Introduction

Java, released by Sun Microsystems in 1995, has become one of the most popular programming languages. How does a programming language stay relevant in the fast-paced world of technology for almost 30 years?

Several factors contribute to Java’s longevity, including its cross-platform compatibility, large and active developer community, and strong emphasis on backward compatibility.

One factor that stands out is Java’s continuous updates and improvements to keep up with the latest technology trends. Oracle, the company that now owns Java, releases a new version of the language every six months, with each release bringing new features, performance improvements, and security enhancements. This ensures Java remains competitive with other programming languages and frameworks, maintaining its popularity for modern application development.

In this evolving programming landscape, it’s essential for you to stay current with the latest technology. Earning a Java 17 certification not only validates your expertise in Java but also signals to employers that you are committed to ongoing professional development and staying ahead of the curve.

However, a Java certification is not just about passing an exam. It’s about building a strong foundation in Java. By studying for and passing the certification exam, you will gain a deeper understanding of the language and its core principles.

This is my intention with this book. Here you will find clear and concise explanations of the fundamental concepts that you need to grasp in order to pass the Java SE 17 Developer Exam (1Z0-829).

Here are some details about the exam:

• It consists of 50 multiple-choice questions.
• The time allotted for the exam is 90 minutes.
• The passing score is 68%.
• It is available online through the Oracle University platform.

You can find more information here: https://education.oracle.com/product/pexam_1Z0-829.

Who Should Read This Book

This book is designed for programmers who are already familiar with Java programming, its core concepts, and perhaps even have some practical experience. It is ideal for:

• Java developers looking to upgrade their skills and knowledge to the Java 17 version.
• Intermediate Java programmers who are comfortable with earlier versions of Java and want to deepen their understanding of the features and improvements introduced in Java 17.
• Certification aspirants aiming to pass the Java 17 certification exam and requiring a comprehensive resource that covers all necessary topics and provides insights into the exam’s structure and expectations.

However, this book may not be the best starting point for complete beginners to programming or those with no prior experience in Java. While I will explain everything required to understand the objectives covered by the exam, the book assumes a basic understanding of Java concepts and programming principles. If you’re new to Java, I recommend starting with introductory materials before this certification guide.

How This Book Is Organized

The book is divided into 16 chapters and one appendix as follows:

• Chapter 1. Utilizing Java Object-Oriented Approach - Part 1. This chapter introduces fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming in Java, including classes, objects, and their lifecycle. It covers key language features such as keywords, comments, packages, access modifiers, fields, methods, constructors, initializers, and nested classes.

• Chapter 2. Utilizing Java Object-Oriented Approach - Part 2. This chapter goes deeper into Java’s object-oriented features, exploring variable scopes, inheritance, polymorphism, and advanced concepts like abstract classes, interfaces, and sealed classes. It covers topics such as method overriding, the this and super keywords, type casting, and the instanceof operator.

• Chapter 3. Working with Records and Enums. This chapter introduces two specialized Java types: records, which provide a concise way to create immutable data carriers with built-in methods, and enums, which define sets of predefined constants. It explores the features, limitations, and best practices for both, including custom constructors, methods, and fields.

• Chapter 4. Working with Data. This chapter provides an overview of Java’s data handling capabilities, covering primitive and reference types, wrapper classes, operators, and string manipulation. It explores advanced topics such as autoboxing, operator precedence, bitwise operations, the immutability of strings, the efficiency of StringBuilder, text blocks, and mathematical operations using the Math class.

• Chapter 5. Controlling Program Flow. This chapter explores Java’s control flow structures, including conditional statements (if, else if, else), switch statements and expressions, and various loop constructs (while, do-while, for, enhanced for). It covers advanced topics such as pattern matching in if statements, labeled loops, and the use of break and continue statements to manage program execution flow efficiently.

• Chapter 6. Arrays, Generics, and Collections. This chapter covers three fundamental concepts in Java: arrays for fixed-size data storage, generics for type-safe programming with different data types, and the Collections Framework for flexible data management. It explores array manipulation, generic classes and methods, wildcard types, and key collection interfaces and utilities, providing a comprehensive understanding of Java’s data structure capabilities.

• Chapter 7. Error Handling and Exceptions. This chapter explores Java’s exception handling mechanism, covering the hierarchy of exception classes, the difference between checked and unchecked exceptions, and techniques for throwing and catching exceptions.

• Chapter 8. Functional Interfaces and Lambda Expressions. This chapter introduces functional programming concepts, focusing on functional interfaces, lambda expressions, and method references. It covers the definition and use of functional interfaces, the syntax and applications of lambda expressions, built-in functional interfaces from the java.util.function package, and the various types of method references.

• Chapter 9. Streams. This chapter explores the Stream API. It covers the creation and manipulation of streams, including intermediate and terminal operations, primitive streams, short-circuiting, and advanced concepts like reduction and collection, while also introducing the Optional class for safer null handling.

• Chapter 10. Concurrency and Multithreading. This chapter talks about Java’s concurrency and multithreading capabilities, covering thread creation, lifecycle, and synchronization mechanisms. It explores advanced topics such as the Concurrency API, thread pools, concurrent collections, parallel streams, and strategies for avoiding common pitfalls like deadlocks and race conditions.

• Chapter 11. The Date/Time API. This chapter explores the Date/Time API, focusing on key classes such as LocalDate, LocalTime, LocalDateTime, Instant, Period, and Duration. It covers date and time manipulation, formatting, parsing, and working with time zones and offsets.

• Chapter 12. File I/O. This chapter is about Java’s file input/output capabilities, focusing on the NIO.2 API and stream-based operations for both byte and character data. It covers essential file operations, including reading, writing, copying, moving, and deleting files, as well as working with file attributes, directory traversal, and object serialization.

• Chapter 13. The Java Platform Module System. This chapter explores the Java Platform Module System (JPMS), covering module creation, dependencies, and encapsulation. It covers module types, service providers, migration strategies, and tools like jdeps, jmod, and jlink.

• Chapter 14. Accessing Databases with JDBC. This chapter explores Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), covering core interfaces, database connections, and SQL execution through various Statement types. It covers ResultSet handling, transaction management, and best practices for resource management.

• Chapter 15. Localization. This chapter reviews Java’s localization capabilities, covering Locale handling, resource bundles, and internationalization of messages, numbers, dates, and times. It covers key classes like ResourceBundle, MessageFormat, NumberFormat, DateFormat, and DateTimeFormatter.

• Chapter 16. Annotations. This chapter explores Java annotations, covering their types, creation, and usage in enhancing code functionality and maintainability. It focuses on built-in annotations like @Override, @FunctionalInterface, @Deprecated, @SuppressWarnings, and @SafeVarargs, while also introducing custom annotation creation and meta-annotations.

• Appendix 1. Logging. This final section covers the basics of logging you need to know for the exam.

The following table shows the chapter where each exam objective and sub-objective is covered:

Exam Objectives	Chapter
Handling date, time, text, numeric and boolean values	4
Use primitives and wrapper classes including Math API, parentheses, type promotion, and casting to evaluate arithmetic and boolean expressions	4
Manipulate text, including text blocks, using String and StringBuilder classes	4
Manipulate date, time, duration, period, instant and time-zone objects using Date-Time API	11
Controlling Program Flow	5
Create program flow control constructs including if/else, switch statements and expressions, loops, and break and continue statements	5
Utilizing Java Object-Oriented Approach	1, 2, 3
Declare and instantiate Java objects including nested class objects, and explain the object life-cycle including creation, reassigning references, and garbage collection	1
Create classes and records, and define and use instance and static fields and methods, constructors, and instance and static initializers	1, 3
Implement overloading, including var-arg methods	1
Understand variable scopes, use local variable type inference, apply encapsulation, and make objects immutable	2
Implement inheritance, including abstract and sealed classes. Override methods, including that of Object class. Implement polymorphism and differentiate object type versus reference type. Perform type casting, identify object types using instanceof operator and pattern matching	2
Create and use interfaces, identify functional interfaces, and utilize private, static, and default interface methods	2
Create and use enumerations with fields, methods and constructors	3
Handling Exceptions	7
Handle exceptions using try/catch/finally, try-with-resources, and multi-catch blocks, including custom exceptions	7
Working with Arrays and Collections	6
Create Java arrays, List, Set, Map, and Deque collections, and add, remove, update, retrieve and sort their elements	6
Working with Streams and Lambda expressions	8, 9
Use Java object and primitive Streams, including lambda expressions implementing functional interfaces, to supply, filter, map, consume, and sort data	8, 9
Perform decomposition, concatenation and reduction, and grouping and partitioning on sequential and parallel streams	9
Packaging and deploying Java code and use the Java Platform Module System	13
Define modules and their dependencies, expose module content including for reflection. Define services, producers, and consumers	13
Compile Java code, produce modular and non-modular jars, runtime images, and implement migration using unnamed and automatic modules	13
Managing concurrent code execution	10
Create worker threads using Runnable and Callable, manage the thread lifecycle, including automations provided by different Executor services and concurrent API	10
Develop thread-safe code, using different locking mechanisms and concurrent API	10
Process Java collections concurrently including the use of parallel streams	10
Using Java I/O API	12
Read and write console and file data using I/O Streams	12
Serialize and de-serialize Java objects	12
Create, traverse, read, and write Path objects and their properties using java.nio.file API	12
Accessing databases using JDBC	14
Create connections, create and execute basic, prepared and callable statements, process query results and control transactions using JDBC API	14
Implementing Localization	15
Implement localization using locales, resource bundles, parse and format messages, dates, times, and numbers including currency and percentage values	15
Understand the basics of Java Logging API.	App. 1
Use Annotations such as Override, FunctionalInterface, Deprecated, SuppressWarnings, and SafeVarargs.	16
Use generics, including wildcards.	6

The last three rows are not official topics that will be graded on the exam, but you are expected to be familiar with them:

• Generics are included as a subtopic of Chapter 6: Arrays, Generics, and Collections.
• Annotations have their own (small) chapter.
• I didn’t think it was necessary for the Java Logging API to have its own chapter with key points and practice questions at the end because it’s not a topic that is asked directly on the exam (for example, how to create a custom handler). So, in an appendix, I only mention the basic information you need to know for the exam.

At the end of each chapter, you will find a set of practice questions designed to mirror the format and difficulty level of the exam questions.

Here are a few strategies to maximize the benefits of these practice questions:

1. Attempt all questions: Even if you feel confident about a topic, attempting every question ensures comprehensive coverage of the material.
2. Review explanations: For each question, detailed explanations are provided, highlighting why each answer is correct or incorrect. Carefully review these explanations to understand the rationale behind each question, which is important for mastering the material.
3. Revisit difficult questions: If you find certain questions challenging, make a note of them and revisit these topics in the chapters. This iterative process of testing and reviewing will solidify your understanding.
4. Track your progress: Use the practice questions to gauge your understanding and track your progress over time. This can help identify areas where further review is needed.

As you work through the practice and even the real exam questions, consider these tips to improve your success rate:

• Read Carefully: Take the time read each question and all possible answers, paying attention to keywords and qualifiers like “all,” “none,” “only,” “best,” and “most” to understand what the question is really asking.
• Identify the Core Question: Focus on on the question’s true intent. Questions often aim to test specific facets of a concept, pinpointing this can guide your thought process.
• Rephrase the Question: If the question is complex or confusing, try rephrasing it in your own words. This can help clarify what is being asked and make it easier to identify the correct answer.
• Eliminate Clearly Wrong Answers: Start by eliminating any answer choices that are clearly incorrect. Even if you’re unsure about the correct answer, narrowing down the options increases your chances of choosing the right one.
• Look for Distinct Patterns: Sometimes, incorrect answer choices have patterns in common (such as syntactical errors or implausible values) that you can identify and eliminate.
• Use Partial Knowledge: Even if you’re not 100% sure about an answer, use your partial knowledge of the topic to eliminate choices that don’t fit what you know.
• Manage Your Time: If you find yourself stuck on a question, it’s often better to skip it and move on. This prevents you from spending too much time on a single question and running out of time for others.
• Mark for Review: If available, use the exam’s feature to mark questions for later review. This allows you to revisit challenging questions if time permits.
• First Instincts: If you must guess, go with your first instinct unless you find clear evidence to change your answer upon review. Often, your initial choice is influenced by your subconscious knowledge of the subject.
• Context Clues: Use any given context or code snippets to guide your answer. The context can often eliminate answers that are correct in general but not suitable for the specific scenario presented.

Integrating these tactics with a comprehensive study plan is essential for a thorough preparation. Now, let’s explore some tips for creating an effective study strategy that goes beyond merely answering practice questions.

Tips for Studying

1. Understand the Exam Objectives

First of all, visit the official Oracle Certification website to get detailed information on the objectives, the structure, and the topics covered for the 1Z0-829 exam.

However, understanding the exam objectives is not just about knowing what topics will be on the exam; it’s about comprehensively integrating this knowledge into a study plan, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the breadth and depth of questions you’ll encounter.

Study guides like this one offer a structured way of learning and often include practice questions, study tips, and detailed explanations of topics. However, there are more resources you can use to prepare for the exam:

• Oracle Documentation: Oracle’s official documentation for Java is another important resource. It provides comprehensive details on the Java language and APIs. Familiarity with Oracle’s documentation can also help you in your professional work, beyond passing the exam.
• Official or Recognized Training Courses: Oracle offers an official training course for the Java programmer certification. Courses taught by Oracle-certified instructors or recognized professionals can offer deep insights into Java programming and the certification objectives. They can also provide answers to complex questions and clarify difficult concepts.
• Forums and Discussion Groups: Online forums and social media groups dedicated to Java certification are excellent places to ask questions, share study tips, and connect with others programmers interested on the Java certification exams. I can recommend Coderanch.

2. Create a Study Plan

You need to approach your exam preparation strategically. A good plan addresses not only what you need to learn but also how you learn best, ensuring that, when exam day arrives, you’re confident in your knowledge and ready to succeed. Here’s how to create an effective study plan:

1. Define Your Study Timeline. Evaluate how familiar you are with the exam topics. This assessment will help you estimate how much time you’ll need to prepare for each section and set a target date for taking the exam. Based on your current knowledge and the exam date, allocate a specific number of weeks or months for preparation. Ensure you include extra time for revision and practice exams.

2. Break Down Exam Objectives into Study Sessions. Divide the exam objectives into manageable sections or topics, which could be based on the official breakdown provided by Oracle or chapters in a study guide.

3. Schedule Regular Study Times. Establish a daily or weekly routine that dedicates specific times to studying. Consistency is important for long-term retention and staying on track with your study plan. However, remember to incorporate short breaks into your study sessions to prevent burnout and enhance productivity. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique can be beneficial.

4. Set Milestones and Review Points. Set specific goals for what you want to achieve each week or month, such as mastering a particular topic or completing a set number of practice questions. Also, schedule regular review sessions to go over previously studied material. This repetition is vital for memory retention.

5. Adjust the Plan as Needed. Regularly assess your progress against the study plan. Be prepared to adjust your schedule if you’re moving faster or slower than anticipated. Life events may require modifications to your study plan. The key is to stay flexible and adapt while keeping your goal in sight.

3. Practice Coding by Hand

While programmers heavily rely on Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for coding, the ability to write code by hand (without the assistance of auto-completion or syntax highlighting) is important, especially in the context of certification exams. Coding by hand compels you to recall syntax and programming constructs from memory, reinforcing your knowledge and understanding of Java fundamentals.

Begin practicing with simple programs that cover basic concepts, such as loops, conditionals, data types, and array manipulations. Gradually increase the complexity of these programs as you become more comfortable. This practice will not only improve your coding skills but also will deepen your understanding of these concepts.

Before starting to code, consider outlining your program in pseudocode. This step helps structure your thoughts and approach to problem-solving, allowing you to focus on the logic of your solution without getting bogged down by syntax. Pseudocode is a valuable skill in both exam scenarios and real-world problem-solving.

After writing your code, review it line by line to check for syntax errors, logical mistakes, and other potential issues. Take the time to understand any errors you encounter and why they occurred. This reflective practice is important for learning and improvement. If possible, have someone else review your handwritten code. A fresh perspective can offer new insights and identify errors that you may have overlooked.

4. Include Practice Exams in Your Plan

In addition to the sample questions provided by this book, practice exams help you become familiar with the exam’s format, including the wording of questions and the time constraints. This approach enables you to identify areas of weakness, allowing for more targeted and efficient study on topics needing improvement.

Don’t postpone taking practice exams until the last minute. Instead, integrate them early and consistently into your study plan to assess your understanding and monitor your progress. Here are some tips:

• Timed Sessions: Simulate exam conditions by taking practice exams within set time limits to improve your time management skills. This practice is important for completing all questions within the given time frame during the actual exam.
• Study in Blocks: If tackling a full-length exam is too daunting, consider dividing practice exams into smaller segments focused on specific topics for more concentrated study sessions.
• Simulate the Exam Environment: Create an exam-like environment by finding a quiet, distraction-free space where you can concentrate on the practice exam without interruptions.
• Review Incorrect Answers: Make it a priority to review and understand the rationale behind each incorrect answer and the logic of the correct ones. This process is key to learning from your mistakes and avoiding them in the future.
• Take Notes on Mistakes: Maintain a record of errors and challenging topics in a notebook or digital file. Refer to these notes when revising your study plan, emphasizing these weaker areas.
• Retake Exams: Revisiting practice exams can be valuable, particularly after some time has elapsed since your initial attempt. However, avoid over-reliance on rote memorization of questions and answers, as it might lead to a misleading sense of readiness.
• Diverse Set of Questions: Engage with a wide array of practice exams to encounter various questions and scenarios. This diversity helps prevent the pitfall of memorization and fosters a genuine comprehension of the underlying concepts.
• Refine Your Study Plan: Leverage the insights gained from practice exams to fine-tune your study plan. Dedicate additional time to areas of lower performance and continue practice until you observe consistent score improvements.

5. Stay Healthy and Motivated

Studying for the Java certification exam can be a time-consuming and stressful process. Remember, it’s important to take breaks, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet to stay focused and energized.

What you eat significantly affects your brain function and energy levels. Consuming a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can give you the steady energy necessary for extended study periods. Try to limit your intake of caffeine and sugar to avoid the inevitable energy crashes they can cause.

Regular exercise enhances blood flow to the brain, helping in memory retention and stress alleviation. Even brief intervals of physical activity, such as walking or stretching, can offer substantial benefits. Strive for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.

To avoid burnout, incorporate regular breaks into your study plan. Use this time for enjoyable activities, whether it’s reading, listening to music, or socializing with friends and family.

Never underestimate the importance of quality sleep, particularly in the days leading up to the exam. Sleep plays a vital role in memory consolidation and overall cognitive functionality. Try to establish a consistent sleep schedule that allows for 7-9 hours of rest each night.

Finally, keep a positive and confident outlook as you navigate your exam preparation. Trust in your capabilities and remind yourself of the reasons behind your pursuit of Java certification. Whether motivated by professional growth, personal achievement, or specific career aspirations, focusing on your initial motivations can help keep your spirits high and your motivation intact throughout challenging study periods.

All right, let’s get stated!