Beginning in Java, need some advice on what to do next

Hey everybody,

I've begun to learn Java and so far I soaked up about 450 pages of the Head First book. It's a lot of fun and combined with some earlier basic experiences with Python it's clicking pretty well.
Now that the end of the book is in sight I'd really like to pick up something new to build upon what I've learned so far. I would hope you guys have some ideas for an aspiring beginner?

I've set my mind on getting my OCA, so I'm planning on buying Jeanne's OCA/OCP books purely to focus on getting the certification.
Apart from that I thought about doing stuff with Java and databases? Or would you recommend other stuff?

I'd like to shift my career to IT as well. Any help or suggestions are welcome.

thanks in advance!

Start with tic tac toe. If you can do that easily, try connecting a database to your program. After that work on making webpages with JSPs using tomcat. After that bring the last 2 steps together, display your DB data on a webpage and make it changeable from the webpage. GUIs might also be of interest to you but they aren't really my expertise.

-Zach

Depends where you are, and your age. Can you go to read for a University degree?

Apart from that I thought about doing stuff with Java and databases? Or would you recommend other stuff?

You may consider learning some network programming like creating an RMI application or socket programming.
Or, if you like graphics, check out this :https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/2d/basic2d/index.html

I'm 37 and have studied in uni, only not IT related.
Would that change my path significantly?

I'll look into the tictactoe and the rmi suggestions!

It is worth considering a second degree, but the expense may be too great to allow you to take three years to do it.

Not sure, but RMI may be outdated. I like the idea of a game going on to a database. Be sure to use good object‑oriented code. Show us what you have and let us see the code so we can improve it. Whenever you go looking for jobs be sure to show the prospective employer it.

I'm 37 and have studied in uni, only not IT related.
Would that change my path significantly?

Java RMI, network programming or graphic programming are the basic assignments that help you to understand more about Java.
It may not be too helpful to help you get a job.

So,if you want to do IT related job, you may consider Oracle database administrator or architect jobs. Or, how about big data.
I have seen some people with economic and finance degree are working in data science analysts job.

I'll just keep studying every day and start making plans on when to do my OCA, when I should have some small assignments (like the tictactoe) done.
Thanks for the answers, its been of great help!

If you want to learn java or Beginner in java. You should follow these steps.
Join any coaching institute take get enrol for Core Java Course first which is around 6 weeks training.
I understand that coaching institute cannot make you a programmer but as a beginner, you should get an environment of programming that's important.
For any problem, you faced ask you mentor in coaching institute and if you are still unsatisfied and go to various forums and videos and do work with old projects in Java. (which is available on Google or if you want to do java from basic I suggest you go with w3school. There are many basic examples of java projects)
Follow every step with accuracy and believe me you can do well in the programming field.
Note: If anyone told you that you should do C or C++ before Java, then its a myth I was a complete beginner when I started learning Java. You can buy Java The Complete Reference (English) 8th  Edition
Good Luck!!

Welcome to the Ranch

Are you sure that is the best book? Many of us prefer Sierra and Bates Head First Java, even though it is old. That means that used copies can be bought for a better price.

Knowledge is an entire life long term process regardless of the actual or future job of your age and other
Meanwhile you think about your further steps take a look to our open library (actually in an early stage and work in progress status .. but yet perfectly usable) visit it often as is more dynamic
Moreover you can participate on our Ranch Corral

All the best
Harry

sounds like good advice but the question was asked 4 mouths ago, not sure its going to help

but as we are on the subject of best way to get employed, I am 39 year old and have good understanding of building apps on android studio and understand the basics of Java.
what would be the best way to get employed as a junior programmer, UK Essex

would it be to spend 3 mouths learning Kotlin in depth or c# on visual studio (as the both similar to Java) or something else

There are a lot of online tutorials that you can follow, but nothing can replace a good book. Here I am sharing 5 Core Java Books that you should read, I am sure that you must have read at least one of these books.

Head First Java: Head First Java was the first java related book that I read, almost 9 years ago. This is a great book and you should read it. The best part of Head First Java is the simplicity of the book and how easily it relates java programming concepts to real life.Head First Java Kathy Sierra Bert Bates, Best Java BooksThis book needs to be updated with all the recent changes, but still it’s a must-have book for everybody to understand OOPS concepts, and unlike other programming books it’s very interesting.


Java: A Beginner’s Guide (Sixth Edition): As the name suggests, it’s a good book for someone with basic knowledge of programming wanting to learn java programming language. It’s written by “Herbert Schildt” and covers all the basic concepts of Core Java.
Java A Beginners Guide Sixth Edition, java book for beginners

Some of the things I like about this book is the Hands-on exercises and end of chapter quiz to evaluate your learning. The latest edition of this book covers Java 8 too, that I think is very important as there are many core changes introduced in Java 8.

Java: The Complete Reference (Ninth Edition): This book contains everything you need to become master of Java programming language. You can keep this book as a reference. Although I think it’s not a good book for complete beginners because it’s more than 1200 pages long. But if you want to learn beyond the basics, then this is the book I would recommend.

Core Java Volume I — Fundamentals (9th Edition): This is again a reference book that contains the detailed explanation of different features of Core Java. I like it better than the Complete Reference because of several reasons – it’s not from Oracle, it’s simple to read and under 1000 pages.
Core Java Fundamentals, best java book

Effective Java 2nd Edition: This is not the beginner’s book but I think this is a must-have book for every Java programmer. The book contains 78 best practices that you should follow when writing Java programs. I think it should be read in parallel with other Java books so that you follow these best practices right from the start.
Effective Java, best book for java

A lot of people here think there are better books than Schildt's.

Campbell Ritchie wrote:A lot of people here think there are better books than Schildt's.

I found Schildt's books relatively good only for people that just know the subject and want re-pass some arguments as reminder
definitely are not good for fist-timers  who will learn good practices etc

meenal deshpande wrote:. . . Effective Java 2nd Edition:  . . ..

I have had a copy of the 3rd edition for well over an hour. It came out at the end of last year.

Thanks for the comments about the books, I will look these titles up on-line, I started off reading a book "Java for Dummies" to learn the basics about java, well the basics about most object-oriented programming language's
took a good 6 mouths to use and understand most of the things in the book and then I went over the basics again and followed the complete Beginner Java Programming Tutorials by TheNewBoston went over the course 3 times till i really understood objects in depth finished late 2016.

so then I started using net-bean Ide to build a few basic desktop app's till I found a free course on udacity  "nanodegrees android studio course", that was really interesting course in 2017 spent a year every night doing every thing i could to build apps even built a complete sandwich app for work with all the bells and whistles ( logs your details when you first use the app and with a few basic activity's, you make your own sandwich, bread, filling etc and then send then emails the order over to the sandwich line  )

very basic to use and built to the restaurants colours theme, they said they have a developer building a sandwich app for the restaurant so they can't use my app but another department asked me to build an app for them, it was a basic app and it took 2 weeks in my free time
worked very well and they said I was a very quick developer but most the apps they require are build in swift ( never used swift but have used kotlin a few times that was really good till I started trying to use threads lol, got a little stuck so went back to java for now )

since them ( 6 mouths back I have been following any android apps I can find on you tube and getting a higher understanding of java objects and android studio)

never had any real work experience but would like to be a programmer full time.
but just trying to find the best way to achieve this

thanks