According to a Careerbliss study published in Forbes, Miami is the happiest city to live, and according to CNN, software development is the best profession in America.  Can you imagine having both?  That would be like going to heaven without having to die.  If you are interested in a ticket to heaven, read this guide on** how to become a software developer in Miami.**

Wait... Do you live in Miami?

This article is about becoming a developer while living in Miami (assuming that you already live here).  If you don't live in Miami, then: What are you waiting for?  Move in!

Is software development for me? 

Software development is not for everybody.  The best way to understand your potential for this career will be by signing up to one the thousands of free online courses out there: Codecademy, CodeAvengers, Cursera, Code.org, etc.

Another great option will be to attend to a workshop about learning to code; we host the #IntroToCoding workshop at least once a month in different Miami locations.  In two hours you will learn the very basics of coding, drink beer, eat pizza, and write your first lines of code!

There is also a series of events sponsored by Code.org called "An Hour of Code", created to engage U.S. citizens into software development.  Here are some institutions that host the "hour of code" from time to time.

Once you are sure about your coding passion you should start learning:

Online learning (you don't need to be in Miami for this)

Learning to code alone can be overwhelming.  If you want to learn online, I recommend you find a "coding partner" (just a friend that is willing to learn by your side).  You will need to invest a lot of hours to become a decent developer; having a partner will let you share the experience, motivate each other, and do some "peer programming."

Here is a list of  the top sites to learn online.

Intensive In-class learning (Learn to code in less than a few weeks)

Learning online can be dificult.  You need to have discipline, have people around to ask questions, and, it can take a lot more time than learning in a classroom environment.  That's one of the reasons coding bootcamps make sense.

In the past 10 months, 3 coding bootcamps have arrived to Miami: Wyncode, IronHack and 4Geeks Academy.  All of them are great choices for learning to code.  Here you can learn the main differences between each of them.

Part-time options

Coding is difficult and mastering it requires a lot of practice, that's why we recommend a part-time program.  It is like reading a book: If you read it in one day, you will probably forget it quickly.  You wont understand everything and you will need to go back and read it again in the future.

The only two part-time options we found in Miami are 4Geeks Academy (with a duration of 14 weeks, 25 hours a week) and Florida Vocational Institute (9 months, 20 hours a week).

Other:

Heres a great list of coding opportunities in Miami here: https://localwiki.org/miami/Coding_opportunities_in_Miami

Conclusion

Miami is a great place to live, and there are many great options to learn to code here.  What are you waiting for?