The second quarter of the year has already begun. I hope you all have learned new things in the first quarter and have set goals for the other. Technology is changing rapidly and if you are a programmer, your biggest challenge is to keep yourself updated.
Talking about the last year, people thought Java 9 was new but before they could finish learning it, Java 10 and Java 11 were already out. They came really fast but introduced a lot of interesting features like var with local variables, API enhancements, GC improvement, Thread Local handshake, etc. Java brings numerous changes with every new version such as Spring 5, Spring Security 5, and Spring Boot 2, etc.
If you are confused about what you should learn in 2022, you are in the right place. Today, I will share five important things you should keep on your learning bucket list that may help you a lot in the upcoming time.
Read: 5 Important Tips to Become a Good Java Developer
Contents
What Java Programmers Should Learn?
1. Git
If you are a Java programmer or developer who hasn’t mastered Git, then, believe me, it’s high time now. Git and GitHub have been around for years now, but still, a lot of people ignore them. They just prefer to give the same excuse every time i.e. they don’t need it yet. But they forget to face the other side of the coin.
Now, most companies are migrating their projects from SVN, CVS to Git and so it could become a major advantage when you apply for jobs. You might have downloaded and used the projects from GitHub using the conventional method, but this is not enough to stand out from the crowd. You should be also able to execute Git commands, especially reverting changes and handling errors.
2. DevOps
DevOps is nothing but a set of methods used to automate the processes between software development and teams to build, test, and release software faster and more reliably.
It’s one of those areas which has been getting more limelight since the last year. More and more companies are adopting continuous integration and seamless deployment with DevOps.
Java Programmers might feel overwhelmed to know they will have to learn a lot of principles and tools. But don’t worry, there are enough resources available online that you can follow and master DevOps at your own pace.
Also Read: 5 Best Open Source IDEs for Java Programming Language
3. Learn Java 9, 10, 11 or Maybe 12
I know many Java developers are still learning Java 8 but at least you can take some time to learn new features of Java 9, Java 10, and Java 11. I am not asking you to move to an upgraded version without finishing the current one, as it would cause problems in the future.
However, if you manage your time right, learning a few new concepts at regular intervals of time won’t cause any harm. If you are not excited about the upgraded version, Java 9 brings a lot of new things like Jigsaw, Reactive Streams, Process API, HTTP2 client, JShell, etc. Similarly, JDK 10 brings var to offer dynamic typing and some GC improvement.
4. Spring Framework 5.0
Spring Framework 5.0 is the first major release since Spring Framework 4 released in December 2013. It comes with many features such as Functional programming with Kotlin, Reactive Programming Model, Core framework revision, Core container updates, Testing improvements, etc.
If you also use Spring, it’s probably the best time to learn Spring 5.0. There are many excellent courses available on the Internet. You just have to choose one as on your experience. Furthermore, you can even learn Spring Security 5.0 and Spring Boot 2 and expand your skill set.
5. Unit Testing
If you think only improving your coding skills will make you a professional Java developer, it probably won’t happen. There are a lot of new unit testing tools and frameworks available for Java programmers.
For example, Cucumber for automated integration tests, PowerMock, and Mockito for mocking objects, Robot Framework, and the latest JUnit 5 library. So, there’s a lot you have to learn on this front. Improving your unit test skills will also increase the chances of your recruitment by the companies.
Recommended: Why Do Programmers Prefer Kotlin over Java Programming?
Wrapping Up
I hope this article will help you decide what you should learn in 2019. As you also know, there are a lot of other things to learn. But the most important thing is applying the things you learned. You should not opt for courses just for the sake of adding it to your resume or profile. So, what are you planning to learn this year? Share with us in the comments below.
