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Learning a programming language has never been easier. Online classes, video tutorials, documentation… But, with so many options available, it’s hard to filter out the best options. How to learn Java fast? In this blog, we cover some of our favorite resources to learn all about this veteran platform/programming language.
What is Java
At over 25 years of age, Java needs little introduction, if any! Java was released in 1996 by Sun Microsystems, which was acquired by the Oracle Corporation in 2009.
As it’s widely known, Java is a general-purpose programming language, meaning it can be used to create a wide array of software – from desktop GUI applications to enterprise solutions. To be more precise, Java is actually also a set of programs and libraries, but that becomes clear soon.
Java follows the Wora (write once, run anywhere) principle, so it is platform-independent. It also boasts integrated automatic garbage collection.
Key Java Statistics
- Currently 3rd most popular programming language in the world, according to the TIBOE Index. Java was the leader for over 10 years, starting in 2006.
- It’s the language most present in high-traffic sites, according to w3techs. Some of these sites include Sohu.com, Taobao.com, Yahoo.com, Csdn.net, Naver.com, Aliexpress.com, Tianya.cn, Linkedin.com, Amazonaws.com, and Salesforce.com.
How To Learn Java? Tips From Our Devs
While I was researching for this article, I made sure to ask some of our developers about their take.
Angelika brought up the importance of trying projects as soon as possible.
“The best way to learn a language is to do a small project and, when you encounter a problem, look for a solution in the documentation. That way, you see in practice the nuts and bolts of the language.”
Angelika, DevOps
And Jakub included some of the websites we list below.
Best Java Learning Resources
Time for the list and links!
Below we official and non-official content designed to teach you how to code in Java.
Official Resources to Learn Java
Oracle’s Java Student Resources
Oracle’s portal acts as a hub of sorts for learning resources sanctioned by Java’s proprietor.
Besides its own channels (which we’ll cover in a moment), Oracle recommends educational tools aimed at kids and young people, such as Greenfoot and Scratch.
Oracle University
This official eLearning hub provides a multitude of Java courses, some of them free.
It’s also in the Oracle University where you can attain official Java Certification. Even if you don’t have a certification in your roadmap, it’s very interesting to get familiar with Oracle’s tools and procedures.
The University should not be confounded with the Oracle Academy, which offers resources for institutions and teachers.
Java Magazine
From “11 essential Java features to help modernize your code” to “Understanding Java generics, Part 2: The hard part”, the online Java Magazine is a precious free resource for learning all about Java.
This online magazine includes quizzes, articles, interviews, videos, and even book reviews. Java Magazine was delivered as a PDF until 2019, when it transitioned to a fully-fledged webpage.
Good to know: they also host all codes on Bitbucket.
Java Documentation Hub
The main documentation portal, which links to technical documentation of Java Standard Edition 16, Java Platform Standard Edition 8, Java Enterprise Edition, and Java Micro Edition Embedded, among many others.
You will spend some time in these sites, whether you are starting today or have been programming for over 10 years.
Other Dedicated Sites on How to Learn Java
Java Tutorial for Beginners: Learn Core Java Programming
A very handy goal-focused collection of tutorials aimed at readers looking to learn Java from scratch.
It kicks off with topics such as “What is Java Virtual Machine & its Architecture” and introduces concepts such as variables, classes, objects, and arrays.
Later stages delve into API, Java Spring, and more. some of the projects include showing the Fibonacci series and a palindrome program.
A sign it really is a comprehensive tutorial: it even lists common Java interview questions.
Advanced users will benefit from the comparisons between Java and other languages such as C.
JournalDev – Core Java Tutorial
JournalDev also hosts a well-structured tutorial. It focuses on Core Java (enough for offline, general-purpose applications), which is a good place to start.
The content goes beyond this tutorial, though, and the reader can spend quality time studying topics such as previous Java versions and current case studies.
Baeldung
Baeldung is one of the favorite resources of our developer Jakub.
The site has a huge focus on Java Spring, but still can be used by those completely new.
Following the weekly newsletter is a great way to keep up-to-date with news from the Java world.
It’s aimed at students with at least basic programming knowledge, so keep that in mind.
Communities
r/java on Reddit
The r/java subreddit is over 20 years old and has matured a lot over time. With its over 200 thousand members, you can expect to read discussions and controversies happening live.
Also, special mention to two sibling subreddits: r/javahelp to ask for help and r/learnjava for learning resources on how to learn Java.
Stack Overflow
It’s Stack Overflow. Enough said.
Online Courses
Note that many of these online courses are either paid or freemium (when the certificate and quizzes are paid).
Codecademy – Learn Java
The main Java course from Codecademy has been taken over 2 million times. It starts from the basic programming concepts, so some students might consider it to be too basic.
Between the 7+ projects in the roadmap is a basic calculator
Udemy – Top Java Programming Courses
Udemy offers hundreds of courses on Java alone, so it’s very likely you will find a course matching your goal and experience.
However, be sure to pay attention to the reviews and to check whether the course has been updated recently!
At the time of writing, some of the top contenders are:
- Java In-Depth: Become a Complete Java Engineer!
- Java Programming for Complete Beginners
- The Complete Java Certification Course
Coursera – Top Java Programming Courses
Coursera has the advantage of partnering up with renowned universities.
What’s more, many of their Java courses are embedded inside specializations covering overarching subjects, such as programming or cybersecurity. As such, they offer a very organic path to specialize in narrower topics.
Conclusion – How To Learn Java
In IT, new technology is born daily, so it’s important to be alert for new possibilities. At the same time, there are so many learning resources it’s easy to get lost.
It doesn’t take only motivation to learn excel. You have to be smart on committing to a course that is up-to-date and high-quality.
We hope we were able to shed some light so that you have an easier time learning Java!
