I'm a (mostly) self taught developer but I have taken some software related courses (assembly, C, data structures), so I have some semblance of a foundation. Still, I constantly feel 'behind' in my foundational knowledge compared to my peers because I majored in something other than CS/SWE.
That's why the rise of edtech startups have been of interest to me: online courses like Algorithms: Design and Analysis from Coursera have been a godsend, at least when I have the time and energy to do it. It's not easy playing catchup with a full-time job, but there's even less time (and money) for me to go back and get a degree in CS.
"but there's even less time (and money) for me to go back and get a degree in CS."
It seems like many don't understand that not having pursued a CS degree is often a pragmatic one dealing with money, not because self-taught people are too lazy or unwilling to learn at a university level.
They have already obtained their degree and invested a lot of time and money. Or they're far enough along in life where they're giving up a lot more than a teenager or person in their early 20s if they take 4 years off to pursue a degree full-time.
I think these are articles are useful for people who are learning on their own, or who come from that direction. But if you're starting out at a self-taught person, from my experience, no one seems to care if you understand algorithms. You're better off building real things, and it doesn't seem close.
That's why the rise of edtech startups have been of interest to me: online courses like Algorithms: Design and Analysis from Coursera have been a godsend, at least when I have the time and energy to do it. It's not easy playing catchup with a full-time job, but there's even less time (and money) for me to go back and get a degree in CS.