Fundamentals
Tech Foundations: Before You Code
The onramp to Mctaba's Fullstack AI Engineering Programme
- 10 modules
- 89 lessons
- 4.9 rating
- Certificate included
Taught by Bonaventure Ogeto, Founder, Mctaba Labs
What you'll learn
- How Computers Work
- The Internet Demystified
- Operating System Fluency
- Meet the Terminal
- Computational Thinking
- How Software Is Built
- Version Control Concepts
- Digital Hygiene and Safety
- How to Learn Tech
- The Tech Career Landscape
Curriculum
10 modules · 89 lessons · 18.6 hrs total · 2 free preview lessons
How Computers Work8 lessons · 1.5 hrsFree preview
- Lesson 1: The Anatomy of a ComputerFree11 min
- Lesson 2: What an Operating System Really IsFree12 min
- Lesson 3: Files, Folders, and File Systems (locked)11 min
- Lesson 4: Bits, Bytes, and Why Computers Count from Zero (locked)12 min
- Module 1: Worked Examples and Extended Analogies (locked)13 min
- Module 1: Hands-On Exercises (locked)Assignment11 min
- Module 1: Glossary (locked)9 min
- Module 1: Quiz (locked)Assignment10 min
The Internet Demystified9 lessons · 1.7 hrsLocked
- Lesson 01: What Happens When You Type a URL (locked)11 min
- Lesson 02: IP Addresses, Domains, and DNS (locked)11 min
- Lesson 03: HTTP, HTTPS, and the Lock Icon (locked)11 min
- Lesson 04: What an API Is, Really (locked)12 min
- Lesson 05: The Cloud Without the Buzzwords (locked)13 min
- Module 2 Examples: Real-World Analogies and Scenarios (locked)12 min
- Module 2 Exercises: Hands-On, No-Code Activities (locked)Assignment11 min
- Module 2: Glossary (locked)9 min
- Module 2: Quiz (locked)Assignment12 min
Operating System Fluency8 lessons · 1.6 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Choosing Your Environment -- Windows, macOS, Linux (locked)12 min
- Lesson 2: File Paths -- Absolute vs Relative (locked)10 min
- Lesson 3: Productive OS Habits (locked)13 min
- Lesson 4: Installing and Uninstalling Software Safely (locked)14 min
- Module 3: Worked Examples (locked)12 min
- Module 3: Exercises (locked)Assignment12 min
- Module 3: Glossary (locked)8 min
- Module 3: Quiz (locked)Assignment12 min
Meet the Terminal8 lessons · 1.6 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Why Developers Live in the Terminal (locked)12 min
- Lesson 2: Navigating the File System (locked)13 min
- Lesson 3: Creating, Moving, and Deleting Files (locked)12 min
- Lesson 4: The Terminal Scavenger Hunt (locked)15 min
- Module 4: Examples (locked)11 min
- Module 4: Exercises (locked)Assignment10 min
- Module 4: Glossary (locked)10 min
- Module 4: Quiz (locked)Assignment11 min
Computational Thinking10 lessons · 2.2 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Decomposition (locked)11 min
- Lesson 2: Pattern Recognition (locked)11 min
- Lesson 3: Abstraction (locked)11 min
- Lesson 4: Algorithms as Recipes (locked)12 min
- Lesson 5: Boolean Logic and Decision-Making (locked)12 min
- Lesson 6: Pseudocode and Flowcharts (locked)13 min
- Worked Examples: Computational Thinking (locked)18 min
- Module 5: Hands-On Exercises (locked)Assignment20 min
- Module 5: Glossary (locked)8 min
- Module 5: Quiz (locked)Assignment14 min
How Software Is Built9 lessons · 1.9 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Frontend, Backend, and Database (locked)12 min
- Lesson 2: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript at 30,000 Feet (locked)13 min
- Lesson 3: Servers, Hosting, and Domains (locked)12 min
- Lesson 4: Web vs Mobile vs Desktop Apps (locked)14 min
- Lesson 5: Why So Many Programming Languages? (locked)13 min
- Module 6: Worked Examples and Extended Analogies (locked)18 min
- Module 6: Hands-On Exercises (locked)Assignment12 min
- Module 6: Glossary (locked)9 min
- Module 6: Quiz (locked)Assignment12 min
Version Control Concepts9 lessons · 1.8 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Why Versioning Matters (locked)10 min
- Lesson 2: What a Repository Is (locked)11 min
- Lesson 3: Commits and Branches (locked)12 min
- Lesson 4: GitHub — The Developer's Portfolio (locked)12 min
- Lesson 5: Open Source and the Gift Economy (locked)13 min
- Module 7: Worked Examples and Extended Analogies (locked)15 min
- Module 7: Hands-On Exercises (locked)Assignment12 min
- Module 7: Glossary (locked)8 min
- Module 7: Quiz (locked)Assignment14 min
Digital Hygiene and Safety9 lessons · 2 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (locked)11 min
- Lesson 2: Phishing and Social Engineering (locked)12 min
- Lesson 3: Backups — The 3-2-1 Rule (locked)12 min
- Lesson 4: Privacy and Personal Data (locked)12 min
- Lesson 5: Public WiFi and Mobile Data Safety (locked)14 min
- Module 8: Worked Examples (locked)18 min
- Module 8: Exercises (locked)Assignment15 min
- Module 8: Glossary (locked)9 min
- Module 8: Quiz (locked)Assignment15 min
How to Learn Tech10 lessons · 2.2 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: The Plateau Is Normal (locked)11 min
- Lesson 2: Documentation Beats Tutorials (locked)11 min
- Lesson 3: Effective Googling for Developers (locked)10 min
- Lesson 4: Asking Good Technical Questions (locked)12 min
- Lesson 5: Using AI Assistants Responsibly (locked)17 min
- Lesson 6: Imposter Syndrome (locked)16 min
- Module 9: Worked Examples and Extended Analogies (locked)19 min
- Module 9: Hands-On Exercises (locked)Assignment14 min
- Module 9: Glossary (locked)6 min
- Module 9: Quiz (locked)Assignment15 min
The Tech Career Landscape9 lessons · 2.3 hrsLocked
- Lesson 1: The Roles (locked)19 min
- Lesson 2: Employed, Freelance, or Founder (locked)15 min
- Lesson 3: The African Tech Context (locked)14 min
- Lesson 4: Communities and Mentorship (locked)18 min
- Lesson 5: Choosing Your Next Step (locked)15 min
- Module 10: Worked Examples and Real-World Stories (locked)24 min
- Module 10: Exercises (locked)Assignment10 min
- Module 10: Glossary (locked)9 min
- Module 10: Quiz (locked)Assignment14 min
This course includes
- 89 lessons across 10 modules
- 20 hands-on assignments
- Certificate of completion
- 12-month access
- Works on phone, tablet and desktop
Want live classes and mentors?
The Mctaba bootcamp adds live classes, dedicated mentors and career support.
Apply at mctaba.com →Frequently asked questions
How long do I have access?
12 months from the date of purchase. You can renew access or subscribe to All-Access for KES 2,999/month for unlimited access to every course except Full-Stack + AI Engineering, which is sold separately.
What payment methods do you accept?
M-Pesa and international cards (Visa, Mastercard) via Paystack.
Can I preview content before buying?
Yes! The first two lessons are free to preview. No purchase required.
Who teaches this course?
Bonaventure Ogeto, founder of Mctaba Labs, a Nairobi-based software company that builds the tools and products we teach about.