Java Learning Roadmap for Beginners - Kabirosky
1. Introduction to Java
● What is Java?
Overview of Java as a high-level, object-oriented programming language. Discuss its
"write once, run anywhere" philosophy, and its use in web, desktop, and mobile
applications.
● Setting Up the Development Environment
How to install the Java Development Kit (JDK) and set up an Integrated Development
Environment (IDE) like IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or NetBeans.
● Understanding Java's Structure
Introduction to the structure of a Java program: classes, methods, the main method,
and the standard Java entry point (public static void main(String[]
args)).
● Writing Your First Java Program
Create and run a "Hello, World!" program, explaining the syntax and steps involved.
2. Basic Java Syntax
● Variables and Data Types
Overview of Java's strongly typed nature. Learn about primitive data types (int,
double, char, boolean, etc.) and non-primitive types (Strings, Arrays).
● Operators in Java
○ Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /, %
○ Comparison Operators: ==, !=, >, <, >=, <=
○ Logical Operators: &&, ||, !
○ Assignment Operators: =, +=, -=, *=, /=
● Input and Output
Using System.out.println() for output. Introduction to Scanner for user input.
● Comments and Documentation
Single-line (//) and multi-line (/*...*/) comments. Introduction to JavaDoc
comments (/**...*/) for generating documentation.
3. Control Flow
● Conditional Statements
○ If-Else Statements: Basic conditional logic.
○ Switch Statements: Use cases and syntax for cleaner multi-conditional
branches.
● Loops
○ For Loops: Syntax and use cases for iterating over sequences.
○ While Loops and Do-While Loops: Understanding loop conditions and
iterations.
● Loop Control Statements
○ break: Exit the loop.
○ continue: Skip the current iteration and continue with the next.
4. Methods
● Defining Methods
Syntax for defining methods in Java using the returnType
methodName(parameters) structure.
● Method Overloading
Define multiple methods with the same name but different parameters.
● Recursion
Understand recursive functions and when to use them.
5. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
● Classes and Objects
Define classes, create objects, and understand the relationship between classes and
objects.
● Attributes and Methods
Learn about class fields (attributes) and instance methods.
● Constructors
Define constructors to initialize new objects. Explain the default and parameterized
constructors.
● Inheritance
Understanding how to inherit properties from a parent class using the extends
keyword.
● Polymorphism
Learn method overriding and the concept of dynamic method dispatch.
● Encapsulation
Introduction to access modifiers (private, protected, public) and getter/setter
methods.
● Abstraction
Understanding abstract classes and interfaces in Java, and their role in OOP design.
6. Arrays and Strings
● Arrays
Declare, initialize, and use one-dimensional and multi-dimensional arrays.
● Common Array Operations
Iterating over arrays, finding the length, sorting, and searching.
● Strings
Learn about the String class, common string methods (length(), substring(),
indexOf(), charAt(), etc.), and string manipulation.
● StringBuilder and StringBuffer
Understand when and how to use StringBuilder and StringBuffer for mutable
strings.
7. Exception Handling
● Understanding Exceptions
Differentiate between checked and unchecked exceptions.
● Try, Catch, Finally Blocks
Using try, catch, finally to handle exceptions.
● Throw and Throws Keywords
Manually throw exceptions and declare them using throws.
● Custom Exceptions
Learn to create user-defined exceptions for more specific error handling.
8. Java Collections Framework
● Introduction to Collections
Overview of the Java Collections Framework: List, Set, Map, Queue.
● List Interface
Learn about ArrayList, LinkedList, and their use cases.
● Set Interface
Learn about HashSet, LinkedHashSet, TreeSet, and their unique properties.
● Map Interface
Introduction to HashMap, LinkedHashMap, TreeMap, and when to use each.
● Queue Interface
Learn about PriorityQueue, Deque, ArrayDeque.
9. File Handling in Java
● Reading and Writing Files
Using classes like File, FileReader, FileWriter, BufferedReader, and
BufferedWriter.
● Handling File Exceptions
Managing exceptions specific to file handling (FileNotFoundException,
IOException).
● Serialization and Deserialization
Introduction to object serialization (Serializable interface) and how to save/load
objects.
10. Java Generics
● Introduction to Generics
Understanding generic classes and methods for type safety.
● Bounded Types
Use bounded types with generics (<T extends Number>).
● Wildcard Generics
Use cases for ?, <? extends T>, <? super T>.
11. Java Streams and Lambda Expressions
● Introduction to Streams
Understanding streams for functional-style operations on collections.
● Stream Operations
Learn about intermediate (filter(), map(), sorted()) and terminal operations
(collect(), forEach(), reduce()).
● Lambda Expressions
Learn to write concise and readable code using lambda expressions.
● Functional Interfaces
Introduction to functional interfaces like Predicate, Consumer, Supplier,
Function.
12. Multithreading and Concurrency
● Introduction to Multithreading
Basics of threading and processes.
● Creating Threads
Learn to create threads using Thread class and Runnable interface.
● Thread Synchronization
Understand synchronized methods, blocks, and inter-thread communication.
● Concurrency Utilities
Introduction to classes in java.util.concurrent package (ExecutorService,
Callable, Future, Semaphore, etc.).
13. Networking in Java
● Introduction to Networking
Understanding basic concepts of networking: IP, TCP, UDP, sockets.
● Working with Sockets
Learn to create client-server applications using Socket and ServerSocket
classes.
● Handling HTTP Requests
Using HttpURLConnection to make HTTP requests.
14. Working with Databases
● Introduction to JDBC
Learn how Java interacts with relational databases using JDBC (Java Database
Connectivity).
● CRUD Operations
Execute basic SQL operations (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) through JDBC.
● Connection Pooling
Introduction to using connection pools for efficient database management.
15. Java GUI Development
● Introduction to JavaFX and Swing
Basic GUI components (buttons, labels, text fields, etc.) and layouts.
● Event Handling
Learn to handle user interactions (mouse clicks, keyboard input) in GUI applications.
● Building a Simple GUI Application
Step-by-step guide to create a basic JavaFX application.
16. Java Design Patterns
● Introduction to Design Patterns
Learn about design patterns and their importance in software development.
● Common Design Patterns in Java
Understand and implement patterns like Singleton, Factory, Observer, Strategy, and
Decorator.
17. Testing and Debugging in Java
● Unit Testing with JUnit
Write and run test cases using JUnit.
● Test-Driven Development (TDD)
Understand the principles of TDD and how to apply them.
● Debugging Techniques
Learn how to debug Java applications using IDE tools (breakpoints, watches, step
execution).
18. Version Control with Git
● Introduction to Git
Understanding repositories, commits, branches, merging, and pull requests.
● Using GitHub
Learn to manage and collaborate on Java projects using GitHub.
19. Advanced Java Topics
● Java Reflection API
Understand how to inspect classes, methods, and fields at runtime.
● Annotations and Metadata
Learn about custom annotations and reflection-based processing.
● Java Memory Management
Understanding garbage collection, memory leaks, and optimization techniques.
20. Projects and Practice
● Building Small Projects
Start with projects like a simple calculator, to-do list, file explorer, or chat application.
● Contribute to Open Source
Find beginner-friendly Java projects on GitHub to contribute to.
● Capstone Project
Plan and build a comprehensive project like a web application, game, or
enterprise-level software.
Tips for Learning Java Effectively:
● Understand Concepts Deeply: Don’t just memorize; understand why things work
the way they do.
● Practice Regularly: The more you code, the more familiar you become with Java
syntax and paradigms.
● Work on Real Projects: Build small to medium-sized projects to apply what you've
learned.
● Read Java Documentation: Oracle’s Java documentation is a valuable resource to
understand the core of Java.
● Engage with the Community: Join Java communities, forums, and study groups to
collaborate and learn from others.
