Cloud Application Development Foundations Specialization Course Syllabus

Overview: This specialization provides a comprehensive introduction to cloud application development using IBM's modern toolset. Over approximately 11 weeks of content, learners will gain hands-on experience building, containerizing, and deploying full-stack cloud applications. Each module blends foundational concepts with practical labs using real IBM Cloud services, preparing you for real-world cloud development roles.

Module 1: Introduction to Cloud Computing

Estimated time: 6 hours

• Cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
• Introduction to IBM Cloud
• Cloud-native application basics
• Setting up an IBM Cloud Lite account
• Exploring cloud services on IBM Cloud

Module 2: Introduction to Cloud Development with HTML, CSS, JavaScript

Estimated time: 8 hours

• HTML5 document structure and semantics
• CSS for styling and layout
• JavaScript fundamentals for interactivity
• Creating responsive web pages
• Client-side scripting with JavaScript

Module 3: Developing Cloud Apps with Node.js and React

Estimated time: 12 hours

• Building backend services with Node.js and Express
• Creating RESTful APIs
• Developing UI components with React
• Integrating frontend and backend for full-stack apps
• Deploying Node.js and React apps on IBM Cloud

Module 4: Introduction to Containers, Kubernetes & OpenShift

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Introduction to Docker containers
• Containerizing a web application
• Kubernetes for orchestration
• Deploying containers on IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service
• Basics of Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Cloud

Module 5: Application Development using Microservices and Serverless

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Microservices architecture principles
• Building serverless functions
• Using IBM Cloud Functions (based on Apache OpenWhisk)
• Deploying a microservice-based application
• Integrating serverless components into cloud apps

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 14 hours

• Design and build a full-stack cloud application
• Containerize the application using Docker
• Deploy using Kubernetes or serverless on IBM Cloud

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with basic web development concepts (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
• Basic programming experience recommended
• No prior cloud experience required

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Build and deploy full-stack applications on IBM Cloud
• Develop responsive frontends using React and dynamic backends with Node.js
• Containerize applications using Docker and Kubernetes
• Implement CI/CD and serverless architectures
• Earn a professional certificate to showcase cloud development skills