I just finished a bootcamp at Berkeley for MERN, and first of all looking at all these web apps it looks like MERN is still the top one for companies to go to. If you're looking to choose the bootcamp path or the self-taught path I think that in the end both can lead to successful careers as a web developer.

The MERN Stack at a Glance

Before diving into the bootcamp vs. self-taught debate, here's a quick overview of the MERN Stack:

• MongoDB: A NoSQL database known for flexibility, scalability and JSON-style document structure.

• Express.js: A minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that makes building APIs and web applications straightforward.

• React: A popular Javascript library for building dynamic user interfaces, created by Facebook.

• Node.js: A cross-platform Javascript runtime environment that allows developers to use JavaScript on the server side.

The best part about learning MERN, is that all these tools have one thing in common-JavaScript-making it simpler to move between the front-end and back-end.

Bootcamp Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Structured Curriculum
   Most of the bootcamps offer well-defined curriculums that focus on the most relevant, up-to-date technologies and practices. This prevents you from getting lost on tutorials.

2. Mentorship and Support
   Instructors and mentors at bootcamps can guide you through difficult concepts and help debug your code. This hands-on support can speed up your learning significantly.

3. Peer Learning and Networking
   You're sorrounded by classmates who are just as motivated as you. You'll build relationships and you will learn how to work in a group of developers, so you can get ready for a job in a big company.

4. Career Services
   Many Bootcamps offer career services such as interview preparation, resume reviews, and job placement assistance. These resources can be invaluable when you're ready to enter the job market, which is hell at the moment by the way.

Cons

1. High Cost
   A bootcamp can be expensive, ranging anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. For some aspiring developers, this may be too high.

2. Intensive Time Commitment
   Bootcamps require full-time dedication(I quit my job for this). If you have a day job or other responsibilities, this can be challenging.

3. Variable Quality
   Not all bootcamps are the same. Some might have outdated curriculums, or inexperienced instructors. Do your research before signing up.

Self-Taught Pros and Cons

1. Flexibility
   Learning at your own pace is a major advantage of self-teaching. You can manage to do everything else and still make steady progress.

2. Cost-Effectiveness
   While Bootcamps cost a lot of money, every resource you need to become a developer is available for free online.

3. Personalized Learning Path
   You can design a curriculum tailored to your interests and career goals. If you want to specialize in fron-end libraries or dive deeper into back-end frameworks, you have the freedom to do so.

Cons

1. Lack of Structure
   The vast number of information online can be overwhelming and will probably lead you to a scattered path, like it did to me before the bootcamp. It's very easy to get stuck in "tutorial hell" and never really learn anything.

2. Limited Mentorship
   While you can always seek help on forums like Stack Overflow, you wont have immediate, dedicated mentors to turn to. This can slow you down on your path.

3. Potential for Gaps in Knowledge
   Without a guided curriculum, you might overlook essential fundamentals or skip best practices. This could lead to knowledge gaps late on that you need to fill.

Conclusion

Choosing between self-learning and bootcamp depends on your personal circumstances but personally the bootcamp helped me a lot on how to structure my code and besides MERN I learned Next.js too, which is gaining more popularity lately.