Are you looking for an ideal way of learning Java from scratch? There are plenty of online Java courses available as well as number of books offline which can help you to learn Java. There are many aspiring Java programmers who search for answers to common questions like:
- How to learn Java in an easy way?
- Which is the right path to start learning Java?
- How to learn Java programming?
These are the types of questions we are addressing today. By the end of this blog, we hope our readers will have better clarity about an ideal way to learn Java from the very beginning.
We don’t claim that the framework given below is the only method to learn Java, where different individuals’ different methods can work. Hence, we recommend to our readers to please share their thoughts on what has worked the best for them. This will help the whole community to learn from each other. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the agenda for today.
Java Introduction
Java is one of the programming languages developed at Sun Microsystem and released in the year 1995. Java programming language is the most widely used object-oriented, class-based, general-purpose programming language. It is fast, secure and a very reliable programming language. Java is the most preferred programming language by many companies to build software applications such as web applications, gaming software, and android application, etc.
Evolution of Java
programming language
Anyone who wants to learn Java must know the reasons behind the creation of the Java programming language. The main reasons behind developing the Java programming language are:
- To adapt easily to the changing environments and uses
- To bring improvements in the art of programming.
As you learn
Java further, you will understand that Java was driven by both these factors in
equal proportion.
Java is related to C++, which is developed using the C programming language. Java was influenced by both these languages as it derives its syntax from C, whereas its object-oriented features were influenced by C++.
As we can see, the purpose of the invention of every language is to provide the solution to a problem in a much better way than its preceding language, Java is no exception.
Other major reasons for developing Java are:
- To create a platform independent language which can run on any environment irrespective of any platform
- It is developed with the concept of “Write once, run anywhere”, wherein it enables the programmers to easily execute the programs on different platforms without making any modifications to the source code.
Before we further discuss how to learn Java from scratch, it is better if we take couple of minutes and address a few important questions here.
Is it easy to learn Java?
Java has the same learning curve as other programming languages. Some of the reasons why Java has an upper hand over most of the programming languages are:
- It is platform independent
- It is a class-based object-oriented language which reduces the complexity of the coding.
These factors help the programmer to easily understand the programming concepts. One can learn Java in an easy way even if they don’t have any basic programming language but have a strong desire to learn and understand this wonderful programming language.
Is Java still in demand?
Yes, Java is the most established language as most of the software applications are being developed using Java programming language. Java with its unique features and continuous updates is ahead of most of the programming languages.
Java is being used to develop many mobile applications, enterprise software and gaming software, which has resulted in increase in the demand of Java programming language.
Can I learn Java for free?
If you are looking to learn Java for free you can get plenty of resource online which can teach you Java for free. One can learn Java free of cost through many YouTube video tutorials, E-books and many PDF files available over the Internet.
Even some of the leading Java tutorials offer some free courses. You can learn from them. However, with free resources, your learning curve may be huge, as you will have to work hard to find the right information by looking at multiple resources.
If you are looking to make the most of your limited time, don’t want to restrict yourself from just learning the basic concepts, and are willing to learn the advanced concepts of Java and all the frameworks it provides to build software applications, then we recommend that you consider high quality premium resources like Java online courses, as chances of covering all such topics in depth in free versions are minimal.
How long does it take to learn Java from scratch?
The time it will take to learn Java will completely depend upon where you are starting. One cannot specify the ideal time required to master Java Programming as it varies with individuals. It also depends on the level of learning path you are in. For example, if you are a beginner and don’t have any basic knowledge of Java, then you may require more time to learn Java than the one who already have some basic knowledge of programming.
Further, many other aspects such as your level of interest, the Java tutorial you choose, the time you invest to learn Java, etc. also count towards the time you will take to master it, or for that matter, any other programming language, from scratch. However, on average, it can take 2 to 6 months before you start coding big in Java.
How do I start learning Java from scratch?
Let us now come to the core objective of writing this article. As we are discussing how easy it is to learn Java, now one might have confusion regarding the question: “how do I start learning Java from scratch?”. There are various pitfalls when you begin learning Java or any programming language. Here are some tips that we recommend you follow to become a successful Java programmer:
- Learn the fundamental concepts: As a beginner or experienced Java programmer, it is very important to know all the basic fundamental concepts before you begin to write your first program. We don’t recommend you to rush through while learning programming. Rather, ensure that first, you have a solid grasp on the Java fundamental concepts, which in turn, will speed up your learning in the later stages. Solid fundamentals will help you to learn advanced concepts in a much better way and start coding easily. Later in this blog, we have made a mention of some of the basic concepts you need to master java programming.
- Utilize all the resources available online: The best way you can learn Java is to take help of high-quality Java online programming courses available at various platforms like Simpliv. Apart from these, you can also read e-books, PDF’s , etc. which will provide you good knowledge of Java. Even YouTube tutorials are great resources to start learning Java basics.
- Practice coding: Practice is the key to becoming a master of Java programming. Once you know the basic concepts of programming, then start writing codes from simple to higher level, which helps you to build software applications easily. Practicing these programs continuously helps you to keep updated and improve your level of coding. Pay attention to the mistakes you make and learn from them.
Benefits of learning Java:
If you want to know why you should learn Java, then you must understand the benefits behind learning it. Java Programming opens the doors to many opportunities as it brings in a variety of benefits to both for programmers as well as to the organizations. Let us look at some of these benefits:
- Easy to learn: As discussed earlier, Java is one of the easiest programming languages to learn for beginners. To learn Java, you don’t need to have any basic programming knowledge; just a strong desire to learn is enough.
- It is object-oriented: Java is developed with the object-oriented concept, which helps in developing application very easily.
- Java provides program development tools: Java provides program development tools like Eclipse and NetBeans. These Integrated Development Environments helps the developers to not only develop the code but in also debugging the code. These IDE’s have made Java development much easier, faster and more fluent.
- Java is platform independent: One of the great advantages of Java is that it is platform independent. You can write programs once and can then run them on any platform.
- Provides good job opportunities: Java is the most preferred choice of many organizations because of its unique features. Java is used to develop many Enterprise software and also Mobile applications for many android devices, which has resulted in creating a large number of jobs for Java developers.
What are the basic concepts of Java?
Let us look at the basic concepts of Java programming, which anyone needs to know to learn Java in an easy way:
- Basic program
- Variables
- Data types
- Operators
- Arrays
- Loops
- Conditional statements
Very soon, we at Simpliv will be discussing the above concepts in detail in a separate blog which provides in-depth knowledge of all these important fundamental concepts.
Object-Oriented Concepts in Java
What is the Object-Oriented Concept?
It is one of the methods
of programming wherein it allows the programmers to create the objects that
they want and then create methods to handle those objects overall simplifying
software development. Understanding them is key to understanding how Java
works.
Some of OOP Concepts in Java are:
- Class
- Object
- Inheritance
- Polymorphism
- Abstraction
- Encapsulation
To be a successful Java developer, one has to understand the OOPS Concept clearly. Shortly, we at Simpliv will be writing a detailed blog on OOP Concepts in Java.
Certificate oriented courses:
Receiving a Java certification will help you to add extra weight to your profile and gain a competitive edge in the job market. These Java certifications reflect your dedication and interest towards your learning curve and prove your technical expertise to the outside world.
One can take up such Java online programming courses which cover all the fundamental concepts to help you to get Java Certification Exams conducted for various professionals at different levels.
Know which course is best suited for you:
Once you know the entire course structure and understood how these courses will benefit you, then you need to decide which kind of course you exactly need to opt for based upon your level of experience:
Consider the following 3 scenarios:
- You are a beginner: You are a fresh graduate, or you are learning Java for the first time, then you need to opt for online courses on Java which are specially designed to teach the basic fundamental concepts of Java. This helps you to learn Java from basic and then move a step ahead later.
- You are an intermediate professional: Well, if you are working as a Java developer and looking to scale your coding skills to further levels, then you need to opt for Java video tutorials which cover the higher level of programming skills.
- You are an expert in Java programming: If you are already coding using Java programming language from several years and have enormous experience as a Java developer but are still looking to learn the new concepts at a higher level, then you must take up the Java bootcamps which are designed exclusively keeping experienced professionals in mind.
If you want to learn Java or any other programming language and start coding effectively, then all you need a clear plan of action and discipline to stick to that plan.
We will keep building this resource keeping your interests in mind. We know the tactics mentioned above aren’t anything revolutionary or new, but these have worked in our case. Let us know what has worked in your case.
So, what do you think? We would love to hear from your end.