Java learning path with step-by-step topics and project ideas that will guide you from a beginner to an advanced Java developer.
1. Introduction to Java and Setting Up Environment
- Topics: What is Java? History and Overview Installing JDK and setting up Java development environment. IDEs: IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or NetBeans Writing your first Java program (HelloWorld.java).
- Project: Create a simple Hello World program.
2. Java Basics (Syntax, Variables, and Data Types)
- Topics: Java syntax, comments, variables, data types. Primitive types (int, char, double, boolean, etc.).Type casting and type conversion.
- Project: Create a Basic Calculator that can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
3. Control Flow Statements (Conditionals and Loops)
- Topics: If-else statements, switch-case. Loops: for, while, do-while. Break and continue statements.
- Project: Create a program that checks if a number is prime and prints all prime numbers in a range.
4. Functions (Methods) and Recursion
- Topics: Defining and calling methods. Method overloading. Recursion and its applications.
- Project: Implement factorial, Fibonacci series, and GCD using both loops and recursion.
5. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Concepts
- Topics: Introduction to classes and objects. Constructors, this keyword. Encapsulation, getters, and setters. Static members and methods.
- Project: Create a Bank Account class with methods to deposit, withdraw, and check balance.
6. Inheritance and Polymorphism
- Topics: What is inheritance? extends keyword. Method overriding, super keyword. Polymorphism and dynamic method dispatch.
- Project: Build a Vehicle Management System where Car, Bike, and Truck inherit properties from a base Vehicle class.
7. Abstraction and Interfaces
- Topics: Abstract classes and methods. Interfaces and multiple inheritance. Implementing interfaces in classes.
- Project: Develop a Shape Drawing Application where different shapes (e.g., Circle, Rectangle, Triangle) implement a Drawable interface.
8. Exception Handling
- Topics: Types of exceptions: checked and unchecked exceptions. Try-catch blocks, finally, throw, throws. Custom exceptions.
- Project: Build a User Registration System with error handling for invalid inputs (e.g., incorrect age, email format).
9. Collections Framework
- Topics: Introduction to Collections: List, Set, Map. ArrayList, LinkedList, HashMap, HashSet, TreeSet. Iterating over collections using iterators and enhanced for-loop.
- Project: Create an Employee Management System using ArrayList to store employee details, and HashMap to store departments.
10. File I/O and Serialization
- Topics: Reading and writing files using FileReader, FileWriter, BufferedReader, BufferedWriter. Serialization and deserialization.
- Project: Create a To-Do List Application where tasks are saved to a file and can be loaded when the application starts.
11. Java Threads and Concurrency
- Topics: What is a thread? Creating and running threads using Thread class and Runnable interface. Synchronization, inter-thread communication. Executor framework for thread management.
- Project: Create a Multithreaded File Downloader that downloads parts of a file in parallel and combines them.
12. Lambda Expressions and Stream API
- Topics: Introduction to Lambda expressions and functional interfaces. Using Stream API for collections (filter, map, reduce).Method references.
- Project: Develop a Student Grades Analysis Application using Stream API to filter and analyze students' scores.
13. Generics and Collections (Advanced)
- Topics: Introduction to Generics. Creating generic classes and methods. Bounded types in generics (extends and super).
- Project: Implement a Generic Stack or Queue class that can handle different data types.
14. Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)
- Topics: Setting up a database (e.g., MySQL or PostgreSQL).Connecting Java to a database using JDBC.CRUD operations using JDBC (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE).
- Project: Create a Simple Library Management System where users can add, update, and delete books from a database.
15. JavaFX for GUI Development
- Topics: Introduction to JavaFX. Building UIs with Stage, Scene, and controls like Button, TextField, TableView. Event handling and styling with CSS.
- Project: Create a Contact Management Application with a graphical interface using JavaFX.
16. Spring Framework (Core, Spring Boot, Spring MVC)
- Topics: Introduction to Spring and dependency injection (DI).Spring Boot for building standalone applications. Spring MVC for building RESTful web services.
- Project: Build a REST API for an E-commerce Application where users can view, add, and manage products and orders.
17. Hibernate and JPA (Java Persistence API)
- Topics: ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) with Hibernate. Introduction to JPA annotations. Performing CRUD operations using Hibernate and JPA.
- Project: Create a Blog Application where posts and comments are stored in a database using Hibernate and JPA.
18. Microservices with Spring Boot
- Topics: Introduction to microservices architecture. Building microservices with Spring Boot. Communication between microservices using REST and message brokers.
- Project: Create a Distributed Online Shopping Application with separate microservices for user authentication, product catalog, and order processing.
19. Unit Testing with JUnit and Mockito
- Topics: Writing unit tests with JUnit. Mocking dependencies with Mockito. Test-driven development (TDD).
- Project: Implement unit tests for the Bank Account Application or Library Management System.
20. Advanced Java Topics
- Topics: JVM internals (memory management, garbage collection).Reflection API. Dynamic proxies. Java Modules (introduced in Java 9).
- Project: Build a Plugin-Based Application that loads plugins dynamically at runtime using reflection and modules.
Bonus Project Ideas:
- Chat Application: A real-time chat app using Java Sockets or Web Sockets.
- Online Voting System: A secure online voting platform with user authentication.
- Inventory Management System: A desktop application for managing inventory using JavaFX and database integration.
- Banking Application: A full-fledged banking system that includes account management, transactions, and reporting.
- Social Media Feed: A microblogging system or a social media feed using Java Spring Boot and Hibernate.
Summary of the Learning Path:
This learning path covers a wide range of Java topics, from the basics of the language to advanced concepts like Spring, Hibernate, multithreading, and microservices. The accompanying projects at each stage ensure that you get hands-on experience while solidifying your understanding of the topics.
