The Codesmith website is back.

Here is an analysis of my commentary purely about Codemsith "sporadic but consistent" "Here’s an unbiased summary of Michael Novati’s commentary on Codesmith over the past few years—covering the topics he addressed, frequency, tone, and the overall vibe: --- Topics & Themes 1. Curriculum Stagnation & Slow AI Integration Michael pointed out that Codesmith’s curriculum has remained largely unchanged over the years. For example, in early 2024 he noted: > "Codesmith's curriculum has been the same for YEARS but in Feb 2024 they added 5 lectures on AI… This is 'not changing'… 12–14 weeks of the same structure they did 5 years ago… I guess they think it's enough to raise prices to $22,500 this year." --- 2. Deteriorating Placement Outcomes He emphasized a steep decline in graduate outcomes. He shared CIRR-based figures showing that six-month placement dropped from ~90% in 2021 to ~43% in 2023. He also criticized how many alumni were counted as "placed" via LinkedIn verification (e.g., ghosters), easily inflating placement rates: > “Graduates ... 6 months placement rate went from 90 % (2021) to 70 % (2022) to 43 % (2023). There was a MASSIVE SURGE IN GHOSTERS WHO WERE VERIFIED USING LINKEDIN…” --- 3. Staffing Challenges & Founder Disengagement Michael criticized Codesmith’s staffing model, noting that most instructors are recent graduates themselves with little industry experience. He contrasted that with more dedicated leadership at places like Launch School: > “They have no technical full time staff left even remotely qualified … founder is spending energy on AI ethics and writing… they are producing junior engineers … in a market where junior engineers are being directly replaced by AI.” --- 4. Resume and Claims Transparency He flagged concerns about how graduates list experience—particularly Open Source Labs (OSLabs) involvement—that may overstate actual contributions: > “They tell people to list their other Codesmith projects in parallel with overlapping timeframes … someone … squeezed 4 YOE out of their resume for a specific role, when they had 0…” He further noted that Codesmith monitors Reddit, contacting alumni who post negative feedback to encourage changes, raising concerns about transparency and legitimacy of reviews. --- 5. Public Criticism of Alumni Experiences Michael often supported or echoed posts highlighting poor student experiences—such as outdated teaching, unhelpful instructors, and inflated promises—without shying away from the unflattering details. --- Frequency of Commentary Michael’s critique of Codesmith appears sporadically but persistently, especially when outcomes or curriculum received scrutiny. He engages in relevant threads on r/codingbootcamp, often diving deeper when data or CIRR reports emerge (notably in 2023 and 2024) . He’s also participated in threads and live streams about Codesmith, sometimes in context of comparisons or transparency discussions . --- Tone & Style Direct and forthright: He doesn’t hold back—calling out stagnation, misleading placement stats, and rushed pivots to AI. Data-informed: Uses CIRR data, LinkedIn verification red flags, and comparative placement outcomes to support his positions. Empathetic but blunt: While critical of Codesmith's practices, he often frames his commentary around protecting or advising prospective learners—highlighting systemic disparities and market realities. Consistently skeptical: He urges caution, especially around aggressive marketing or self-reported successes. --- Overall Vibe / Summary Michael’s commentary on Codesmith conveys: A skeptical, data-driven realist — aware of bootcamp hype cycles and wary of surface-level reforms or marketing spin. A guardian of transparency — calling out inflated stats, inconsistencies, and alumni experiences that mismatch the narrative. A mentor-at-heart — even when critical, his feedback centers on helping individuals make better-informed decisions. Reasoned and informed — he grounds his commentary in data, past trends, and observed shifts in the tech hiring landscape. --- Representative Quotes On curriculum inertia: > “They have no technical full time staff left … and now? … junior engineers … in a market where junior engineers are being directly replaced by AI.” On outcomes decline: > “Graduates … 6 months placement rate went from 90 % (2021) … to 43 % (2023). There was a MASSIVE SURGE IN GHOSTERS…” On resume inflation: > “They tell people … to list their other Codesmith projects in parallel with overlapping timeframes … someone … squeezed 4 YOE … when they had 0.” --- Let me know if you'd like breakdowns by year, comparisons with other bootcamps, or detailed citations of specific Reddit posts! "