Help, I'm a Java Beginner !
My main Java Certification Training site assumes that you
know Java, and that you are
preparing for the Java Certification Exam. I've had
many EMAIL's asking for
information on how and where to get started learning Java
as a beginner.
You need to learn Java via one or more of the following:
Tutorials, Books, Instructor lead course (ILT)
and most
importantly working with the Java language.
- Use my free resource at: Free
Java Training & Resources (Home Page)
- Complete the 3 tutorials in the section "Java First
Steps".
Java - download, install and compile a java program.
Eclipse - download, install and create a java program.
JUnit - write code using TDD (Test Driven
Development).
- Oracle - free tutorials
- http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial (free).
- Online Training (fee)
- LinkedIn Premium Subscription (~$29 a month in 2016)
- has many courses on Java and other technologies.
- Instructor Lead Courses (ILT)
- Check your Community college (~$200).
Also consider university, vocational schools or
corporate training sites.
Here are some Q&A's and topics:
- Object Oriented Programming (OOP) Vs
Procedural Programming
Java is a 100% OOP type language. If you've been
programming in a procedural language, hopefully you'll
pickup OOP concepts. If not, you'll need to search
for these resources or you'll be
lost. Somewhere along your career path you
may want to consider studying OOP.
- Is Java harder that C++ ?
I think Java is easier to learn that C++.
Java is a new language that looks like C++ but has
removed some of the more difficult aspects of C++.
- Can I learn Java as my first language?
YES! You may want to purchase a book
that also gives instruction on Object Oriented
Programming (OOP).
- Should I study C++ first, then Java?
No. Go straight to Java.
- Should I study VB first, then Java?
I would suggest starting out with Java. VB is a
good language to learn for first time programmers.
VB has a mix of procedural and object oriented
programming. VB is still an excellent
choice especially if your site uses it.
- Should I use an IDE (Integrated Development
Environment) ?
You'll be using an IDE in the real work
world. However, using a text editor will
definitely get you closer to the code ( I learned with a
straight editor). So I guess I would
suggest using an text editor and compiling via a command
prompt first, then moving to an IDE.
- Once I know Java, how should I prepare for the
Certification exam from Sun?
This site is designed to help you prepare for the Sun
Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) exam once you know Java
- http://www.michael-thomas.com/tech/java
. Check out my link on "training" and "java
hot sites". You will need: 1)
a good book on certification, 2) make sure you
code the exercises (get you hands dirty in Java), 3)
do not rush into the exam until you can pass the exams
in the back of the book, HTML exams, and other simulated
exams with a 90%. You can find information on
these 3 items at the "java hot sites" link.
- Now that I'm certified, what other technologies are
commonly used with Java at the work place?
Answer:
1. Good question and hard to answer because there are so
many technology stacks used. I don't have a good
answer!
2. Go to LinkedIn or Job Boards and search for Jobs to
see what skills are being sought after.
Some thoughts:
For UI (User Interface) web work you need at least some
knowledge in: HTML/CSS & JavaScript
For access to data in DBs you will need: SQL.
Popular Java based frameworks are: Spring &
Hybernate
Popular JavaScript based frameworks are: JQuery,
AngularJS, Bootstrap, AJAX
Popular data file formats are: JSON & XML
- Now that I'm certified, do you have any suggestions
on looking for a Job?
This is a hard question because everyone has different
needs. I have some links at: www.michael-thomas.com/tech/itcareers
that may help. Experience always looks good,
however I've seen certification be a definite deciding
factor.
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