Java is the second most popular programming language in the world. More than 3 billion mobile phones, 125 million TV sets, and all the Blu-Ray players are running on Java. Companies always remain in a search of good java developers who can help them make robust and efficient applications.

If you want to make a career in Java or already hired by a company and looking for ways to hone your Java skill, let me tell you that knowing the programming language is not enough. You must be excellent in coding and Java programming to make a working and useful application.

Important Tips For Java Developers

This is 2019 and you can’t just sit with the same level of Java. There are millions of Java developers in the world with good knowledge of the subject, and they are also willing to upgrade their skills by learning Java 8, JDK 10, Cloud Native Java, Kotlin and latest design patterns.

Today, I am going to share some interesting tips for Java Developers that will help them succeed in their career.

Also Read: 10 Best Java Frameworks for Software Developers

1. Learn Java 8 – It’s High Time Now

The whole IT industry is running on several technologies which are upgrading quite often. If you don’t upgrade yourself with time, you will become obsolete.

There are many senior Java developers with more than 8 years of experience but unable to write code with Java 8 features like Lambda Expressions, Java Stream API, Collection Framework and other default methods.

I would like to say only one thing to them, you guys have knowledge and practice both. If you learn Java 8 features and build a strong command over it, you can easily surpass other developers with little or no knowledge of Java.

There are so many things to learn in Java 8 like default and static methods in interfaces, functional interfaces, lambda expressions, Java stream API, etc.

2. Work on Your Design Pattern Knowledge

In order to become a great Java developer, in-depth knowledge of design pattern is always required. Though experienced software developers must be aware of this, if you are a fresher, here it is.

A design pattern is a process to build a relation between classes and objects. So that we can write reusable code which ultimately helps in creating flexible and changeable applications.

There are a lot of people who only focus on improving their code writing skills and dream of becoming a developer. Here, you should know that if you keep going like this, you may become a good programmer, but not a developer.

Read: How to Learn Java Programming Language Easily?

Either you are a student or a working professional or a developer, start improving your design pattern knowledge right now. You should know how to write code that can be used n number of times without any compatibility issues.

3. Be a Pro at Using Java APIs and Libraries

The community plays an important role in the growth of any language, and as Java has the 2nd largest community on StackOverflow, you should use it.

If you want to become an expert Java developer, learning about APIs and Libraries is a must. Also, remember, you can never learn all the APIs in one life, and even no one expects it from you. So, try to learn only the required APIs and their important elements.

You can take help from Java SE official documentation. it contains detailed, developer-targeted descriptions, Java API references, including useful tips and working code examples.

After that, you can go to other important libraries like JHipster, Maven, Guava, Google-GSON, Junit, etc.

4. Improve Your Unit Testing Skills

Unit Testing Skill is something that differentiates a professional Java developer from an average one. Writing unit tests while development helps them validate their code and to ensure that their code is working fine.

Though companies hire fresher and experienced developers both if they find you are familiar with unit testing, automation testing, performance testing, and other testing tools, they will prefer you over others.

If you are already working on Java for years, it’s time to upgrade your skills and learn unit testing (JUnit 5). It does not only help you analyze your logic but can also boost your career.

5. You Can’t Ignore JVM Internals

Java Virtual Machine or JVM is an important part of Java Runtime Environment (JRE). The more you know about JVM, the better developer you will become.

You can learn how JVM actually works, how JVM executes bytecode, JVM system threads, their order of execution, JVM stack limitations, etc. This knowledge will help you solve complex programming and make better Java applications.

Recommended: Top 10 Most Useful Java Libraries For Programmers

Final Words

These are some of the important tips that you can follow to become a better Java developer. The competition is increasing day by day but that quality is always valued over quantity. So, just don’t focus on adding more and more things to your resume but also improve the existing ones. In this way, your skills will never let you face any competition in your career.