Do you want to enter the world of programming? Well, Java is one of the most used languages in the creation of applications, since it allows them to be executed on different platforms without problems. In that sense, studying Java programming is a very important requirement.
Establish an objective and a language
You can do almost anything with Java. It is possible to build application servers, mobile applications, and enterprise applications and perform unit tests. Therefore, you need to know a little more than just programming language and focus on specific activity areas.
For example, today’s trends are formed around cloud-based applications (for that you will have to learn the basics of cloud computing and specific tools for this technology), work with the internet of things, big data analysis, video game creation, etc. Select an area and focus on it.
At this point, it’s important that you don’t try to learn too many technologies at once. If you add other tools and features to the plan offered by your educational institution, you will end up exhausted and with the feeling that there is no progress. You must give yourself some time to process the information and see how it all works in practice.
Schedule your learning
Are you ready to make Java programming your profession? Then it is advisable that you spend at least 2-3 hours on weekdays and 5 hours on weekends in order to deepen your knowledge.
At that rate, you’ll need 3-6 months to be ready for a junior developer position. In general, when learning to program with Java from scratch, you should divide the process into stages. Here is an example:
- Installing Oracle’s Java Development Kit (JDK) and installing the Java runtime environment (IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or NetBeans)
- Learn Java Syntax
- Learn Java Core
- Learn Java Collections
- Learn popular libraries and frameworks
- Explore the most used APIs (for example, servlets, JSP, JDBC, JUnit)
- Master Git
Balance theory and practice
Programming is a skill that you will strengthen with a lot of practice. Therefore, it is necessary to have a good theoretical base. However, just reading or watching the classes does not make you a Java programmer.
In fact, no one can learn to swim without venturing into a swimming pool. Of course, you will need theoretical training, but it is more important to find yourself in the real environment. Only practice will teach you how to deal with the daily difficulties of a programmer.
In this way, you can start with the simplest solutions and then move on to the more complex ones and constantly work on improving your skills. In addition, this way you will get used to programming on a daily basis.
There is no magic formula that will allow you to learn java fast, but balancing theory with practice will help you a lot. Programming is a skill that requires daily training. If you finish studying a specific topic, continue with a couple of code tasks (from 3 to 10, depending on their difficulty).
Here you can apply the popular Pareto principle that consists of 80% practice and 20% research. That is not an exaggeration: you will need four times more code than reading in order to memorize what you have learned and develop your programming skills.
Join a community
If you want to learn Java programming more fully, it’s best not to do it in isolation. What do we mean by it? That it will be very useful for you to join a community.
Often, when learning any new field of knowledge, doubts arise that it is not good to leave unresolved. By joining a community you can ask questions about different aspects of programming with Java and share your impressions with other people.
There are many forums and web pages focused on programming and you can be sure that there are many specialists willing to share their knowledge. After all, we were all beginners at some point. What’s more, by that means you can meet colleagues with more experience and even expand your network of contacts and find possible projects independently.
If you wanted to know how to learn to program in Java, now you have some tips that will help you start in the best way. Are you ready to start? Then select a course that offers you a quality education.