end of this class, attendees will be prepared to leverage the API to create custom web applications that feature 2D and 3D maps and provide functionality for end users to search and query map layers, display layers using qualitative and quantitative symbology, and understand how the ArcGIS Smart Mapping interface (used to apply cartographic best practices to map data) can be incorporated into custom web apps.

Learn more about this course and view the class schedule at