Java developers are software engineers who have built applications in the Java programming language. In the Java world, developers mostly work on client-side GUI applications running either on their desktops or web-embedded devices. Other application areas include Enterprise and Mobile app development. The term ‘developer’ implies that a person also has the core skills to develop new modules and features independently.

A few of these include:

• Understanding data structures and algorithms
• Prior knowledge of web technologies such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc.
• Good communication skills are necessary since they have to communicate with team members from time to time.

The career path for a Java developer is very lucrative for three specific:

• Java being one of the most popular and widely used languages in the Java world, developers have numerous career options.
• Growing demand for Android apps in the job market
• Java being a flexible and adaptable platform, it is easy to gain new skills quickly.

The path to becoming a senior Java developer is through learning and years of practice. One must start with understanding the very basics and move on towards more advanced topics related to the language.

Here is a simple ‘how-to’ guide that you can follow:

Step 1: Master The Fundamentals Of Java

Mastering the fundamentals of Java is your first step in becoming a good software developer. This covers all the basics such as data types, variables, conditional statements, etc. You can find numerous resources online to learn these basic concepts from different teachers and schools online. Some high-quality courses are offered by Udemy and Tutsplus.

Step 2: Acquire Core Programming Skills

A solid understanding of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is required in order to do any programming in Java. Apart from the fundamentals, OOP skills include learning about design patterns and class hierarchies. You can find numerous free resources online that teach these concepts with examples.

Step 3: Learn The Standard Packages

This is a must-do for all java developers since they provide a very important foundation to the language. Learning these packages effectively helps in reducing code duplication and increases velocity when working on larger projects involving hundreds of classes. Some core packages include:

•  Collections – provides different data structures like lists, maps, queues, etc
•  IO – deal with various data streams like UTF8 encoded text files or binary streams, etc
•  Security – provides security features like authentication and authorization, etc

Step 4: Learn More Packages

The ‘Standard’ packages are just a small subset of the numerous packages available in the Java world. A set of common libraries like Spring, Hibernate, JPA helps developers build web applications faster. Newer technologies like Android software development require you to know about libraries like Retrofit, RxJava, etc. You can find numerous video tutorials online on different java packages. Moreover, there are books that list out all the standard and non-standard APIs. Some examples include the Oracle API documentation guide.

Step 5: Get Certified Courses

To get certified as a professional java developer (either for students or professionals), you will need to learn about specific topics like Swing, JavaServer Faces (JSF), Java Persistence API (JPA), and many more. There are numerous certification courses available online from different vendors for a price. Some examples include the Oracle Certification Program

JAVA has been the dominant language in the IT world for over a decade now. This has led to a massive demand for java developers in all sectors of industry. Java developers are required everywhere from start-ups, small businesses to large MNC’s.

Here are some of the prominent career paths one can choose from by learning Java Programming Language

* Web Developer

Web Developers design and create websites using languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. As mobile technologies grow rapidly every year, it is important that web developers know about responsive designs and frameworks like bootstrap and Foundation.

* Android App Developer

As companies look towards creating apps for mobile devices, android app development is on its way to being the most sought-after skill in the near future. Android developers are required by start-ups as well as large companies like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Some of the tools used by android developers include Android Studio, Eclipse IDE, HTML, Java Programming Language, etc.

* Game Developer

For those who love playing games on their mobile phones or PCs but do not want to develop software applications for them, they can always opt to develop games using languages like C++, C#, etc.

* Server-Side Developer/Web Service Developer

Most large-scale websites require a scalable infrastructure that is managed by web servers that are built using computer science technologies like Java, PHP, etc. Technologies like Tomcat and JBoss are used by software developers to build complex enterprise-level applications. Java server pages or JSPs are used to build dynamic websites that interact with database management tools like MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.

* iOS Developer

Developers who provide support to Apple devices can use their existing programming knowledge of developing iOS apps using the Objective-C language, Swift, etc. Or they can take up courses that teach them how to develop iOS apps for iPhone and iPad devices.

Java is a multi-paradigm programming language that allows developers to choose the best approach based on the specific requirements of a project.

Some of the benefits include:

1) Productivity – Java provides high productivity by allowing you to develop applications quickly and also reuse your code

2) Portability – Java has one of the largest runtimes in use across different devices, from servers to embedded devices

3) Security – One of the most secure java programs that have been around for over two decades

4) Architecture-neutral – A platform that can be used on numerous architectures

5) Interoperability and Scalability – Allows you to write code once and run it anywhere (desktop/mobile/server/etc

6) Well-defined Processes – Strict adherence to processes defined by JCP

7) Job Opportunities

The demand for Java programmer has never been higher, with over 9 million Java developers worldwide.

Programming language rankings are determined using a process that gathers information about the number of professionals, courses, third-party vendors, programming language tutorials, and books among other factors. This allows us to provide the most accurate picture of which languages are being used most. We use this gathered information to make quarterly adjustments to our ranking list ensuring that it is an accurate reflection of current usage trends. Our rankings are updated every quarter to take into account the latest trends in programming language popularity.

Java is not just a popular programming language, but one that continues to grow. It has several benefits including high productivity, platform independence, security, and scalability which makes it one of the most sought-after languages for integrate java applications. The demand for Java developers is growing exponentially as companies look towards creating java based applications for mobile devices that support Android OS (developed by Google using Java). So if you’re thinking that learning Java can help your career take off, go ahead and make the switch today!